---
title: Introduction
description: GitLite is a self-hosted Git service with a REST API. Start here to find the right guide.
url: https://pr-1-12825562dfc9.thally.app/
lastVerified: 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
verifiedVersion: GitLite 1.27.3
---

# Introduction

GitLite is a self-hosted Git service with a REST API. Start here to find the right guide.

## What GitLite is

GitLite is a fork of [Gitea](https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea), an MIT-licensed,
self-hosted Git service, taken at Gitea `v1.27.3`. GitLite is not affiliated with
or endorsed by the Gitea project. The fork and every change made to it are listed
in `NOTICE.md` in the [GitLite repository](https://github.com/vaibhav700c/gitlite).

GitLite exists as the product behind this documentation site. The documentation
system, not the fork, is the work this project demonstrates.

## Who these docs are for

- **Integrators** who call the REST API at `/api/v1` from scripts, CI, or applications.
- **Operators** who run a GitLite server and tune its `app.ini`.

## Find your path

| You want to | Read |
| --- | --- |
| Make an authenticated request in one minute | [Quickstart](/quickstart) |
| Create tokens and choose scopes | [Authentication](/authentication) |
| Read more than one page of results | [Pagination](/pagination) |
| Work with repositories, issues, or organizations | [API reference](/api/repositories) |
| Understand `401`, `403`, `404`, and `422` responses | [Handling errors](/guides/errors) |
| Tune page size and response limits | [Configuration: `[api]`](/reference/configuration-api) |

## Conventions used in these docs

Every example targets a local server at `http://localhost:3000/api/v1` and reads
the full `Authorization` header value from the `GITLITE_AUTH` environment variable.
The [Quickstart](/quickstart) shows how to set it.

Each example is shown as a `curl` command and as JavaScript that runs on Node.js 18
or later with no extra packages.