GitLab MCP Server

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📖 Documentation → · llms.txt · llms-full.txt

Default: 40 tools (38 core + discover_tools + help). 278 tools exist in total (275 in toolsets + execute_graphql + discover_tools + help). Start lean; call discover_tools to activate more for this session.

Install the zereight-mcp-gitlab binary first with npm install -g @zereight/mcp-gitlab, or Homebrew brew tap zereight/gitlab-mcp https://github.com/zereight/gitlab-mcp and brew install zereight/gitlab-mcp/zereight-mcp-gitlab. Official MCP Registry listing: io.github.zereight/gitlab-mcp. One-liner: npx -y @zereight/mcp-gitlab@latest.

Without → With

Three install paths

Install

Install the binary first (npm install -g @zereight/mcp-gitlab, or Homebrew brew tap zereight/gitlab-mcp https://github.com/zereight/gitlab-mcp then brew install zereight/gitlab-mcp/zereight-mcp-gitlab). Read the token without echo:

read -rs GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN && export GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN

# Claude Code
claude mcp add gitlab --transport stdio --scope local --env GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN="$GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN" --env GITLAB_API_URL=https://gitlab.com/api/v4 -- zereight-mcp-gitlab

# Codex
codex mcp add gitlab --env GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN="$GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN" --env GITLAB_API_URL=https://gitlab.com/api/v4 -- zereight-mcp-gitlab

Other clients: VS Code · GitHub Copilot · JSON clients · Cursor details

Agent paste-prompt

Copy this into an agent that can edit MCP config:

Install the GitLab MCP server (@zereight/mcp-gitlab) for this workspace.
Binary: zereight-mcp-gitlab (npm i -g @zereight/mcp-gitlab, or npx -y @zereight/mcp-gitlab@latest).
Auth: GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN plus GITLAB_API_URL=https://gitlab.com/api/v4 (or GITLAB_USE_OAUTH=true).
Local: claude mcp add gitlab --transport stdio --scope local --env GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN="$GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN" --env GITLAB_API_URL=https://gitlab.com/api/v4 -- zereight-mcp-gitlab
Or: codex mcp add gitlab --env GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN="$GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN" --env GITLAB_API_URL=https://gitlab.com/api/v4 -- zereight-mcp-gitlab
Cursor: use the README deeplink or docs/clients/cursor.md.
Remote HTTP: point the client at https://mcp.example.com/mcp (Streamable HTTP). Claude.ai needs GITLAB_MCP_OAUTH on that host.
Default list: 40 tools (38 core + discover_tools + help). Call discover_tools to expand. Do not enable the api toolset unless you accept its bypass risk.
Equal non-MCP path: npx skills add zereight/gitlab-mcp --skill gitlab-mcp-skill plus the zereight-mcp-gitlab CLI.

Remote HTTP

First-class option for a hosted or self-hosted server. Point the client at a Streamable HTTP URL:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gitlab": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.example.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

• Hosted / Claude.ai: GITLAB_MCP_OAUTH=true on the server (see MCP OAuth)
• Per-user PAT headers: REMOTE_AUTHORIZATION=true (see Remote Authorization)
• Local Docker examples are in Usage

Skill + CLI (no MCP required)

Skill + CLI is an equal path, not a fallback. Same workflows, full payloads in a terminal, no MCP registration.

npx skills add zereight/gitlab-mcp --skill gitlab-mcp-skill
zereight-mcp-gitlab user whoami
zereight-mcp-gitlab mr list

See CLI without MCP and skills/gitlab-mcp/.

MCP vs Human CLI

Human CLI is never compacted. Destructive tools and GITLAB_TOOL_POLICY_APPROVE tools need --yes.

Tips

project_id is a numeric ID or a URL-encoded path. Example: group group, project project, merge request !123 → project_id=group%2Fproject, merge_request_iid=123. Nested groups use %2F between every segment (group%2Fsubgroup%2Fproject).

FAQ

How do I authenticate? Local desktop: GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN (or GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN_FILE) is the simplest. Local OAuth is GITLAB_USE_OAUTH=true. Remote Claude.ai uses GITLAB_MCP_OAUTH. Multi-user HTTP uses REMOTE_AUTHORIZATION and a per-request token header.

