GitLab MCP Server

MCP Server for the GitLab API, enabling project management, file operations, and more. Forked from https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol

Table of Contents

- Installation
- NPX (Recommended)
- Global Installation
- Features
- Group Milestones vs Project Milestones
- Project Milestones
- Group Milestones
- Group Milestone Examples
- List Group Milestones
- Create Group Milestone
- Advanced Group Milestone Search
- Practical Workflow: Finding Groups and Creating Milestones
- 1. Search for Groups
- 2. List Existing Group Milestones
- 3. Create a Group Milestone
- Tools
- File Operations
- Repository Management
- Issue Management
- Merge Request Management
- Label Management
- Milestone Management
- Group Operations
- Setup
- Personal Access Token
- Usage with Claude Desktop
- Usage with Cursor/VSCode/Winsurf
- Environment Variables
- Development
- Build
- Development Mode
- Watch Mode
- License

Installation

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``bash
npx @therealchristhomas/gitlab-mcp-server
`

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`bash
npm install -g @therealchristhomas/gitlab-mcp-server
gitlab-mcp
`

Features

- Automatic Branch Creation: When creating/updating files or pushing changes, branches are automatically created if they don't exist
- Comprehensive Error Handling: Clear error messages for common issues
- Git History Preservation: Operations maintain proper Git history without force pushing
- Batch Operations: Support for both single-file and multi-file operations
- Project Workflow Management: Label and milestone management for better project organization
- Repository Management: Search, create, and fork GitLab projects
- File Operations: Create, update, and retrieve file contents
- Branch Management: Create branches and manage repository structure
- Issue Management: Create, list, update, search, and comment on issues
- Merge Request Management: List, update, merge, and comment on merge requests
- Label Management: Create, update, and delete project labels
- Project Milestones: Create, update, and delete project-level milestones
- Group Milestones: Create, update, and delete group-level milestones that span multiple projects

Group Milestones vs Project Milestones

This server supports both project milestones and group milestones:

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- Scoped to a single project
- Use tools: list_milestones, create_milestone, update_milestone, delete_milestone
- Example: Track features for my-webapp project

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- Span multiple projects within a group
- Use tools: list_group_milestones, create_group_milestone, update_group_milestone, delete_group_milestone
- Support advanced filtering with include_ancestors, include_descendants
- Example: Track a release across my-webapp, my-api, and my-admin

Group Milestone Examples

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`json
{
"group_id": "my-organization",
"state": "active",
"include_descendants": true
}
`

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`json
{
"group_id": "my-organization",
"title": "Q1 2025 Release",
"description": "Major feature release including new tools and performance improvements",
"due_date": "2025-03-31",
"start_date": "2025-01-01"
}
`

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`json
{
"group_id": "my-organization/core",
"search": "release",
"include_ancestors": true,
"updated_after": "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z"
}
`

Based on the GitLab Group Milestones API, group milestones are ideal for coordinating releases and features across multiple projects in your organization.

Practical Workflow: Finding Groups and Creating Milestones

Here's a typical workflow for working with group milestones:

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First, find the group you want to work with:

`json
{
"search": "my-organization",
"owned": true
}
`

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Check what milestones already exist:

`json
{
"group_id": "my-organization",
"state": "active"
}
`

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Create a milestone that spans multiple projects:

`json
{
"group_id": "my-organization",
"title": "Q1 2025 Release",
"description": "Cross-project release including webapp, API, and admin features",
"due_date": "2025-03-31"
}
`

This workflow is especially useful for large organizations with multiple related projects under the same group.

Tools

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1. create_or_update_file

- Create or update a single file in a project
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- file_path (string): Path where to create/update the file
- content (string): Content of the file
- commit_message (string): Commit message
- branch (string): Branch to create/update the file in
- previous_path (optional string): Path of the file to move/rename
- Returns: File content and commit details

2. push_files

- Push multiple files in a single commit
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- branch (string): Branch to push to
- files (array): Files to push, each with file_path and content
- commit_message (string): Commit message
- Returns: Updated branch reference

3. get_file_contents

- Get contents of a file or directory
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- file_path (string): Path to file/directory
- ref (optional string): Branch/tag/commit to get contents from
- Returns: File/directory contents

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4. search_repositories

- Search for GitLab projects
- Inputs:
- search (string): Search query
- page (optional number): Page number for pagination
- per_page (optional number): Results per page (default 20)
- Returns: Project search results

5. create_repository

- Create a new GitLab project
- Inputs:
- name (string): Project name
- description (optional string): Project description
- visibility (optional string): 'private', 'internal', or 'public'
- initialize_with_readme (optional boolean): Initialize with README
- Returns: Created project details

6. fork_repository

- Fork a project
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- namespace (optional string): Namespace to fork to
- Returns: Forked project details

7. create_branch

- Create a new branch
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- branch (string): Name for new branch
- ref (optional string): Source branch/commit for new branch
- Returns: Created branch reference

