GitLab MCP Server

Connect your AI assistant to GitLab so it can review merge requests, triage pipelines, manage issues, and draft releases — in plain language. One static binary (or a container), 1000+ GitLab tools over the full REST + GraphQL API, working with Claude, Cursor, VS Code, and any MCP client.

You talk to your AI assistant; it does the GitLab work. No project IDs, API endpoints, or JSON to remember.

10,333 tokens of startup context by default, the same on every GitLab tier (1,671 with `GITLAB_MCP_CAPABILITY_SURFACE=minimal`). Two tools reach the whole catalog; measured with the cl100k_base tokenizer and verified in CI on every commit. How it is measured

> "Review merge request !15 — is it safe to merge?" · "Why did the last pipeline fail?" · "List open issues assigned to me" · "Generate release notes from v1.0 to v2.0"

> 🤖 Using an AI assistant? Give it this repository URL and ask it to install the server for your client. Everything a model needs to do it headlessly — the declarative per-client config, `claude mcp add` one-liners, and defaults — is in `llms.txt` (no interactive wizard required).

Install in 60 seconds

Pick one. Each path ends with you typing a prompt to your assistant. Every channel has a full guide: Installation.

> Want to look before installing? The browser inspector signs in with OAuth and calls the hosted endpoint read-only from a browser tab — nothing downloaded. Running it yourself is still the way to keep using it.

One-click install

Client

One-click button

Token step

VS Code

prompts you (masked)

VS Code Insiders

prompts you (masked)

Cursor

edit YOUR_GITLAB_TOKEN

LM Studio

edit YOUR_GITLAB_TOKEN

Kiro

edit YOUR_GITLAB_TOKEN

Claude Desktop

settings UI (keychain)

Each button registers the Docker-based server (auto-pulls the image on first run; you need Docker installed). The Claude Desktop row instead downloads a native .mcpb desktop extension (macOS universal + Windows, no Docker) — open it with Claude Desktop and fill in the settings. Need a token? Create a Personal Access Token with the `api` scope. Self-managed GitLab? Add a `GITLAB_URL` env var in your client's MCP config after install.

Claude Code (`claude mcp add`)

Docker (no install — pulls the image on first run):

claude mcp add gitlab --env GITLAB_TOKEN=glpat-xxxx --transport stdio \
  -- docker run -i --rm -e GITLAB_TOKEN ghcr.io/jmrplens/gitlab-mcp-server:latest

Or install the native binary first, then register it:

# Any platform (npm/pnpm) — downloads only your platform's prebuilt binary
npx -y @jmrp.io/gitlab-mcp-server          # zero install; clients launch it directly
npm install -g @jmrp.io/gitlab-mcp-server  # or install globally (npm)
pnpm add -g @jmrp.io/gitlab-mcp-server     # or globally (pnpm)
# Any platform (Python: uv/pipx/pip) — platform wheel carrying the same native binary
uvx jmrplens-gitlab-mcp-server             # zero install; clients launch it directly
pipx install jmrplens-gitlab-mcp-server    # or install globally (pipx)
pip install jmrplens-gitlab-mcp-server     # or into the active environment (pip)
# Linux wheels need glibc; on musl systems such as Alpine use the Docker image instead
# macOS/Linux (Homebrew)
brew install jmrplens/tap/gitlab-mcp-server
# Linux/macOS (script)
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jmrplens/gitlab-mcp-server/main/scripts/install.sh | sh
# Windows (winget)
winget install --id jmrplens.gitlab-mcp-server -e
# Windows (PowerShell)
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jmrplens/gitlab-mcp-server/main/scripts/install.ps1 | iex

claude mcp add gitlab --env GITLAB_TOKEN=glpat-xxxx -- gitlab-mcp-server

Clients that launch servers with `npx` need no install at all — point them at

`npx -y @jmrp.io/gitlab-mcp-server`.

Self-managed GitLab? Add `--env GITLAB_URL=https://gitlab.example.com` (and, for a self-signed certificate, mount the CA and set `--env SSL_CERT_FILE=/path/to/ca-bundle.crt`; `GITLAB_SKIP_TLS_VERIFY=true` is the blunt alternative, and OAuth mode refuses it for a non-loopback instance).