Why do I only see ~40 tools? The default core toolset is 38 tools plus always-on discover_tools and help. Call discover_tools with no args to list categories, then pass a category (pipelines, wiki, …) to activate it for this session. GITLAB_TOOLSETS=all still does not enable api.

Local OAuth vs MCP OAuth vs remote auth? Local OAuth opens a browser on the same machine as the server. MCP OAuth is for a public HTTPS server and clients such as Claude.ai. Remote authorization forwards the caller's PAT or job token; there is no OAuth dance.

How do I shrink huge replies? Pass jmespath on any tool call. Or set GITLAB_MCP_COMPACT_RESULTS=true so oversized MCP replies become a preview plus a CLI command. Use the CLI when you need the full payload.

Why is the api toolset dangerous? gitlab_api_request bypasses group/project allowlists, other tool filters, and per-tool safety checks. Prompt injection can drive it. Enable it only by listing api in GITLAB_TOOLSETS. all, discover_tools, and GITLAB_TOOLS do not.

Cursor rule / CLAUDE.md snippet

GitLab merge requests, issues, and pipelines go through this MCP (@zereight/mcp-gitlab).
Start with the default core tools. Call discover_tools to expand.
Prefer list_merge_request_changed_files, then batched get_merge_request_file_diff.
Use jmespath or compact results; use the CLI for full diffs and job logs.

@zereight/mcp-gitlab

Agent-workflow-optimized GitLab MCP — manage projects, merge requests, issues, pipelines, wiki, releases, tags, milestones, and more through stdio, SSE, and Streamable HTTP.

Supports PAT, OAuth, read-only mode, dynamic API URLs, and remote authorization for VS Code, Claude, Cursor, Copilot, and other MCP clients.

Why use this GitLab MCP?

• Default 40 tools (38 core + discover_tools + help); 278 total — start lean; call discover_tools to activate more without CQRS-style grouping
• MR 2-step review — list_merge_request_changed_files → batched get_merge_request_file_diff
• Agent Skill built in — workflow guidance in skills/gitlab-mcp/
• Flexible auth — Personal Access Token, local OAuth2 browser flow, MCP OAuth proxy, and per-request remote authorization
• Multiple transports — stdio for local clients, SSE for legacy clients, and Streamable HTTP for modern remote deployments
• Client-friendly setup — examples for Claude Code, Codex, Antigravity, OpenCode, Copilot, Cline, Roo Code, Cursor, Kilo Code, and Amp Code
• Self-hosted ready — works with custom GitLab instances, proxy settings, and dynamic API URL routing
• JMESPath result filtering — optional jmespath on tool calls (see tools/list) shrinks JSON results without changing GitLab API requests; when response masking is enabled, JMESPath runs on masked data.

How we compare

tools/list size (measured 2026-10-24)

A client sends the whole tools/list result to the model at session start. Token estimate is UTF-8 bytes / 4.

Re-measure with npm run test:mock (test/tools-list-budget.test.ts) after description or schema changes.

GitLab also ships an official MCP server.

• Free, Premium, and Ultimate. Moved from Premium to Free in GitLab 19.2. Generally available in GitLab 19.5.
• On GitLab.com, a top-level group Owner allows access to the MCP server. On GitLab Self-Managed and GitLab Dedicated, an administrator controls the instance setting. Default rules are on the official page.
• Remote clients use HTTP https://<gitlab.example.com>/api/v4/mcp with OAuth 2.0 dynamic client registration.
• stdio goes through mcp-remote and needs Node.js 20 or later.
• Toolsets use the X-Gitlab-Enabled-Mcp-Server-Toolsets header. An optional X-Gitlab-Mcp-Server-Tool-Name-Prefix header keeps the first 32 characters of a tool-name prefix.

Full comparison with the official GitLab MCP server →

Quick start: choose either Personal Access Token or OAuth2 setup below, install @zereight/mcp-gitlab, and use zereight-mcp-gitlab in your MCP client configuration.

