GitLab MCP Server

GitLab is a complete DevOps platform for source code management, CI/CD, issue tracking, and collaboration.

Tools

Last Updated

Apr 7, 2026

What is the GitLab MCP Server?

The GitLab MCP server gives AI agents structured, permission-aware access to GitLab through the Model Context Protocol. With 33 pre-built actions, agents can read, create, and update GitLab data on behalf of authorized users.

Willow ships the GitLab MCP server as part of an enterprise control plane. Every call runs behind SSO (Okta, Azure AD), enforces RBAC and least-privilege at runtime, writes to a full audit trail, and integrates with Splunk and Loki for SIEM visibility. Connect from Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, ChatGPT, VS Code, n8n, or any custom agent. Install once, distribute org-wide, and see exactly how GitLab is being used by every AI agent in your stack.

Tools

List Projects

List all projects accessible to the authenticated user. Returns basic project information including name, description, visibility, and repository details. Use pagination to browse through large result sets. Can filter by membership, visibility, archived status, and more.

Get Project

Get detailed information about a specific project by its ID or URL-encoded path (e.g., 'namespace/project-name'). Returns comprehensive project details including repository info, permissions, statistics, and CI/CD settings.

Create Project

Create a new GitLab project. You can create an empty project or initialize it with a README. Set visibility level, features, and other project settings. Returns the created project details.

Update Project

Update project settings including name, description, visibility, default branch, and feature flags (issues, merge requests, wiki, etc.). Returns the updated project details.

Delete Project

Delete a project permanently. This action is irreversible and will delete all project data including repository, issues, merge requests, and CI/CD pipelines. Use with caution.

List Issues

List issues in a project or across all accessible projects. Filter by state (opened, closed), labels, assignee, author, milestone, and more. Use project_id to scope to a specific project, or omit it to see all issues across projects you have access to.

Get Issue

Get detailed information about a specific issue including title, description, state, labels, assignees, comments, and time tracking. Use the project-specific issue IID (internal ID), not the global issue ID.

Create Issue

Create a new issue in a project. Provide a title and optionally a description, labels, assignees, milestone, and due date. Returns the created issue details including its IID.

Update Issue

Update an existing issue's title, description, state, labels, assignees, milestone, or other properties. Provide only the fields you want to update. Returns the updated issue.

Delete Issue

Delete an issue permanently. This action is irreversible. Only project owners and administrators can delete issues. Returns 204 on success.

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Set Up Your GitLab MCP Server in Minutes

Add the following configuration to your MCP client. Authentication is handled via OAuth. Compatible with Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, ChatGPT, VS Code, n8n, and any MCP-compatible agent.

Claude Desktop

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "willow-gitlab": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://<org>.mcp-s.com/mcp/mcp/gitlab"
    }
  }
}

Cursor

.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "willow-gitlab": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://<org>.mcp-s.com/mcp/mcp/gitlab"
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

CLI

claude mcp add willow-gitlab --transport http https://<org>.mcp-s.com/mcp/mcp/gitlab

n8n

HTTP Request Node

{
  "url": "https://<org>.mcp-s.com/mcp/mcp/gitlab",
  "method": "POST"
}

Or click "Install with Willow" above to set up automatically with SSO and RBAC preconfigured.

Enterprise Governance for GitLab

Willow adds the layer GitLab and every other SaaS doesn't ship out of the box: every call runs behind SSO (Okta, Azure AD), enforces RBAC and least-privilege at runtime, writes to full audit logs, and detects shadow AI usage across your stack. One MCP gateway. Any agent. Every tool.

GitLab MCP Server FAQ

What is the GitLab MCP server?

The GitLab MCP server is a Model Context Protocol implementation that lets AI agents like Claude, Cursor, and ChatGPT read and write GitLab data through a standardized interface. Willow hosts and governs this server so enterprises can roll it out without a security review backlog.

How is Willow's GitLab MCP server different from the official one?

The official GitLab MCP server is scoped to a single user's account and does not include enterprise governance. Willow's version adds SSO, RBAC, audit logging, shadow AI detection, and centralized control over which actions agents can take across the entire org.

Which AI clients work with the GitLab MCP server?

Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, ChatGPT, VS Code with MCP support, n8n, and any custom agent built with OpenAI Agents SDK, LangChain, Vercel AI SDK, or Anthropic SDK.

Is the GitLab MCP server secure? How does Willow handle authentication?

Every call runs behind your existing SSO (Okta, Azure AD). Per-user OAuth scopes the agent to exactly what that user can do in GitLab, nothing more. No credentials reach the LLM. Every action writes to an audit trail.

Can I limit which GitLab actions agents can take?

Yes. Willow lets you scope agents to specific actions, specific projects, or specific environments. Toggle actions on or off in the dashboard, or enforce policy via infrastructure-as-code through GitHub.

How do I detect shadow GitLab MCP servers in my org?

Willow's browser extension and discovery service surface unmanaged MCP servers, skills, and AI agents across the org. If a developer installed an unapproved GitLab MCP locally, you'll see it.

What does the GitLab MCP server cost?

Pricing depends on org size and deployment model (SaaS, dedicated cloud, self-host). See withwillow.ai/pricing or contact sales for a quote.

How do I install the GitLab MCP server with Willow?

Install via the Willow Connect Panel in one click, or paste the JSON snippet above into your Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Claude Code config. SSO and RBAC inherit from your existing Willow setup.