Run it once to check the install

Started in a terminal, or double-clicked on Windows, with no `GITLAB_TOKEN` set,

the binary prints what it is and what it needs and waits for Enter, so you can

confirm the install before configuring anything. Configuration itself lives in

your MCP client's JSON, below.

Manual JSON (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, …)

Show JSON config for native binary and Docker

Native binary (Claude Desktop `mcpServers`, Cursor, etc.):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gitlab": {
      "command": "/path/to/gitlab-mcp-server",
      "env": { "GITLAB_TOKEN": "glpat-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" }
    }
  }
}

VS Code (`.vscode/mcp.json`, note `servers` + `type`):

{
  "servers": {
    "gitlab": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "/path/to/gitlab-mcp-server",
      "env": { "GITLAB_TOKEN": "glpat-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" }
    }
  }
}

Docker variant — replace `"command"`/`"args"` with:

"command": "docker",
"args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "-e", "GITLAB_TOKEN", "ghcr.io/jmrplens/gitlab-mcp-server:latest"]

Cline (VS Code) — open the Cline sidebar → MCP servers icon → Edit Global MCP, or edit the settings file directly:

• macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/saoudrizwan.claude-dev/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json`
• Linux: `~/.config/Code/User/globalStorage/saoudrizwan.claude-dev/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json`
• Windows: `%APPDATA%\Code\User\globalStorage\saoudrizwan.claude-dev\settings\cline_mcp_settings.json`

Cline uses the `mcpServers` shape shown above for the native binary.

For a shared, long-running HTTP deployment instead of per-user stdio, see HTTP Server Mode.

Try it without installing anything (hosted endpoint)

A public instance runs at `https://mcp.jmrp.io/gitlab` — nothing to install, no account beyond your own GitLab token. Point any HTTP-capable MCP client at it:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gitlab": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.jmrp.io/gitlab",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer glpat-xxxxxxxxxxxx" }
    }
  }
}

The endpoint runs in OAuth mode, so the credential travels as `Authorization: Bearer` — a GitLab personal access token works there, verified exactly like an OAuth one, which is what keeps clients with no OAuth flow (and headless use) working. It travels per request and is never stored on the server. A client that speaks the OAuth flow needs no header at all: the `401` carries an RFC 9728 challenge it follows to authorize in the browser. `PRIVATE-TOKEN` is the legacy-mode header and is not accepted here; the instance is fixed to `https://gitlab.com`, so `GITLAB-URL` is ignored.

A `read_api` token is accepted and served a read-only tool surface — the write check is per action, so a credential that cannot break anything is a supported way to use the endpoint rather than a rejected one.

Two pages make it easier still. The server card lists the whole catalog with no credential at all and carries copy-paste config for Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code — including the OAuth client ID those clients need. The browser inspector calls the same endpoint read-only from a browser tab: sign in with OAuth, pick a tool, read the raw JSON-RPC it returns — nothing installed.

It is the fastest way to try the server, and the right way to keep using it is still locally (any option above) — for one concrete reason, not as a disclaimer: your token and every request pass through someone else's machine. Running it locally means your credentials and your GitLab traffic never leave your computer, which also makes it the only sensible option for a private self-managed instance.

The endpoint is stateless streamable HTTP on the default `dynamic` surface: `POST` is the transport and an _authenticated_ `GET` answers `405` by design; with no credential, any method answers `401` carrying the RFC 6750 challenge an OAuth client follows — a bare `curl` that gets `401` is the endpoint working, not failing. `https://mcp.jmrp.io/gitlab/health` needs no credential and answers `200` with `{"status":"ok",…}`. A self-hosted HTTP deployment can also run `--auth-mode=oauth --gitlab-url=https://gitlab.com --public-url=https://mcp.example.com/mcp` (both are required: OAuth needs a fixed instance, and `--public-url` is the RFC 9728 resource identifier — pass exactly the URL your clients are configured with, since a client discards metadata naming a different one), where clients discover GitLab as the authorization server through that metadata and authorize in the browser instead of copying tokens — see OAuth App Setup. It is one of the servers listed at **mcp.jmrp.io**, a directory of the MCP servers I maintain, each reachable at its own endpoint; `https://mcp.jmrp.io/servers.json` is the same list for automated clients.

It is a personal service, run by one person and offered as-is: no SLA, no support channel, and no promise it is unchanged next week. It adds no quota of its own — every call spends GitLab.com's own limits, under your own token. And it moves on its own, normally to the newest release, so what it serves is never a pinned version.