Client Setup Guides

• Claude Code Setup Guide
• VS Code Setup Guide
• GitHub Copilot Setup Guide
• Codex Setup Guide
• Cursor Setup Guide
• JSON-Based MCP Clients Setup Guide - for Factory AI Droid, OpenClaw, and OpenCode style clients
• OAuth2 Authentication Setup Guide
• Environment Variables Reference
• Stateless Mode — Multi-Pod HPA
• Custom Agents and Multiple PAT Setup

Usage

Setup Overview

Authentication Methods

The server supports four authentication methods:

For local/desktop use (most common):

1. Personal Access Token (GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN or GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN_FILE) — simplest setup
2. OAuth2 — Local Browser (GITLAB_USE_OAUTH) — recommended for better security

For server/remote deployments:

3. OAuth2 — MCP Proxy (GITLAB_MCP_OAUTH) — for remote MCP clients such as Claude.ai
4. Remote Authorization (REMOTE_AUTHORIZATION) — multi-user deployments where each caller provides their own token

Quick setup paths

• Claude Code: see Claude Code Setup Guide
• VS Code: see VS Code Setup Guide
• GitHub Copilot: see GitHub Copilot Setup Guide
• Codex: see Codex Setup Guide
• Cursor: see Cursor Setup Guide
• Factory AI Droid / OpenClaw / OpenCode style clients: see JSON-Based MCP Clients Setup Guide
• OAuth browser flow details: see OAuth2 Authentication Setup Guide
• OAuth without a localhost callback (SSO, remote shell, background clients): run zereight-mcp-gitlab auth (GitLab 17.9+ device flow; 17.2–17.8 need oauth2_device_grant_flow), then start the server with GITLAB_USE_OAUTH=true. See standalone device-flow command.

For the simplest local setup, start with a Personal Access Token. For browser-based local auth, use OAuth2. For remote or multi-user deployments, continue to the MCP OAuth and Remote Authorization sections later in this README.

Install the server once:

brew tap zereight/gitlab-mcp https://github.com/zereight/gitlab-mcp
brew install zereight/gitlab-mcp/zereight-mcp-gitlab

Or with npm:

npm install -g @zereight/mcp-gitlab

Or with Nix, by adding this flake to your own:

# flake.nix
inputs.gitlab-mcp.url = "github:zereight/gitlab-mcp";

# wherever you configure your MCP client:
command = lib.getExe inputs.gitlab-mcp.packages.${system}.default;

The store path is pinned by your lock file; update it with nix flake update gitlab-mcp.

The examples use zereight-mcp-gitlab, a less collision-prone alias for the legacy mcp-gitlab binary. If your MCP client cannot find it, use the absolute path from which zereight-mcp-gitlab.

No global install? Pin npx to the previous stable release (the version these docs recommend), for example npx -y @zereight/mcp-gitlab@2.3.10. If you always want the newest release, use npx -y @zereight/mcp-gitlab@latest instead. To try a fix merged to main before the next stable release, use npx -y @zereight/mcp-gitlab@next, a pre-release build that is not meant for production. The server prints a notice to stderr on startup when a newer version is available (disable with GITLAB_DISABLE_VERSION_CHECK=true).

Claude Desktop one-click install (MCP Bundle)

Every GitHub release after v2.3.1 ships a gitlab-mcp.mcpb MCP Bundle. Download the latest bundle and open it with Claude Desktop (or drag it into Settings → Extensions). Claude Desktop asks for your Personal Access Token (stored as a sensitive value) and lets you set GITLAB_API_URL, GITLAB_PERMISSION_MODE, GITLAB_TOOLSETS, and GITLAB_MASKING_ENABLED. No separate Node.js or npm install is needed.

To build the bundle from source, run npm run pack:mcpb (writes gitlab-mcp.mcpb).

