GitLab vs GitLab Pages: What are the differences?

Introduction
GitLab is a web-based Git repository manager that provides a range of features for software development teams. GitLab Pages, on the other hand, is a feature of GitLab that allows users to host static websites directly from their GitLab repositories. In this markdown document, we will explore the key differences between GitLab and GitLab Pages.

1. Hosting Repositories vs. Hosting Websites
   GitLab primarily focuses on providing a platform for hosting and managing Git repositories. It offers a comprehensive set of features for code version control, issue tracking, continuous integration, and collaboration within development teams. On the other hand, GitLab Pages specifically caters to hosting static websites built using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It enables developers to showcase their projects or share documentation by rendering their repository's content as a live website.

2. Continuous Integration and Deployment
   GitLab offers robust continuous integration and deployment capabilities through its built-in CI/CD pipelines. With GitLab CI/CD, developers can automate the process of building, testing, and deploying their applications. On the other hand, while GitLab Pages also supports CI/CD pipelines, its focus is mainly on the deployment of static websites. It provides a convenient way to automatically build and deploy website changes whenever a new commit is pushed to the repository.

3. Custom Domains and SSL Certificates
   GitLab allows users to associate custom domains with their repositories, which means they can access their code using a unique domain name. However, for GitLab Pages, custom domains play a vital role in hosting static websites. Developers can link their custom domains to their GitLab Pages websites, making them accessible under a personalized URL. Additionally, GitLab also provides built-in support for SSL certificates, ensuring secure website communication for GitLab Pages users.

4. Built-in Markdown Rendering
   GitLab has a powerful built-in Markdown rendering engine, allowing users to write and preview Markdown content directly within its platform. While Markdown is commonly used in readme files and documentation, this feature is especially helpful for GitLab Pages users. They can utilize Markdown to create static website content, leveraging its structured markup capabilities to easily format text, insert images, create links, and more.

5. No Hosting Restrictions
   With GitLab, users have the flexibility to self-host their repositories on their own servers or choose to use GitLab's cloud-based SaaS solution. GitLab Pages, however, has certain hosting restrictions. In order to host a website using GitLab Pages, the repository must be stored on GitLab's servers, either in GitLab.com or self-hosted GitLab instances. This restriction ensures that the GitLab Pages infrastructure can seamlessly integrate with the underlying repository hosting platform.

6. Multiple Websites per Repository
   While GitLab allows users to host multiple repositories, with GitLab Pages, developers can host multiple websites within a single repository. This feature enables the creation of separate websites for different branches or projects within the same repository. It provides a convenient way to manage and deploy multiple websites without the need for separate repositories for each website.

In summary, GitLab focuses on hosting Git repositories and providing comprehensive development team collaboration features, while GitLab Pages specifically caters to hosting static websites built from those repositories, with features like custom domains, built-in Markdown rendering, and support for multiple websites per repository.