Backlink Leaderboard · Head-to-Head Comparison
Dev.to
#7 of 310 · LDS 8.8
VS
GitLab
#5 of 310 · LDS 9.1
Comparing Link Dilution Score, AI visibility, Domain Rating and dofollow status. Scores are calculated using the FreeMalta LDS formula — not Domain Rating alone. How we calculate →
Score comparison
Dev.to vs GitLab
Link Dilution Score (LDS)
AI Visibility Score
Domain Rating (DR)
Full breakdown
Every metric, side by side.
Metric
Dev.to
GitLab
LDS Score
8.8
9.1
AI Visibility
5
8.1
AI Stars
★★
★★★
Domain Rating
82
90
Link Type
Dofollow
Dofollow
Pricing
Free
Free
Category
Developer
Developer
Traffic
15M
20M
AI Cited
—
✓ AI cited
Verdict
What the scores actually mean.
Too close to call.
Dev.to and GitLab are within 0.5 LDS points of each other. Both are valid backlink sources — your choice should depend on which is easier to get listed on and which fits your content strategy.
GitLab is also AI-cited — it appears in AI-generated answers. Dev.to is not. For AEO and GEO visibility, that gap matters.
GitLab is also AI-cited — it appears in AI-generated answers. Dev.to is not. For AEO and GEO visibility, that gap matters.
Platform detail
What each platform actually is.
Dev.to (dofollow, DR82) is the largest developer blogging community. Articles with links to your site pass dofollow authority and reach a technical audience that AI systems regularly cite.
Rank#7 / 310
LDS8.8
AI Score5 ★★
DR82
Link typeDofollow
PricingFree
GitLab (dofollow, DR90) provides a strong developer-focused backlink. Profile and repository links pass authority and improve visibility for technical products in AI search.
Rank#5 / 310
LDS9.1
AI Score8.1 ★★★
DR90
Link typeDofollow
PricingFree
Also compare
Other Developer platforms.
Scores are calculated using the FreeMalta Link Dilution Score (LDS) formula. Domain Rating data sourced from Ahrefs. AI citation status based on verified testing across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude and Google AI Overviews. Data updated periodically — always verify with current tools before making link building decisions.