Web Editor

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• Tier: Free, Premium, Ultimate
• Offering: GitLab.com, GitLab Self-Managed, GitLab Dedicated

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The Web Editor is a browser-based tool for making changes to your GitLab repositories without local setup. You can:

• Edit single files and view live Markdown previews.
• Create new files and directories.
• Upload and replace files.
• Create branches and tags for version control.
• Lock files to prevent concurrent editing conflicts.
• Contribute to projects without setting up Git locally.

GitLab uses your primary email address for Web Editor commits.

For changes to multiple files, use the Web IDE.

[!note] To manage files in a protected branch, you must have the appropriate permissions.

Manage files

You can create, edit, upload, and delete files with the Web Editor, directly from the GitLab UI.

Create a file

To create a text file in the Web Editor:

1. In the top bar, select Search or go to and find your project.

2. Go to the directory where you want to create the new file.

3. Next to the directory name, select the plus icon ({{< icon name="plus" >}}) > New file.

4. Next to the branch name, enter a filename and extension. For example, my_file.md.

5. Add content to your file.

6. Select Commit changes.

7. In the Commit message field, enter a reason for the commit.

8. Choose one of the following options:

   • To create a file in the prefilled target branch, select Commit changes.

   • To create a file in a new branch and commit changes:

     1. Select Commit to a new branch.
     2. Enter a branch name.
     3. Ensure the Create a merge request for this change checkbox is cleared.
     4. Select Commit changes.

   • To create a file in a new branch, commit changes, and create a merge request:

     1. Select Commit to a new branch.
     2. Enter a branch name.
     3. Ensure the Create a merge request for this change checkbox is selected.
     4. Select Commit changes.

From a template

To create a text file from a template in the Web Editor:

1. In the top bar, select Search or go to and find your project.
2. Go to the directory where you want to create the new file.
3. Next to the directory name, select the plus icon ({{< icon name="plus" >}}) > New file.
4. In Filename, enter a name that GitLab provides a template for:
   • .gitignore
   • .gitlab-ci.yml
   • LICENSE
   • Dockerfile
5. From the Apply a template dropdown list, select a template.
6. Optional. Update the template as desired.
7. Continue from the step 6 in the create a file process.

Edit a file

To edit a text file in the Web Editor:

1. In the top bar, select Search or go to and find your project.

2. Go to the file you want to edit.

3. Select Edit > Edit single file.

4. Make your changes.

5. Select Commit changes.

6. In the Commit message field, enter a reason for the commit.

7. Choose one of the following options:

   • To edit a file from the prefilled target branch, select Commit changes.

   • To edit a file from a new branch and commit changes:

     1. Select Commit to a new branch.
     2. Enter a branch name.
     3. Ensure the Create a merge request for this change checkbox is cleared.
     4. Select Commit changes.

   • To edit a file from a new branch, commit changes, and create a merge request:

     1. Select Commit to a new branch.
     2. Enter a branch name.
     3. Ensure the Create a merge request for this change checkbox is selected.
     4. Select Commit changes.
     5. Fill out the fields and select Create merge request.

[!note] If someone edits and commits changes to the same file while you are editing, you can't commit your changes. The following error message is displayed: Someone edited the file the same time you did. Please check out the file and make sure your change will not unintentionally remove theirs.

Markdown preview

To preview a Markdown file in the Web Editor:

1. In the top bar, select Search or go to and find your project.
2. Go to the file you want to preview.
3. Select Edit > Edit single file.
4. Select the Preview tab.

You can see a live Markdown preview alongside your content.

To close the preview panel, select the Write tab.

Link to specific lines

To link to single or multiple lines in the Web Editor, add hash information to the filename segment of the URL. For example:

• MY_FILE.js#L3 highlights line 3 in MY_FILE.js.
• MY_FILE.js#L3-10 highlights lines 3 to 10 in MY_FILE.js.

When you edit a file, you can also link to a single line by selecting a line number.

Edit files in a forked merge request

Prerequisites:

• You must work on a merge request from a fork.
• Allow commits from upstream members must be enabled.

If you're working on a merge request from a forked project, you can edit a file and commit changes. To do this:

1. Go to the merge request.
2. Go to the file you want to edit.
3. Select Edit > Edit single file.
4. Select Commit changes.
5. In Commit message, enter a reason for the commit. The following information is provided: Your changes can be committed to <branch-name> because a merge request is open.
6. Select Commit changes.

Upload a file

To upload a file in the Web Editor:

1. In the top bar, select Search or go to and find your project.

2. Go to the directory where you want to upload the file.

3. Next to the directory name, select the plus icon ({{< icon name="plus" >}}) > Upload file.

4. Drop or upload the file you want to add.

5. In the Commit message field, enter a reason for the commit.

6. Choose one of the following options:

   • To upload a file from the prefilled target branch, select Commit changes.

   • To upload a file from a new branch and commit changes:

     1. Select Commit to a new branch.
     2. Enter a branch name.
     3. Ensure the Create a merge request for this change checkbox is cleared.
     4. Select Commit changes.