Using CLI Arguments (for clients with env var issues)

Some MCP clients (like GitHub Copilot CLI) have issues with environment variables. Use CLI arguments instead:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gitlab": {
      "command": "zereight-mcp-gitlab",
      "args": ["--token=YOUR_GITLAB_TOKEN", "--api-url=https://gitlab.com/api/v4"],
      "tools": ["*"]
    }
  }
}

Available CLI arguments:

• --token - GitLab Personal Access Token (replaces GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN)
• --api-url - GitLab API URL (replaces GITLAB_API_URL)
• --read-only=true - Deprecated (removed in next major (v3.0.0)); use --permission-mode=readonly instead (replaces GITLAB_READ_ONLY_MODE)
• --permission-mode - Permission level: readonly, modify (no delete or teardown tools), or full (replaces GITLAB_PERMISSION_MODE, default full)
• --toolsets=all - Enable named toolsets except the explicit-only api toolset (replaces GITLAB_TOOLSETS; unset uses the lean core default). gitlab_api_request needs --toolsets=api
• --tools=list_issues - Add individual tools (replaces GITLAB_TOOLS)
• --use-wiki=true - Deprecated (removed in next major (v3.0.0)); use --toolsets=core,wiki instead (replaces USE_GITLAB_WIKI)
• --use-milestone=true - Deprecated (removed in next major (v3.0.0)); use --toolsets=core,milestones instead (replaces USE_MILESTONE)
• --use-pipeline=true - Deprecated (removed in next major (v3.0.0)); use --toolsets=core,pipelines and append validate_ci_lint,validate_project_ci_lint to the existing --tools list (or set --tools=validate_ci_lint,validate_project_ci_lint when that list is unset) (replaces USE_PIPELINE)
• --disable-version-check=true - Disable the startup new-version notice (replaces GITLAB_DISABLE_VERSION_CHECK)
• --masking-enabled=true - Enable text-response masking (replaces GITLAB_MASKING_ENABLED)
• --masking-config - Path to a masking configuration file (replaces GITLAB_MASKING_CONFIG)
• --masking-policy-file - Path to a protected managed-policy file (replaces GITLAB_MASKING_POLICY_FILE)
• --masking-workspace-dir - Directory used to resolve masking files (replaces GITLAB_MASKING_WORKSPACE_DIR)
• --download-dir - Directory download_attachment and download_job_artifacts save files under (replaces GITLAB_DOWNLOAD_DIR; default .gitlab-mcp-downloads)
• --compact-results=true - Truncate oversized MCP tool replies and attach a CLI command for the full payload (replaces GITLAB_MCP_COMPACT_RESULTS; default off)
• --compact-result-chars - Character threshold for compacting (replaces GITLAB_MCP_COMPACT_RESULT_CHARS; default 4000)
• --compact-tools - Comma-separated tool names to compact when oversized, without turning global compact on (replaces GITLAB_MCP_COMPACT_TOOLS)
• --tool-profile - full (default) or slim. slim drops draft notes, emoji reactions, labels, CI catalog tools, and create_group from the initial list. Ignored when GITLAB_TOOLSETS is set (replaces GITLAB_TOOL_PROFILE)

If you already set GITLAB_TOOLSETS or --toolsets, append wiki, milestones, or pipelines to that list instead of replacing it. If you already set GITLAB_TOOLS or --tools, append validate_ci_lint and validate_project_ci_lint to that list instead of replacing it. An explicit list replaces the default core toolset; it does not merge.

CLI arguments take precedence over environment variables.

zereight-mcp-gitlab auth is a subcommand (not an MCP server flag). It runs GitLab device flow and exits. See CLI Arguments.

The same binary is also a gh-style GitLab CLI (tool <name> or curated forms such as mr list). No MCP registration is needed — set a PAT, or run auth and set GITLAB_USE_OAUTH=true: see CLI without MCP. setup --cursor / setup --claude prints client config; doctor checks token, API URL, toolsets, and version. Use it for the full payload in a terminal. MCP replies stay in the chat unless you set GITLAB_MCP_COMPACT_RESULTS=true (or --compact-results), which replaces oversized tool replies with a preview and a CLI command. Human CLI is never compacted. Same permission mode, toolsets, denied-tools regex, and tool-policy filters. Destructive tools and GITLAB_TOOL_POLICY_APPROVE tools need --yes. See Human CLI.

