Self-host Git and deploy

Self-host Git and deploy

Posted on by Toma Velev

You want a complete workflow for self-hosting Git, building Java web apps, and deploying them to remote servers. Let’s break it down step by step and provide a clear roadmap. I’ll include self-hosting options, CI/CD ideas, and deployment strategies.

1. Self-host a Git Repository

You have several options for self-hosting Git:

Option A: Git on a plain server

  • Install Git on a Linux server.
  • Create a bare repository:
# On server
mkdir -p /srv/git/myapp.git
cd /srv/git/myapp.git
git init --bare
  • Clone/push from your workstation:
git clone user@server:/srv/git/myapp.git
  • Pros: Lightweight, simple
  • Cons: No web UI, no advanced features

Option B: Use Git hosting software

  • Gitea (lightweight, fast, easy)
  • GitLab Community Edition (full-featured, heavier)
  • Bitbucket Server / SourceHut

Example: Gitea

# On server
wget -O gitea https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/releases/download/v1.25.1/gitea-1.25.1-linux-amd64
chmod +x gitea
./gitea web
  • Access via web browser: http://server-ip:3000
  • Create repositories, manage users, webhooks.

2. Automate Builds for Java Web Apps

You can trigger builds either locally or using a CI/CD pipeline.

Option A: Using Maven/Gradle manually

  • Example Maven build:
mvn clean package
  • Produces a .war or .jar file for deployment.

Option B: CI/CD with a self-hosted runner

  • If you use Gitea: Gitea Actions or Drone CI
  • If you use GitLab CE: GitLab CI/CD
  • Example GitLab CI pipeline for Java:
stages:
  - build
  - deploy

build:
  stage: build
  image: maven:3.9.3-openjdk-17
  script:
    - mvn clean package
  artifacts:
    paths:
      - target/*.war

deploy:
  stage: deploy
  image: alpine:latest
  script:
    - apk add --no-cache openssh
    - scp target/myapp.war user@remote-server:/opt/tomcat/webapps/

3. Deploy Java Web Apps to Remote Servers

Option A: Copy WAR/JAR directly

  1. Build your .war or .jar.
  2. Use scp to copy it to the remote server:
scp target/myapp.war user@remote-server:/opt/tomcat/webapps/
  1. Restart the server if needed:
ssh user@remote-server 'systemctl restart tomcat'

Option B: Use automated deployment tools

  • Ansible – manage servers and deployments
  • Jenkins – classic CI/CD with deployment pipelines
  • Docker – package the app in a container and deploy
  • Kubernetes – for scalable deployments (optional)

4. Suggested Workflow

  1. Developer pushes code → self-hosted Git repository (Gitea/GitLab).
  2. CI/CD triggers → Maven/Gradle build.
  3. Artifacts produced → .war or .jar.
  4. Deployment step → SCP/Ansible/Docker to remote server.
  5. Server → Tomcat, WildFly, or Spring Boot app runs the app.

Optional Enhancements

  • Automatic rollback if deployment fails.
  • Health checks for remote servers after deployment.
  • SSL/TLS for self-hosted Git and apps.
  • Monitoring with Prometheus/Grafana or ELK stack.