Then just ask: open your AI client and try _"List my GitLab projects."_ See the Getting Started guide for per-client details and more example prompts.

Why this server

• Plain-language GitLab. The AI translates "is MR !15 safe to merge?" into the right API calls. You don't touch endpoints, IDs, or JSON.
• **The whole platform — 1000+ tools.** Broad GitLab REST v4 + GraphQL coverage: projects, branches, tags, releases, merge requests, issues, pipelines, jobs, groups, users, wikis, environments, deployments, packages, container registry, runners, feature flags, CI/CD variables, security, admin, tokens, and more.
• Low-token by default. The default dynamic surface exposes just 2 tools (`find` + `execute`) while reaching the full catalog — so it fits any client's context window. (Token footprint →)
• Proven with real models. An automated evaluator runs Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, and Qwen against live GitLab instances: 99.5% aggregate success across thousands of operations. (Results →)
• Safe by design. Read-only mode, safe mode (dry-run preview of every mutation), TLS options for self-hosted GitLab, and continuous SonarCloud quality/security gates.
• Runs anywhere. One static binary or container; Windows, Linux & macOS; amd64 & arm64; stdio (desktop) and HTTP (remote).

More: resources, prompts, and capabilities

• 45 MCP resources (read-only data: projects, issues, pipelines, MRs, branches, members, the surface-aware `gitlab://tools` manifest, and workflow best-practice guides). 26 single-object kinds are also subscribable.
• 37 MCP prompts (code review, pipeline status, risk assessment, release notes, standup, analytics, audit, and more).
• 4 elicitation wizards (interactive issue/MR/release/project creation).
• 4 MCP capabilities (completions, progress, elicitation, and resource subscriptions — live `resources/updated` notifications, honored by polling) and 51 tool icons (50 domain icons plus the project mark) for visual identification in MCP clients.
• Pagination on every list endpoint with full metadata.

Tool surfaces

The server can present GitLab in three shapes, controlled by `GITLAB_MCP_TOOL_SURFACE`. The default needs no configuration.

Tool counts scale with your GitLab edition (`GITLAB_TIER`); higher tiers expose more actions. See Dynamic Toolset and Meta-Tools Reference for the ranking model, safety guards, and full catalogs. For dynamic runs where resources dominate context, set `GITLAB_MCP_CAPABILITY_SURFACE=minimal`.

Token Footprint

Measured with `go run ./cmd/audit_tokens/ -footprint` against the current catalog. Totals estimate startup context visible to an MCP client: visible tool schemas plus shared resources and prompts, using the cl100k_base tokenizer (GPT-4/GPT-3.5 encoding). For the full matrix (meta and individual surfaces, all `GITLAB_MCP_META_PARAM_SCHEMA` modes), see Token Footprint Reference.

Default configuration: with `GITLAB_MCP_TOOL_SURFACE` unset or `GITLAB_MCP_TOOL_SURFACE=dynamic`, `GITLAB_MCP_CAPABILITY_SURFACE=full`, `GITLAB_MCP_META_TOOLS` unset, `GITLAB_MCP_META_PARAM_SCHEMA=opaque`, and `GITLAB_TIER` unset (detected, fallback `free`), the server uses the dynamic find/execute surface. Use `GITLAB_MCP_TOOL_SURFACE=meta` only when you explicitly want domain meta-tools; use `GITLAB_MCP_TOOL_SURFACE=individual` only when your client can handle the full tool catalog.

Rows use the base Community Edition catalog unless the Tier column says otherwise. `GITLAB_TIER` controls which actions are available; higher tiers expose more tools and thus more reachable actions.

Compatibility

Tested with: VS Code + GitHub Copilot, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, JetBrains IDEs, Zed, Kiro, Cline. See the full Compatibility Matrix.

AI Model Tool-Use Evaluation

The project includes an automated evaluator for model-facing MCP quality. It runs schema-only checks against the tool catalog or executes validated model tool calls through MCP against Docker GitLab CE or licensed Enterprise instances populated with fixtures. It measures whether each model chooses the correct action, sends valid parameters, recovers from actionable GitLab errors, and respects destructive-action safeguards — across Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, and Qwen.

Current published result: Docker CE dynamic 20260627-232303.