Fine-grained tool filtering: use GITLAB_PERMISSION_MODE=modify to allow create/update while blocking every delete tool and the destructive teardown tools (cancel_pipeline, cancel_pipeline_job, stop_environment, stop_stale_environments, unprotect_branch, unprotect_tag) — including destructive mutations (deletion and teardown verbs) through execute_graphql and push_files delete/move actions — or GITLAB_PERMISSION_MODE=readonly for read-only access. You can also enable toolset groups with GITLAB_TOOLSETS=<group,…>, allow-list individual tools with GITLAB_TOOLS=<tool,…> (e.g. read-only groups plus a few specific write tools), and deny-list by pattern with GITLAB_DENIED_TOOLS_REGEX. The legacy USE_GITLAB_WIKI / USE_MILESTONE / USE_PIPELINE flags are deprecated (removed in next major (v3.0.0)). Use GITLAB_TOOLSETS=core,wiki, core,milestones, or core,pipelines (USE_PIPELINE also needs validate_ci_lint,validate_project_ci_lint appended to an existing GITLAB_TOOLS list instead of replacing it). If you already set GITLAB_TOOLSETS, append the toolset to your existing list instead of replacing it. If GITLAB_TOOLS is unset, set GITLAB_TOOLS=validate_ci_lint,validate_project_ci_lint. If it is already set, append validate_ci_lint,validate_project_ci_lint instead of replacing that list. See Tools Reference and Environment Variables.

• sse

Pass the variable name only. The Docker client copies the exported GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN into the container.

docker run -i --rm \
  -e HOST=0.0.0.0 \
  -e GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN \
  -e GITLAB_API_URL="https://gitlab.com/api/v4" \
  -e GITLAB_PERMISSION_MODE=readonly \
  -e GITLAB_TOOLSETS=core,wiki,milestones,pipelines \
  -e SSE=true \
  -e SSE_AUTH_TOKEN=your_mcp_sse_token \
  -p 3333:3002 \
  zereight050/gitlab-mcp

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gitlab": {
      "type": "sse",
      "url": "http://localhost:3333/sse",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer your_mcp_sse_token"
      }
    }
  }
}

• streamable-http

docker run -i --rm \
  -e HOST=0.0.0.0 \
  -e REMOTE_AUTHORIZATION=true \
  -e GITLAB_API_URL="https://gitlab.com/api/v4" \
  -e GITLAB_PERMISSION_MODE=readonly \
  -e GITLAB_TOOLSETS=core,wiki,milestones,pipelines \
  -e STREAMABLE_HTTP=true \
  -p 3333:3002 \
  zereight050/gitlab-mcp

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gitlab": {
      "type": "streamable-http",
      "url": "http://localhost:3333/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer glpat-..."
      }
    }
  }
}

Using MCP OAuth Proxy (GITLAB_MCP_OAUTH)

For server/remote deployments only. This mode requires the MCP server to be deployed with a publicly accessible HTTPS URL. For local/desktop use, see GITLAB_USE_OAUTH above.

For remote MCP clients that support the MCP OAuth specification (e.g. Claude.ai). The server acts as a full OAuth 2.0 authorization server — unauthenticated requests receive a 401 + WWW-Authenticate response, which triggers the OAuth browser flow automatically on the client side.

Remote MCP clients such as OpenCode, MCPJam, and Claude.ai can send their own callback URL during authorization. If you cannot register every client callback URL in GitLab, enable GITLAB_OAUTH_CALLBACK_PROXY=true. With callback proxy mode, GitLab only needs one registered redirect URI: {MCP_SERVER_URL}/callback.

GITLAB_OAUTH_REDIRECT_URI is for local OAuth (GITLAB_USE_OAUTH) only. It does not override remote MCP OAuth client callback URLs and should not be used to fix remote Unregistered redirect_uri errors.

This variable exists because the local OAuth flow starts a browser on the same machine as the MCP server and listens for the callback on a local HTTP server, for example http://127.0.0.1:8888/callback.

Remote MCP OAuth is different. In GITLAB_MCP_OAUTH=true mode, the MCP client provides its own callback URL during /authorize. GITLAB_OAUTH_REDIRECT_URI does not replace that client-provided URL.

