A Step-by-Step Guide to Migrating from Perforce to GitLab

As modern software delivery accelerates, legacy version control systems like Perforce, once a gold standard for managing monolithic codebases, are now seen as barriers to speed, collaboration, and innovation. For teams navigating distributed work environments and DevOps-first workflows, GitLab presents a powerful alternative.

This blog lays out a detailed, step-by-step blueprint for migrating from Perforce (Helix Core) to GitLab, enabling teams to modernize their toolchain, reduce complexity, and leverage the full power of Git-based DevSecOps.

Why Migrate from Perforce to GitLab?

Perforce excels in monolithic, centralized workflows, but adapting it to modern DevOps often requires custom tooling, higher licensing costs, and workarounds for distributed teams.GitLab isn’t just a Git repository manager, it’s a complete DevOps platform. Migrating from Perforce to GitLab helps teams:

• Modernize version control: Move from centralized to distributed collaboration.

• Integrate end-to-end DevSecOps: GitLab natively supports CI/CD, security, testing, and monitoring.

• Reduce toolchain complexity: Eliminate the patchwork of siloed tools.

• Boost developer velocity: Lightweight branching and offline workflows speed up delivery.

• Cut costs: Avoid proprietary licensing fees and leverage open-source flexibility.

Migration Overview: What You’ll Need

Migrating from Perforce to GitLab involves three key stages:

1. Extracting Perforce repositories using Git P4.

2. Transforming the repo structure to Git conventions.

3. Importing into GitLab and optimizing workflows.

Tools Required:

• Git & Git-P4

• Perforce CLI

• GitLab instance (self-hosted or SaaS)

• Git LFS (if dealing with large binaries)

• OAuth/SSO configuration (e.g., Azure AD for GitLab)

For a detailed migration setup, GitLab provides documentation here.

Migration Steps

1. Audit and Plan

• Identify Perforce depots, branches, tags, and binary file usage.

• Evaluate existing workflows and access permissions.

• Define success criteria: full history, access control, CI/CD readiness.

2. Environment Setup

• Install Git, Git-P4, and the Perforce CLI on a staging server.

• Configure GitLab access using a Personal Access Token.

• Set up OAuth or SSO to preserve user mapping.

3. Initial Migration with Git-P4

• Clone the Perforce depot into a Git repository

• Migrate changelists, branches, and labels.

• Convert remote branches to local Git branches.

4. Binary File Handling

• Use Git LFS or external storage (like S3) for large files.

• Validate file integrity and performance post-migration.

5. Push to GitLab

• Upload the Git repositories to GitLab.

• Configure repository-level permissions and access controls.

6. Post-Migration Setup

• Implement CI/CD pipelines using GitLab’s built-in tools.

• Set up merge request workflows, branch protection, and approval rules.

• Finalize SSO, SOD, and security policies.

Recommended Read: Best Practices For Optimizing Your GitLab Environment Post-Migration

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Depot limitations: Git-P4 can only migrate one depot at a time.

• Case sensitivity: Git is case-sensitive—ensure naming consistency.

• History gaps: Validate full commit and tag history post-import.

• Training lag: Ensure developers are comfortable with Git workflows.

Get the Full Migration Blueprint

While this post outlines the essential steps, a full-scale migration involves deeper planning, edge case handling, and post-migration optimization, especially for large teams or complex repo structures.

That’s why we’ve created a comprehensive guide:

Perforce to GitLab: A Strategic Migration Blueprint for Modern DevOps Teams.

Download the whitepaper now to explore a comprehensive migration strategy that goes far beyond the basics. Inside, you'll find detailed tooling configurations, real-world migration scenarios that address common edge cases, and expert guidance on optimizing your CI/CD pipelines post-migration. The whitepaper also covers best practices for setting up secure access and integrating SSO with platforms like Azure AD. Most importantly, it highlights how VivaOps supports organizations throughout their migration journey, helping teams accelerate their GitLab adoption, streamline DevSecOps workflows, and realize value in weeks, not years.

Ready to Modernize Your DevOps Stack?

At VivaOps, we specialize in helping engineering teams transition from legacy toolchains to GitLab’s modern DevSecOps ecosystem—preserving history, simplifying workflows, and accelerating time to value.

Let’s talk migration strategy.