gitlab-mcp-server by TheRealChrisThomas - MCP Server

GitLab MCP Server

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

Installation

NPX (Recommended)

npx @therealchristhomas/gitlab-mcp-server

Global Installation

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:

Project Milestones

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

Group Milestones

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

List Group Milestones

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

Create Group Milestone

{
  "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"
}

Advanced Group Milestone Search

{
  "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:

1. Search for Groups

First, find the group you want to work with:

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

2. List Existing Group Milestones

Check what milestones already exist:

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

3. Create a Group Milestone

Create a milestone that spans multiple projects:

{
  "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

File Operations

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
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
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

Repository Management

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
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
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
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

Group Operations

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

Issue Management

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
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
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
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
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

Merge Request Management

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

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
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
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
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

Label Management

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

Milestone Management

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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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

Personal Access Token

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

Usage with Claude Desktop

Add the following to your claude_desktop_config.json:

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

Usage with Cursor/VSCode/Winsurf

Add the following to your MCP configuration:

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

Note: Replace <YOUR_TOKEN> 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

Build

npm run build

Development Mode

npm run dev

Watch Mode

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.

TheRealChrisThomas/gitlab-mcp-server

create_or_update_file

push_files

get_file_contents

search_repositories

create_repository