Ruby
- Home /
- Categories /
- Ruby

Navigating the GitLab repository
If you’ve ever needed to debug a GitLab issue or understand how a particular feature works, you’re in luck – GitLab’s open-source nature means all the answers are right there in the code. But with over 2 million lines of code spread across thousands of files, finding those answers can feel like searching for a needle in a particularly large and complex haystack.

Token-Zero: When you need a token to create a token
When automating a GitLab installation, you’ll often need to create “token zero” - the first access token used to bootstrap your automation processes. Unlike the initial root password, this token is specifically scoped for API interactions during setup. This creates a chicken-and-egg situation: you need a token to make API calls, but you need to make an API call to create a token.