Working in the GitLab Web IDE
Introduction
The GitLab IDE is a powerful tool that allows us to write, test, and debug code directly within our GitLab instance. For the Data Team, this means we can efficiently work on our dbt models, and other data-related code without leaving the GitLab environment.
Before getting started, make sure you have created an issue using the appropriate template, most likely the “Standard Data Team Issue” template.
Create a new branch
Non-confidential issues
To create a branch and a merge request from a non-confidential issue, you can simply click the “Create merge request” button in your issue
While you have the option to create only the branch and not the merge request, and also to update your branch name and source by using the dropdown next to the ‘Create merge request’ button, it’s best to create the merge request and branch simultaneously, using the default branch name and source (master).
Confidential issues
When working on a confidential issue, you may notice that you can’t create an MR directly in the project. Instead, you’re only presented with the option to create your branch and MR in a fork
However, you can still create a branch within the project for your work. To do this, click on ‘Code’ in the left sidebar, then select ‘Branches’.
From there, click on the ‘New branch’ button to begin the process of creating your branch.
When creating your new branch, you’ll need to consider the naming convention. Start the branch name with the issue ID (e.g., 21949-) to automatically link the future MR to the existing issue. Follow this with a descriptive name that closely aligns with the issue. For consistency, use snake_case or kebab-case (e.g., 21949-creating-a-branch-and-mr-from-confidential-issue). You’ll also need to choose the source branch from which to create your new branch. In most cases, this will be the default branch ‘master’.
Once you’ve created your branch for this confidential issue, you’ll usually be prompted to create a merge request on the next screen. If you don’t see this prompt, don’t worry. You can go to ‘Merge requests’ in the left sidebar, where you should see an option to ‘Create merge request’ for your recently created branch. Alternatively, you can click on ‘New merge request’ and choose your newly created branch as the source branch. Both methods will allow you to start the merge request process.
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