Co-Create with GitLab
Transform from software consumer to platform contributor. GitLab customers work directly with our product and engineering teams to develop new features and enhance existing ones through collaborative development.
Accelerate the roadmap. Build the future.
Collaborative Development
The Co-Create Program connects customer teams with GitLab's engineering and product teams to build meaningful contributions together. Through hands-on collaboration, participants gain deep platform knowledge while developing features that benefit the entire GitLab community.
Co-Create participants collaborate side-by-side with GitLab's engineering teams through onsite sessions, code reviews, and ongoing technical discussions. This hands-on approach helps ensure contributions are well-architected and align with GitLab's development practices.
Gain deep understanding of GitLab's platform through guided exploration of our codebase, development workflows, and architectural decisions. This knowledge helps participants make more effective contributions and better leverage GitLab's capabilities in their own environments.
Co-Create contributions become part of GitLab's open source platform, benefiting millions of users worldwide. Participants see their work deployed across GitLab's entire user base, maximizing the impact of their engineering investment.
Leading Organizations
Choose Co-Create
Leading Organizations
Choose Co-Create
When we needed additional functionality, the Co-Create Program was the obvious next step - direct access to GitLab expertise. In just one week, two developers delivered meaningful time savings for 10,000 users.
Henry Sachs and Markus Siebert
Engineers, Deutsche Bahn
Who can join the Co-Create Program?
GitLab Customers
Organizations actively using GitLab for their development workflows
Teams with meaningful GitLab deployment and operational experience
Companies committed to long-term GitLab platform investment
We'll provide:
One-week onsite GitLab engineer collaboration
Comprehensive technical onboarding and training
Direct access to GitLab product and engineering teams
Ongoing support throughout your contribution journey
Development Teams
Software engineers eager to learn and contribute
Teams with development experience (we'll help with GitLab-specific skills)
Organizations with identified improvement ideas or feature needs
You'll gain:
Deep understanding of GitLab's platform architecture
Hands-on experience with cutting-edge development practices
Direct influence on features that benefit millions of users
Recognition as a GitLab Co-Create partner
Ready to get started?
We're here to help: Our team will work with you to identify the right contribution opportunities and ensure your engineers have everything they need to succeed.
Flexible engagement: Whether you're new to open source or an experienced contributor, we'll tailor the program to match your team's experience level.
Simple process: Applications are reviewed quarterly, and we'll work with you through any legal requirements and onboarding steps.
Exclusive opportunity: Join a select group of organizations directly shaping GitLab's future while building valuable partnerships with our engineering teams.
Interested in learning more? Contact us at [email protected]
The Co-Create Program is the most efficient and effective way to contribute to GitLab as an external contributor. If you've never seen or worked with GitLab, it helps distill what would take weeks of internal training into a targeted crash course. It allowed me to contribute effectively for my customer while delivering something that GitLab could use.
John Parent
R&D Engineer, Software Solutions Team, Kitware
Application Process
Join the Co-Create Program
Ready to collaborate with GitLab's engineering teams? Our application process is designed to match you with the right contribution opportunities and ensure a successful partnership.
Apply nowShare your organization's background, current GitLab usage, and areas where you'd like to contribute. We'll review your technical needs and identify potential collaboration opportunities that align with both your goals and GitLab's roadmap.
Our team will schedule a discussion to understand your technical challenges, team capabilities, and contribution interests. This helps us determine the best approach for collaboration and ensures mutual fit.
We'll work with you to identify specific contribution opportunities, review technical requirements, and plan the collaboration approach. This includes connecting with relevant GitLab product and engineering teams.
Once aligned on the collaboration scope, we'll handle the Corporate Contributor Agreement and any legal requirements. Our team will guide you through the entire process to ensure a smooth start.
Your Co-Create journey starts with technical onboarding workshops, followed by the onsite collaboration week with a GitLab engineer. From there, ongoing support helps ensure your contributions are successful.
By contributing our functionality directly to GitLab, we free up our internal team from maintenance responsibilities. It's a no-brainer—we contribute our ideas, GitLab handles the maintenance, and suddenly all GitLab customers can benefit from our work.
Engineering Leader
Global Automotive Leader
Frequently
asked questions
Frequently
asked questions
Co-Create participants receive hands-on collaboration with GitLab engineers, including onsite sessions and ongoing technical guidance. This program ensures your contributions align with GitLab's roadmap and architecture while providing learning opportunities that aren't available through standard community contribution.
Application form
Apply today to join the GitLab Co-Create program. Our team will reach out to you and guide you in getting started with collaborative development. We are excited to see what innovative contributions you build with our support.
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