Instance Setup

An Instance is a designated space that houses tickets you assign to us. Typically, an Instance is associated with a specific repository or a section of the codebase, focusing on a single programming language or technology.

Instances offer an effective means for us to handle work over an extended period. Whether you have an ongoing project with a dedicated team or a standalone project with a defined start and end date, Instances can accommodate your needs.

Instance ownership

To get the most out of GitStart, we recommend that a dedicated individual from your organization oversees each Instance. They should have a good understanding of business logic, be familiar with code, capable of reviewing pull requests (PRs), and able to make code approval decisions.

Linking repositories to Instances

For GitStart to function correctly, two essential steps are required during our signup process:

Install our GitHub App or Connect a GitLab Bot Account

For GitHub, you or someone with the appropriate repository permissions must install our GitHub app on the repository where you want us to work. This app grants us access to the repository, enabling us to create branches and open pull requests for your review.

Permissions

Ensure that the person performing the setup has the necessary permissions to install the GitHub app on the repository. If you require clarification, reach out to your repository administrator.

For GitLab, create a new account acting as a bot account. Usually the bot account is named with the prefix gitstart- for clarity and ease of identification. Then, follow GitLab’s guide to generate a personal access token (PAT). The PAT allows our system to use the bot account to push and pull code to your repositories. You will have to add the bot account to the GitLab Group that your repositories are in. With that, input the domain of your GitLab, e.g. https://gitlab.com or https://gitlab.company.com, and the PAT to our dashboard.

If you are also using GitLab issues to assign us tickets, please note some limitations when importing ticket descriptions from GitLab. Read more in the Assign Tickets section.

We must ensure we can build your repository

A crucial aspect of our setup involves our ability to build and run the code you want us to access and work on, referred to as the “slice.” You have the option to select either the entire repository or specific portions of it, but we must be able to run the slice independently.

We have automated this process to ensure that your code can run smoothly. In the event of an automated failure, developers won’t be able to work on it. We will provide you with logs from the process to assist in diagnosing any issues and our team is also available to help you resolve any problems on a case-by-case basis.

A note on Git submodules We support Git submodules in GitHub repositories, regardless of their permissions or URL types. Submodule URLs are automatically generated based on the parent repository, eliminating the need for additional configuration. If your submodule uses an SSH URL, we will convert it to HTTPS for authentication, ensuring compatibility with private submodules linked via SSH.

If your repository does not contain a submodule, there is no change in the process.

If you encounter any issues or have questions, please reach out to our support team for assistance.