Where Does Gitea Store Repositories and Data?
On Linux binary and package installs Gitea keeps configuration in /etc/gitea and working data under /var/lib/gitea. Repositories, attachments, LFS objects, and the SQLite database live under the data tree when SQLite is used.
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Gitea separates configuration from working data. The main config file defines the repository root, database connection, log paths, and storage locations. Defaults place working data under /var/lib/gitea.
Repository files are plain Git repositories on disk with extra Gitea metadata. The database location depends on the database type. SQLite uses a local file. MySQL and PostgreSQL store data outside the Gitea file tree.
Where Gitea stores this, by platform
/etc/gitea/app.ini
Main configuration file. Defines database settings under the database section, repository root under the repository section, and paths for logs and data. Permissions are commonly root:git with mode 640 after install. Check this file first to confirm custom WORK_PATH or database type.
/var/lib/gitea/data/gitea-repositories
Default repository root for binary installs. Each repository is a folder ending in .git with hooks, objects, and refs. Location can differ if repository ROOT is customized in app.ini. Confirm the configured value before backup.
/var/lib/gitea/data
Application data root. Holds the default SQLite database file gitea.db when SQLite is selected, plus attachments, avatars, LFS storage, sessions, and repo archives in subfolders. Custom templates live under /var/lib/gitea/custom and logs under /var/lib/gitea/log.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell if Gitea uses SQLite or an external database?
Open /etc/gitea/app.ini and read the database section. DB_TYPE shows sqlite3, mysql, or postgres. Only sqlite3 keeps the main database as a file under the data folder.
What should I back up for a full Gitea restore?
Back up app.ini, the repository root, the data folder, and a database dump when MySQL or PostgreSQL is used. A file copy of a running SQLite database can be inconsistent, so stop Gitea or use the dump and backup commands first.
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