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8. search_groups

- Search for GitLab groups
- Inputs:
- search (string): Search query for groups
- page (optional number): Page number for pagination
- per_page (optional number): Results per page (default 20)
- owned (optional boolean): Limit by groups owned by the current user
- min_access_level (optional number): Minimum access level (10=Guest, 20=Reporter, 30=Developer, 40=Maintainer, 50=Owner)
- Returns: Group search results

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9. create_issue

- Create a new issue
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- title (string): Issue title
- description (optional string): Issue description
- assignee_ids (optional number[]): User IDs to assign
- labels (optional string[]): Labels to add
- milestone_id (optional number): Milestone ID
- Returns: Created issue details

10. list_issues

- List all issues in a GitLab project
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- state (optional string): 'opened', 'closed', or 'all'
- labels (optional string): Comma-separated list of label names
- milestone (optional string): Milestone title
- assignee_id (optional number): User ID of assignee
- author_id (optional number): User ID of author
- search (optional string): Search against title and description
- created_after (optional string): Return issues created after date (ISO 8601)
- created_before (optional string): Return issues created before date (ISO 8601)
- updated_after (optional string): Return issues updated after date (ISO 8601)
- updated_before (optional string): Return issues updated before date (ISO 8601)
- sort (optional string): Sort issues by various criteria
- order_by (optional string): 'asc' or 'desc'
- page (optional number): Page number for pagination
- per_page (optional number): Results per page (default 20)
- with_labels_details (optional boolean): If true, returns more details for each label. Default is false.
- Returns: Array of issue objects

11. update_issue

- Update an existing issue in a GitLab project
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- issue_iid (number): Issue internal ID
- title (optional string): New issue title
- description (optional string): New issue description
- state_event (optional string): 'close' or 'reopen'
- labels (optional string[]): Array of label names
- assignee_ids (optional number[]): Array of user IDs to assign
- milestone_id (optional number): Milestone ID to assign
- Returns: Updated issue details

12. search_issues

- Search for issues in a GitLab project
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- search (string): Search term for title and description
- state (optional string): 'opened', 'closed', or 'all'
- labels (optional string): Comma-separated list of label names
- page (optional number): Page number for pagination
- per_page (optional number): Results per page (default 20)
- Returns: Array of matching issue objects

13. add_issue_comment

- Add a comment to an issue in a GitLab project
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- issue_iid (number): Issue internal ID
- body (string): Content of the comment
- Returns: Created comment details

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14. create_merge_request

- Create a new merge request
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- title (string): MR title
- description (optional string): MR description
- source_branch (string): Branch containing changes
- target_branch (string): Branch to merge into
- draft (optional boolean): Create as draft MR
- allow_collaboration (optional boolean): Allow commits from upstream members
- Returns: Created merge request details

15. list_merge_requests

- List all merge requests in a GitLab project
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- state (optional string): 'opened', 'closed', 'locked', 'merged', or 'all'
- target_branch (optional string): Filter by target branch
- source_branch (optional string): Filter by source branch
- labels (optional string): Comma-separated list of label names
- milestone (optional string): Milestone title
- assignee_id (optional number): User ID of assignee
- author_id (optional number): User ID of author
- search (optional string): Search against title and description
- created_after (optional string): Return MRs created after date (ISO 8601)
- created_before (optional string): Return MRs created before date (ISO 8601)
- updated_after (optional string): Return MRs updated after date (ISO 8601)
- updated_before (optional string): Return MRs updated before date (ISO 8601)
- sort (optional string): Sort merge requests
- order_by (optional string): 'asc' or 'desc'
- page (optional number): Page number for pagination
- per_page (optional number): Results per page (default 20)
- Returns: Array of merge request objects

16. update_merge_request

- Update an existing merge request in a GitLab project
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- merge_request_iid (number): Merge request internal ID
- title (optional string): New merge request title
- description (optional string): New merge request description
- state_event (optional string): 'close' or 'reopen'
- target_branch (optional string): New target branch
- labels (optional string[]): Array of label names
- assignee_ids (optional number[]): Array of user IDs to assign
- milestone_id (optional number): Milestone ID to assign
- remove_source_branch (optional boolean): Remove source branch when merged
- Returns: Updated merge request details

17. merge_merge_request

- Merge a merge request in a GitLab project
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- merge_request_iid (number): Merge request internal ID
- merge_commit_message (optional string): Custom merge commit message
- should_remove_source_branch (optional boolean): Remove source branch after merge
- merge_when_pipeline_succeeds (optional boolean): Merge when pipeline succeeds
- sha (optional string): SHA that must match the source branch HEAD
- Returns: Merged merge request details

18. add_merge_request_comment

- Add a comment to a merge request in a GitLab project
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- merge_request_iid (number): Merge request internal ID
- body (string): Content of the comment
- Returns: Created comment details