Use GITLAB_OAUTH_REDIRECT_URI only when the MCP server itself owns the local browser callback. Use GITLAB_OAUTH_CALLBACK_PROXY=true when a remote MCP client owns the callback URL.

How it works: You deploy this MCP server somewhere with a public HTTPS URL. MCP clients connect to {MCP_SERVER_URL}/mcp. The server handles the OAuth 2.0 flow, exchanging credentials with GitLab on behalf of the client.

Prerequisites:

1. A publicly accessible HTTPS server URL (MCP_SERVER_URL) — use ngrok for local testing
2. A pre-registered GitLab OAuth application with api (or read_api) scopes — Go to Admin area → Applications, set Redirect URI to {MCP_SERVER_URL}/callback

When STREAMABLE_HTTP=true, server-side GitLab credentials (GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN, GITLAB_JOB_TOKEN, GITLAB_AUTH_COOKIE_PATH, or GITLAB_USE_OAUTH) require REMOTE_AUTHORIZATION=true, GITLAB_MCP_OAUTH=true, or STREAMABLE_HTTP_AUTH_TOKEN.

Troubleshooting Unregistered redirect_uri

Check the redirect_uri in the browser URL. If it points to a client callback such as http://127.0.0.1:xxxxx/.../callback, enable:

envCopy

GITLAB_OAUTH_CALLBACK_PROXY=true

Do not fix remote MCP OAuth by changing GITLAB_OAUTH_REDIRECT_URI. That variable is for local OAuth (GITLAB_USE_OAUTH) only.

docker run -i --rm \
  -e HOST=0.0.0.0 \
  -e GITLAB_MCP_OAUTH=true \
  -e GITLAB_OAUTH_CALLBACK_PROXY=true \
  -e STREAMABLE_HTTP=true \
  -e MCP_SERVER_URL=https://your-server.example.com \
  -e GITLAB_API_URL="https://gitlab.com/api/v4" \
  -e GITLAB_OAUTH_APP_ID=your_app_id \
  -p 3000:3002 \
  zereight050/gitlab-mcp

MCP client configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gitlab": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://your-server.example.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Using Remote Authorization (REMOTE_AUTHORIZATION)

For server/remote deployments only. Each HTTP caller provides their own GitLab token directly in request headers — no OAuth flow involved.

For multi-user or multi-tenant deployments where each caller provides their own GitLab token in the HTTP request header. No OAuth flow — the MCP server forwards the token to GitLab on behalf of the caller.

Header priority: Private-Token > JOB-TOKEN > Authorization: Bearer

GITLAB_ALLOW_UNAUTHENTICATED_TOOL_DISCOVERY=true is intended for MCP gateways or admin UIs that need to inspect tool metadata before a user provides a GitLab token. Leave it disabled unless the tool list is safe to expose in your deployment.

When MCP_SERVER_URL is not set, remote download URLs fall back to the local server address. Set MCP_TRUST_PROXY=true only if the server is reachable through a trusted reverse proxy and direct client access to the MCP server is blocked. This enables Express trust proxy for Streamable HTTP and SSE, derives public download URLs from Forwarded / X-Forwarded-Proto / X-Forwarded-Host / X-Forwarded-Prefix, and keeps OAuth endpoint rate limiting working when proxies send X-Forwarded-For with a client port (for example 1.2.3.4:5678). Existing OAuth+proxy deployments must set this explicitly after the flag was introduced.

Example request headers:

Private-Token: glpat-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

or using a Bearer token:

Authorization: Bearer glpat-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

⚠️ REMOTE_AUTHORIZATION is not compatible with SSE transport. STREAMABLE_HTTP=true is required.

