How to configure GitLab and Ping Identity for secure, repeatable access

You have a team pushing code to GitLab from six time zones, and every push triggers an approval dance around who is allowed to deploy. Someone forgets to rotate credentials, someone else misconfigures a token, and suddenly a weekend release becomes a security audit. This is where GitLab and Ping Identity start turning chaos into control.

GitLab is the builder’s home base, handling repositories, CI/CD pipelines, and merge approvals. Ping Identity is the gatekeeper, managing authentication and single sign‑on with precision. When you connect them, you turn every build and deployment into a session already verified by trusted identity. Instead of juggling keys or ad‑hoc permissions, you lean on OpenID Connect and SAML policies that adapt with your org’s structure.

The integration works simply: GitLab relies on Ping Identity for login and token issuance. Each commit, runner job, or API call inherits the identity context of the authenticated user. That context defines what environments can be touched and which secrets are exposed during automation. It replaces local credentials with OIDC tokens that expire predictably, making your CI/CD flow both safer and more traceable.

To keep things clean, map your group roles in Ping Identity directly to GitLab groups. Use the same RBAC language everywhere: if you label engineers “deploy‑prod,” let Ping enforce that membership. Rotate policies quarterly, sync them with audit cycles, and capture identity logs alongside your pipeline results. When Ping Identity handles lifecycle management, you can remove user accounts in one place and see access evaporate across GitLab within minutes.

Top benefits of GitLab and Ping Identity integration:

• Fine‑grained, policy‑based access controls that follow users across environments
• Automated credential expiration and removal of static keys from repos
• Central audit visibility for build pipelines and deployment events
• Reduced compliance overhead with SOC 2 and ISO alignment out of the box
• Faster onboarding and offboarding tied directly to corporate identity

For developers, this setup tightens the feedback loop. No more waiting for manual approvals. Ping handles who you are, GitLab handles what you ship. Together they free teams from access tickets and slack messages like “can I deploy now?” The developer velocity jump is tangible.

Platforms like hoop.dev turn those access rules into guardrails that enforce policy automatically. Instead of chasing configurations, you can define intent — “only signed‑in users from Ping can trigger production pipelines” — and hoop.dev interprets that into live enforcement. It keeps GitLab flexible while ensuring your identity layer does the heavy lifting.

How do I connect GitLab and Ping Identity?

You configure an OIDC application in Ping, then register it in GitLab’s admin settings as an external provider. GitLab will use Ping as the source for login and token validation. From that point, permissions travel with the identity, not the device.

Does this integration support CI/CD jobs?

Yes. Once GitLab runners trust Ping‑issued tokens, every automated job operates within a verified identity context. That means audit trails become continuous, not just logs after deployment.

GitLab and Ping Identity together create a system where access is predictable, automation is secure, and compliance reporting stops feeling like detective work. You ship faster, and every command knows who is behind it.

See an Environment Agnostic Identity-Aware Proxy in action with hoop.dev. Deploy it, connect your identity provider, and watch it protect your endpoints everywhere—live in minutes.