   • To upload a file from a new branch, commit changes, and create a merge request:

     1. Select Commit to a new branch.
     2. Enter a branch name.
     3. Ensure the Create a merge request for this change checkbox is selected.
     4. Select Commit changes.
     5. Fill out the fields and select Create merge request.

Delete a file

To delete a file in the Web Editor:

1. In the top bar, select Search or go to and find your project.

2. Go to the file you want to delete.

3. Select Delete.

4. In Commit message, enter a reason for the commit.

5. Choose between the following options:

   • To delete a file from the prefilled target branch, select Commit changes.

   • To delete a file from a new branch and commit changes:

     1. Select Commit to a new branch.
     2. Enter a branch name.
     3. Ensure the Create a merge request for this change checkbox is cleared.
     4. Select Commit changes.

   • To delete a file from a new branch, commit changes, and create a merge request:

     1. Select Commit to a new branch.
     2. Enter a branch name.
     3. Ensure the Create a merge request for this change checkbox is selected.
     4. Select Commit changes.

[!note] If someone edits and commits changes to the same file while you are editing, you can't commit your changes. The following error message is displayed: Someone edited the file the same time you did. Please check out the file and make sure your change will not unintentionally remove theirs.

Replace a file

To replace a file in the Web Editor:

1. In the top bar, select Search or go to and find your project.

2. Go to the file you want to replace.

3. Select Replace.

4. Drop or upload the file you want to upload and replace the existing one.

5. In Commit message, enter a reason for the commit.

6. Choose between the following options:

   • To replace a file from the prefilled target branch, select Commit changes.

   • To replace a file from a new branch and commit changes:

     1. Select Commit to a new branch.
     2. Enter a branch name.
     3. Ensure the Create a merge request for this change checkbox is cleared.
     4. Select Commit changes.

   • To replace a file from a new branch, commit changes, and create a merge request:

     1. Select Commit to a new branch.
     2. Enter a branch name.
     3. Ensure the Create a merge request for this change checkbox is selected.
     4. Select Commit changes.

Cancel file changes

To cancel changes, edit, upload, or delete a file, from the Web Editor:

1. Select Cancel.

2. Select one of the following:

   • Confirm you want to cancel changes: Select OK.
   • Don't cancel changes: Select Cancel.

File operations from the Actions menu

{{< history >}}

• Introduced in GitLab 17.10 with a flag named blob_overflow_menu. Disabled by default.
• Generally available in GitLab 18.1. Feature flag blob_overflow_menu removed.

{{< /history >}}

The Actions ({{< icon name="ellipsis_v" >}}) menu consolidates file operations into the dropdown list. From this menu, you can:

• Edit a file.
• Upload a file.
• Delete a file.
• Replace a file.

To complete these actions:

1. Open the file in GitLab.
2. In the upper-right corner, next to a filename, select Actions ({{< icon name="ellipsis_v" >}}).
3. Select your desired action.

Create a directory

To create a directory in the Web Editor:

1. In the top bar, select Search or go to and find your project.

2. Go to the directory where you want to create the new directory.

3. Next to the directory name, select the plus icon ({{< icon name="plus" >}}) > New directory.

4. In the Directory name field, enter your directory name.

5. In Commit message, enter a reason for the commit.

6. Choose between the following options:

   • To create a directory from the prefilled target branch, select Commit changes.

   • To create a directory from a new branch and commit changes:

     1. Select Commit to a new branch.
     2. Enter a branch name.
     3. Ensure the Create a merge request for this change checkbox is cleared.
     4. Select Commit changes.

   • To create a directory from a new branch, commit changes, and create a merge request:

     1. Select Commit to a new branch.
     2. Enter a branch name.
     3. Ensure the Create a merge request for this change checkbox is selected.
     4. Select Commit changes.

Create a branch

To create a branch in the Web Editor:

1. In the top bar, select Search or go to and find your project.
2. Next to the repository name, select the plus icon ({{< icon name="plus" >}}) > New branch.
3. Complete the fields.
4. Select Create branch.

Create a tag

You can create tags to mark milestones such as production releases and release candidates. To create a tag in the Web Editor:

1. In the top bar, select Search or go to and find your project.
2. Next to the repository name, select the plus icon ({{< icon name="plus" >}}) > New tag.
3. Complete the fields.
4. Select Create tag.

Editor accessibility options

The web editor is based on the Monaco Editor which has several accessibility features, including:

Feature	Shortcut on Windows or Linux	Shortcut on macOS	Details
Keyboard navigation command list	<kbd>F1</kbd>	<kbd>F1</kbd>	A list of commands that make the editor easier to use without a mouse.
Tab trapping	<kbd>Control</kbd>+<kbd>m</kbd>	<kbd>Control</kbd>+<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>m</kbd>	Enable tab trapping to go to the next focusable element on the page instead of inserting a tab character.

Related topics

• Create merge requests
• Branches
  • Default branch
  • Protected branches
• Web IDE
• File tree browser