Environment Variables

Use the dedicated reference for the full environment variable list:

• Environment Variables Reference

Most users only need one of these starting sets:

• Local PAT: GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN, GITLAB_API_URL
• Local OAuth: GITLAB_USE_OAUTH=true, GITLAB_OAUTH_CLIENT_ID, GITLAB_OAUTH_REDIRECT_URI, GITLAB_API_URL
• Remote multi-user HTTP: STREAMABLE_HTTP=true, REMOTE_AUTHORIZATION=true (or GITLAB_MCP_OAUTH=true), MCP_TRUST_PROXY=true (behind a reverse proxy), MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE=300, MCP_SERVER_URL or MCP_ALLOWED_HOSTS, HOST, PORT
• Multiple side-by-side deployments: set a distinct MCP_SERVER_NAME per instance (e.g. gitlab-selfhosted-readonly) so clients, logs, and telemetry can tell them apart
• Multi-pod HPA (stateless): above + OAUTH_STATELESS_MODE=true, OAUTH_STATELESS_SECRET (same across all pods). See Stateless Mode.

Commonly referenced variables:

• GITLAB_API_URL
• GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN
• GITLAB_USE_OAUTH
• REMOTE_AUTHORIZATION
• MCP_TRUST_PROXY
• MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE
• MAX_SESSIONS
• MCP_ALLOWED_HOSTS
• MCP_ALLOWED_ORIGINS
• GITLAB_MCP_OAUTH
• GITLAB_OAUTH_CALLBACK_PROXY
• GITLAB_OAUTH_ALLOWED_REDIRECT_URIS
• OAUTH_REGISTER_RATE_LIMIT_PER_HOUR
• OAUTH_DISABLE_REFRESH_TOKEN
• OAUTH_STATELESS_MODE
• OAUTH_STATELESS_SECRET

The reference document also covers:

• auth and OAuth variables
• MCP OAuth proxy variables
• project and tool filtering variables
• dynamic tool discovery via discover_tools (on-demand toolset activation)
• transport and session variables
• proxy and TLS variables

For callback proxy mode details, see GitLab MCP OAuth Callback Proxy.

SSE session limits

GET /sse is subject to the same remote-transport controls as Streamable HTTP:

• Capacity: at most MAX_SESSIONS concurrent SSE sessions (default 1000); further connections get 503.
• Creation rate limit: new connections are limited to MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE per client IP (default 60); excess connections get 429.
• Idle timeout: a session that receives no POST /messages request for SESSION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS (default 1 hour) is closed, so an idle client must reconnect instead of holding a capacity slot. Unlike Streamable HTTP, holding the SSE stream open does not count as activity.
• /health returns 503 with status: "degraded" while the instance is at capacity.

Tune these with MAX_SESSIONS, MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE, and SESSION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS.

Remote Authorization Setup (Multi-User Support)

When using REMOTE_AUTHORIZATION=true, the MCP server can support multiple users, each with their own GitLab token passed via HTTP headers. This is useful for:

• Shared MCP server instances where each user needs their own GitLab access
• IDE integrations that can inject user-specific tokens into MCP requests

Setup Example:

# Start server with remote authorization
docker run -d \
  -e HOST=0.0.0.0 \
  -e STREAMABLE_HTTP=true \
  -e REMOTE_AUTHORIZATION=true \
  -e GITLAB_API_URL="https://gitlab.com/api/v4" \
  -e GITLAB_PERMISSION_MODE=readonly \
  -e SESSION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS=3600 \
  -p 3333:3002 \
  zereight050/gitlab-mcp

Client Configuration:

Your IDE or MCP client must send one of these headers with each request:

Authorization: Bearer glpat-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

or

Private-Token: glpat-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The token is stored per session (identified by mcp-session-id header) and reused for subsequent requests in the same session. The session belongs to the GitLab user of that token: a request with another user's token gets 404 Session not found, and GET / DELETE /mcp without a token get 401.

Remote Authorization Client Configuration Example with Cursor

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "GitLab": {
      "url": "http(s)://<your_mcp_gitlab_server>/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer glpat-..."
      }
    }
  }
}

Important Notes:

• Remote authorization only works with Streamable HTTP transport
• Each session is isolated - tokens from one session cannot access another session's data Tokens are automatically cleaned up when sessions close
• Session timeout: Auth tokens expire after SESSION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS (default 1 hour) of inactivity. After timeout, the client must send auth headers again. The transport session remains active.
• Each request resets the timeout timer for that session
• Rate limiting: /mcp requests are limited to MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE per client IP, and per MCP session when using OAuth or remote authorization (default 60). See environment-variables.md.
• Capacity limit: Server accepts up to MAX_SESSIONS concurrent sessions (default 1000)

MCP OAuth Setup (Claude.ai Native OAuth)

When using GITLAB_MCP_OAUTH=true, the server acts as an OAuth proxy to your GitLab instance. Claude.ai (and any MCP-spec-compliant client) handles the entire browser authentication flow automatically — no manual Personal Access Token management needed.