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19. list_labels

- List all labels in a project
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- page (optional number): Page number for pagination
- per_page (optional number): Results per page (default 20)
- Returns: Array of label objects

20. create_label

- Create a new label
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- name (string): Label name
- color (string): Label color (hex code)
- description (optional string): Label description
- priority (optional number): Label priority
- Returns: Created label details

21. update_label

- Update an existing label
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- name (string): Current label name
- new_name (optional string): New label name
- color (optional string): New label color
- description (optional string): New label description
- priority (optional number): New label priority
- Returns: Updated label details

22. delete_label

- Delete a label
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- name (string): Label name to delete
- Returns: Success confirmation

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23. list_milestones

- List all milestones in a project
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- state (optional string): 'active' or 'closed'
- page (optional number): Page number for pagination
- per_page (optional number): Results per page (default 20)
- Returns: Array of milestone objects

24. create_milestone

- Create a new milestone
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- title (string): Milestone title
- description (optional string): Milestone description
- due_date (optional string): Due date (YYYY-MM-DD)
- start_date (optional string): Start date (YYYY-MM-DD)
- Returns: Created milestone details

25. update_milestone

- Update an existing milestone
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- milestone_id (number): Milestone ID
- title (optional string): New title
- description (optional string): New description
- due_date (optional string): New due date
- start_date (optional string): New start date
- state_event (optional string): 'close' or 'activate'
- Returns: Updated milestone details

26. delete_milestone

- Delete a milestone
- Inputs:
- project_id (string): Project ID or URL-encoded path
- milestone_id (number): Milestone ID to delete
- Returns: Success confirmation

27. list_group_milestones

- List all milestones in a GitLab group
- Inputs:
- group_id (string): Group ID or URL-encoded path
- state (optional string): 'active' or 'closed'
- title (optional string): Filter by milestone title (case-sensitive)
- search (optional string): Search in title or description
- search_title (optional string): Search in title only
- include_ancestors (optional boolean): Include parent group milestones
- include_descendants (optional boolean): Include subgroup milestones
- updated_before (optional string): Filter by update date (ISO 8601)
- updated_after (optional string): Filter by update date (ISO 8601)
- containing_date (optional string): Milestones containing given date
- start_date (optional string): Filter where due_date >= start_date
- end_date (optional string): Filter where start_date <= end_date
- page (optional number): Page number for pagination
- per_page (optional number): Results per page (default 20)
- Returns: Array of group milestone objects

28. create_group_milestone

- Create a new milestone in a GitLab group
- Inputs:
- group_id (string): Group ID or URL-encoded path
- title (string): Milestone title
- description (optional string): Milestone description
- due_date (optional string): Due date (YYYY-MM-DD)
- start_date (optional string): Start date (YYYY-MM-DD)
- Returns: Created group milestone details

29. update_group_milestone

- Update an existing milestone in a GitLab group
- Inputs:
- group_id (string): Group ID or URL-encoded path
- milestone_id (number): Milestone ID
- title (optional string): New title
- description (optional string): New description
- due_date (optional string): New due date
- start_date (optional string): New start date
- state_event (optional string): 'close' or 'activate'
- Returns: Updated group milestone details

30. delete_group_milestone

- Delete a milestone from a GitLab group
- Inputs:
- group_id (string): Group ID or URL-encoded path
- milestone_id (number): Milestone ID to delete
- Returns: Success confirmation

Setup

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Create a GitLab Personal Access Token with appropriate permissions:

- Go to User Settings > Access Tokens in GitLab
- Select the required scopes:
- api for full API access
- read_api for read-only access
- read_repository and write_repository for repository operations
- Create the token and save it securely

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Add the following to your claude_desktop_config.json:

`json
{
"mcpServers": {
"gitlab": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@therealchristhomas/gitlab-mcp-server"],
"env": {
"GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "",
"GITLAB_API_URL": "https://gitlab.com/api/v4"
}
}
}
}
`

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Add the following to your MCP configuration:

`json
{
"mcpServers": {
"gitlab": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@therealchristhomas/gitlab-mcp-server"],
"env": {
"GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "",
"GITLAB_API_URL": "https://gitlab.com/api/v4"
}
}
}
}
`

Note: Replace with your actual GitLab Personal Access Token. Also, replace with your Gitlab API URL if you're not using gitlab.com

Environment Variables

- GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN: Your GitLab personal access token (required)
- GITLAB_API_URL: Base URL for GitLab API (optional, defaults to https://gitlab.com/api/v4)

For self-hosted GitLab instances, update the GITLAB_API_URL to point to your instance:

`
"GITLAB_API_URL": "https://your-gitlab-instance.com/api/v4"
`

Development

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`bash
npm run build
`

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`bash
npm run dev
`

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`bash
npm run watch
``

License

This MCP server is licensed under the MIT License. This means you are free to use, modify, and distribute the software, subject to the terms and conditions of the MIT License. For more details, please see the LICENSE file in the project repository.