---
stage: Systems
group: Distribution
info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
comments: false
description: Install GitLab in a cloud native environment
type: index
---

# Cloud Native GitLab **(FREE SELF)**

[Cloud Native GitLab](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/build/CNG) provides cloud
native containers to deploy GitLab. These containers may be deployed and managed
via Helm using GitLab Charts or GitLab Operator on Kubernetes, OpenShift,
and Kubernetes compatible container platforms:

- [Helm charts](https://docs.gitlab.com/charts/): The cloud native Helm chart
  installs GitLab and all of its components on Kubernetes. Use this method if
  your infrastructure is built on Kubernetes and you're familiar with how it
  works. The methods for management, observability, and some concepts are
  different than traditional deployments.
- [GitLab Operator](https://docs.gitlab.com/operator/): The GitLab Operator
  provides an installation and management method for GitLab following the
  [Kubernetes Operator pattern](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/extend-kubernetes/operator/).
  You can also use the GitLab Operator to run GitLab in an
  [OpenShift](../openshift_and_gitlab/index.md) environment.

Here's an overview of how the containers are built:

```mermaid
graph TD
  subgraph Code
  CNG --> HC
  CNG --> GOP
  HC --> GOP
  end

  subgraph Deploy
  GOP --> K8s
  GOP --> OS
  CNG --> DC
  HC --> K8s
  end

  CNG[Cloud Native GitLab containers]
  HC[Helm Chart]
  K8s(Kubernetes)
  GOP[GitLab Operator]
  OS(OpenShift)
  DC(Docker Compose)
```