Prerequisites:

A pre-registered GitLab OAuth application is required. GitLab restricts dynamically registered (unverified) applications to the mcp scope, which is insufficient for API calls (need api or read_api).

1. Go to your GitLab instance → Admin Area > Applications (instance-wide) or User Settings > Applications (personal)
2. Create a new application with:
   • Confidential: unchecked
   • Scopes: api, read_api, read_user (or whichever scopes you intend to request via GITLAB_OAUTH_SCOPES)
3. Save and copy the Application ID — this is your GITLAB_OAUTH_APP_ID

How it works:

1. User adds your MCP server URL in Claude.ai
2. Claude.ai discovers OAuth endpoints via /.well-known/oauth-authorization-server
3. Claude.ai registers itself via Dynamic Client Registration (POST /register) — handled locally by the MCP server (each client gets a virtual client ID)
4. Claude.ai redirects the user's browser to GitLab's login page using the pre-registered OAuth application
5. User authenticates; GitLab redirects back to https://claude.ai/api/mcp/auth_callback
6. Claude.ai sends Authorization: Bearer <token> on every MCP request
7. Server validates the token with GitLab and stores it per session

Server setup:

docker run -d \
  -e STREAMABLE_HTTP=true \
  -e GITLAB_MCP_OAUTH=true \
  -e GITLAB_OAUTH_APP_ID="your-gitlab-oauth-app-client-id" \
  -e GITLAB_API_URL="https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4" \
  -e MCP_SERVER_URL="https://your-mcp-server.example.com" \
  -p 3002:3002 \
  zereight050/gitlab-mcp

For local development (HTTP allowed):

MCP_DANGEROUSLY_ALLOW_INSECURE_ISSUER_URL=true \
STREAMABLE_HTTP=true \
GITLAB_MCP_OAUTH=true \
GITLAB_OAUTH_APP_ID=your-gitlab-oauth-app-client-id \
MCP_SERVER_URL=http://localhost:3002 \
GITLAB_API_URL=https://gitlab.com/api/v4 \
node build/index.js

Claude.ai configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "GitLab": {
      "url": "https://your-mcp-server.example.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

No headers field is needed — Claude.ai obtains the token via OAuth automatically.

Environment variables:

Important Notes:

• MCP OAuth only works with Streamable HTTP transport (SSE=true is incompatible)
• Each user session stores its own OAuth token — sessions are fully isolated
• Session timeout, rate limiting, and capacity limits apply identically to the REMOTE_AUTHORIZATION mode (SESSION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS, MAX_REQUESTS_PER_MINUTE, MAX_SESSIONS)
• DCR rate limiting: POST /register is limited to OAUTH_REGISTER_RATE_LIMIT_PER_HOUR per client IP (default 20/hour). Separate from /mcp limits and GitLab API quotas. See environment-variables.md.
• Header auth fallback: when Private-Token or JOB-TOKEN request headers are present, OAuth validation is skipped and the raw token is used directly for that session. This allows PATs and CI job tokens to be used alongside the OAuth flow on the same server instance. Authorization: Bearer is always treated as an OAuth token — use Private-Token for PAT-based header auth.

Agent Skill Files

Skill + CLI is an equal path to MCP (see Skill + CLI). Pre-built skill files are available in skills/gitlab-mcp/ for AI agents that support skill/instruction loading (Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, etc.).

• SKILL.md — Core guide (~800 tokens) with toolset overview, key workflows, and parameter hints
• reference/ — Detailed workflow docs for code review, merge requests, issues, pipelines, and vulnerability triage

Install with the skills CLI:

npx skills add zereight/gitlab-mcp --skill gitlab-mcp-skill

Register the skill directory in your AI client to get optimal tool usage guidance without relying solely on the full ListTools response.

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