The published model-evaluation set covers 596 task attempts and 2220 expected MCP operations. Across the selected reports, models emitted 2265 tool calls over 2265 model requests, with 99.5% aggregate final success. See AI Model Evaluation Results for the detailed current matrix.

Enterprise meta & dynamic evaluation results

Current published result: Docker Enterprise meta 20260527.

The published model-evaluation set covers 92 task attempts and 336 expected MCP operations. Across the selected reports, models emitted 345 tool calls over 350 model requests, with 100.0% aggregate final success. See AI Model Evaluation Results for the detailed current matrix.

Current published result: Docker Enterprise dynamic 20260628-015421.

The published model-evaluation set covers 124 task attempts and 808 expected MCP operations. Across the selected reports, models emitted 817 tool calls over 817 model requests, with 100.0% aggregate final success. See AI Model Evaluation Results for the detailed current matrix.

Documentation

Full documentation is at **jmrp.io/docs/gitlab-mcp-server**. Use this map for the source-of-truth reference on a specific area:

FAQ

Does it work with self-hosted GitLab?

Yes. Set `GITLAB_URL` to your instance URL. When `GITLAB_URL` is omitted, stdio mode uses `https://gitlab.com`. Self-signed TLS certificates are supported by installing the CA in the system trust store or pointing `SSL_CERT_FILE` at a bundle; `GITLAB_SKIP_TLS_VERIFY=true` skips verification instead, and `--auth-mode=oauth` refuses it for a non-loopback instance.

Is my data safe?

When you run it yourself, locally over stdio or on your own infrastructure over HTTP, every request goes to your GitLab instance and nowhere else. There is no update check, no license check and no telemetry: your instance is the only host this server contacts.

The exception is the : using https://mcp.jmrp.io/gitlab means your token and every request pass through that machine. Nothing is stored there, but it is someone else's server, which is why the hosted section says to keep using it locally.

See for the full data-flow statement, and for the security model.

Can I use it in read-only mode?

Yes. Set `GITLAB_READ_ONLY=true` to disable all mutating tools (create, update, delete). Only read operations will be available.

Alternatively, set `GITLAB_SAFE_MODE=true` for a dry-run mode: mutating tools remain visible but return a structured JSON preview instead of executing. Useful for auditing, training, or reviewing what an AI assistant would do.

What GitLab editions are supported?

Both Community Edition (CE) and Enterprise Edition (EE). Set `GITLAB_TIER=premium` or `GITLAB_TIER=ultimate` in stdio mode to enable additional tools for Premium/Ultimate features (DORA metrics, vulnerabilities, compliance, etc.); leave it unset to detect the tier from the instance license (fallback `free`). In HTTP mode, `--tier` can force the tier, otherwise it is detected per token+URL pool entry from the license.

How does it handle rate limiting?

The server includes retry logic with backoff for GitLab API rate limits. Errors are classified as transient (retryable) or permanent, with actionable hints in error messages.

Which AI clients are supported?

Any MCP-compatible client: VS Code + GitHub Copilot, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, JetBrains IDEs, Zed, Kiro, and others. Each one's configuration snippet is in Getting Started, and the one-click buttons above cover the most common ones.

Building from Source

git clone https://github.com/jmrplens/gitlab-mcp-server.git
cd gitlab-mcp-server
make build

The published container image is `ghcr.io/jmrplens/gitlab-mcp-server:latest`. See the Development Guide for cross-compilation, Docker Compose, and contributing guidelines.

Privacy Policy

The server runs entirely on your machine and has **no telemetry, analytics, or

backend of its own** — data flows only between your MCP client and the GitLab

instance you configure (plus an optional signed-binary update check against

GitHub Releases). Your token is used solely to authenticate GitLab requests

and is never logged. Full details: PRIVACY.md.

Contributing & Security

• Contributing: see CONTRIBUTING.md for development guidelines, branch naming, commit conventions, and the PR process.
• Security: see SECURITY.md for the security policy and vulnerability reporting.
• Code of Conduct: see CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md (Contributor Covenant v2.1).

> Repository mirror: GitHub is the canonical repository. A read-only mirror is available on GitLab.com for discoverability; please open contributions on GitHub.

Unnecessary statistics — numbers nobody asked for

File counts

Functions

Ratios worth noting

Code patterns

Project

Hall of fame

Because why not

Maintained by José M. Requena Plens ·

Project page ·

Hosted instance: mcp.jmrp.io/gitlab