Developer platforms - official GitLab server
GitLab MCP server
Built-in MCP endpoint on GitLab.com, Self-Managed and Dedicated that lets AI tools read and act on projects, merge requests, work items, repositories and CI/CD pipelines with the user's permissions. GitLab hosts it at https://gitlab.com/api/v4/mcp with OAuth or API key auth.
Last verified 15 tools2 sources
Install
Claude Code
About Claude Codeclaude mcp add -s user --transport http GitLab https://<gitlab.example.com>/api/v4/mcpCodex
About Codexcodex mcp add GitLab --url "https://<gitlab.example.com>/api/v4/mcp"Cursor
About Cursor{
"mcpServers": {
"GitLab": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://<gitlab.example.com>/api/v4/mcp"
}
}
}Generic
{
"mcpServers": {
"GitLab": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://<gitlab.example.com>/api/v4/mcp"
}
}
}Tools
get_project- Returns metadata for a single GitLab project: numeric ID, full path, default branch, visibility, and web URL.
list_projects- Lists projects visible to the user
save_merge_request- Creates or updates a merge request in a GitLab project.
get_merge_request- Retrieves a merge request and, optionally, its diffs, commits, notes, pipelines, discussions, approvals, or conflicts.
list_merge_requests- Lists or searches merge requests in a GitLab project or group, returning compact merge request metadata.
save_note- Adds a comment to a GitLab merge request or work item, or replies to an existing discussion thread, as the authenticated user.
save_work_item- Creates or updates a GitLab work item, such as an issue, task, or epic.
list_work_items- Lists or searches work items (issues, incidents, tasks, epics and more) in a group or project.
add_commit- Adds a commit with one or more file actions to a branch in a single call.
list_branches- Lists the branches of a GitLab project, optionally filtered by name.
get_repository_file- Retrieves the contents of a single file from a repository at a specific ref.
get_pipeline- Retrieves a pipeline, and optionally its jobs, downstream pipelines, bridge (trigger) jobs, or the artifacts its jobs produced.
get_job- Gets a CI/CD job's metadata, and optionally its trace/log or the artifacts it produced.
search- Searches for a term across the entire GitLab instance with the search API.
start_duo_session- Starts an asynchronous GitLab Duo Agent Platform session to accomplish a goal in a project.
As documented on October 17, 2026. A running server reports its current list through tools/list.
Notes and caveats
- Generally available as of GitLab 19.5 (experiment in 18.3, beta in 18.6); available on Free, Premium and Ultimate since 19.2.
- Replace <gitlab.example.com> with gitlab.com or your instance URL.
- Access must be allowed per top-level group on GitLab.com or per instance on Self-Managed/Dedicated.
- Auth: OAuth token with the mcp scope (dynamic client registration or a pre-registered app) or a fine-grained PAT with the MCP tool permission; legacy PATs and project/group tokens are rejected. stdio is supported only via the mcp-remote proxy (Node.js 20+).
- VS Code setup is documented as UI steps (MCP: Add Server, HTTP, the URL) rather than a snippet.
- Toolsets selectable via X-Gitlab-Enabled-Mcp-Server-Toolsets header; duo_agent_platform and code_security tools need the corresponding licensed features.
- GitLab.com rate limits are 60 requests per minute on Free and 600 on Premium/Ultimate.
- Server code ships inside the GitLab monorepo, which mixes MIT and GitLab EE licensing, so no single license is listed.
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Related reading
- GitLab to GitHub Migrations Go GA: gh gl2gh, What Moves and What Doesn'tGitLab to GitHub migrations are GA in GitHub Enterprise Importer: how gh gl2gh exports projects, turns merge requests into pull requests, and what you rebuild.
- What's New in Mastra (Late 2026): Harness, AgentController GA, Eval Gates and MCP 2.xMastra in late 2026: goals, schedules, signals, AgentController GA, eval gates and MCP 2.x, with type-checked TypeScript examples and honest tradeoffs.
- MCP vs A2A vs Function Calling: Which Layer Does What in 2026MCP vs A2A vs function calling compared on the 2026-07-28 MCP spec and A2A 1.0: what each protocol does, where they overlap, and how to stack them.
- Pydantic AI V2 in Late 2026: Capabilities, Graphs, Evals and MCPPydantic AI V2 explained through v2.57.0: capabilities, typed output, Conversation storage, caching, graphs, evals, MCP Apps and Logfire, with checked code.
- Reverse Engineer Anything (REA): What the MCP Server Does and Where the Line IsREA (Reverse Engineer Anything) is an MIT-licensed MCP server that lets Claude Code, Codex or Cursor inspect binaries, Electron apps and APKs. How to try it.
- Claude Opus 5.5 Built a Browser 3D World: The Higgsfield MCP WorkflowClaude Opus 5.5 and Higgsfield MCP built an interactive 3D Library of Alexandria in the browser. The verified connector setup and where the workflow holds up.
FAQ
What does the GitLab MCP server do?
Built-in MCP endpoint on GitLab.com, Self-Managed and Dedicated that lets AI tools read and act on projects, merge requests, work items, repositories and CI/CD pipelines with the user's permissions. The vendor documents 15 tools, including get_project, list_projects, save_merge_request and get_merge_request.
How do I add the GitLab MCP server to Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add -s user --transport http GitLab https://<gitlab.example.com>/api/v4/mcp, copied from GitLab's docs. This page also has snippets for Codex, Cursor and Generic.
Does the GitLab MCP server need authentication?
Yes, OAuth or API key. Transport: Streamable HTTP. Status: GA, last checked October 17, 2026.
Sources
Last verified against 2 GitLab pages, then re-checked independently.
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