GitLab MCP Server (Yoda Digital)
A GitLab MCP with 86 tools: issues, merge requests, pipelines, wikis and files, a read-only mode and a launch both locally and remotely with OAuth
- 65 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Broad access
Why this level
- A GitLab token gives the agent access to repositories, branches and pipelines within the token's scope, including merging and deleting
- A shared network deployment without an OAuth gateway exposes GitLab access to anyone who can reach the server
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add mcp/gitlab-mcp-server-yoda-digitalDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewBroad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.
- A GitLab token gives the agent access to repositories, branches and pipelines within the token's scope, including merging and deleting
- A shared network deployment without an OAuth gateway exposes GitLab access to anyone who can reach the server
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
The server lets an agent work with GitLab through the REST API using typed tools with pagination and schema validation. It works with gitlab.com and with self-hosted GitLab instances. It is not a wrapper around glab and does not scrape pages. There are 86 tools in total. They cover repositories and files, branches and tags, releases, issues with discussions, merge requests with approvals, rebase and auto-merge, CI/CD with pipelines, jobs and environments, wikis, groups with members, labels and milestones, protected branches, commit history and project events. Locally it runs over stdio with npx; for shared deployments there are SSE and Streamable HTTP, a Docker image on ghcr.io and a Helm chart. Setting GITLAB_READ_ONLY_MODE=true removes every mutating tool at registration time, so the agent neither sees nor can call them.
Who it is for. For developers and DevOps engineers working in Claude Code, Cursor or Zed who want to run GitLab projects, merge requests and pipelines through an agent.
Good fit when
- You need a GitLab MCP for a self-hosted GitLab instance: the API address is set with GITLAB_API_URL
- The agent should create an issue, open a merge request, reply in a discussion or merge changes
- You need to trigger, retry or cancel a pipeline and read a job log right from the chat
- You want one shared server for a team behind an OAuth gateway instead of handing out tokens
- You want a safe demo: read-only mode hides the write tools
Not a fit when
- Your code lives on GitHub: separate servers exist for it
- You need a small set of a few commands: 86 tools make the list the agent works with long
- A network deployment without an OAuth gateway: PAT mode is allowed on loopback only and the server refuses to start
- A broad-scope GitLab token must not go to an agent and read-only mode does not suit you
Example request
Show the open merge requests in the backend project, and for the one with a red pipeline read the failed job's log and suggest a fix.MCP
- Transport
- stdio, sse, http
- Authentication
- API key
Environment variables
GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKENrequired, secret- GitLab personal access token, required in PAT mode.
GITLAB_API_URL- API base URL, https://gitlab.com/api/v4 by default.
GITLAB_READ_ONLY_MODE- true hides all mutating tools.
AUTH_MODE- pat (loopback only) or oauth.
Limitations
A GitLab access token (the GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN variable) or an OAuth token forwarded by a gateway is required. PAT mode supports binding to 127.0.0.1 only, and a network deployment needs AUTH_MODE=oauth. The Helm chart does not support PAT mode. The CORS list is empty by default, which means deny in OAuth mode. The Docker image runs as non-root with capabilities dropped. The license is MIT. Use from Russia was not checked: gitlab.com and self-hosted instances depend on your network.
How to disable. Remove the gitlab entry from the client config. If the server is deployed with Docker or Helm, stop the container or delete the release. Revoke the GitLab token in your profile settings.
FAQ
How do I connect Yoda Digital's GitLab MCP to Claude Code or Cursor?
Add a server to the config with the command npx -y @yoda.digital/gitlab-mcp-server and the variables GITLAB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN and GITLAB_API_URL. For a self-hosted instance give its address like https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4.
How many tools does this GitLab MCP have?
Eighty-six. The full list is in the repository's CLAUDE.md file, and some tools have separate pages in docs/api.
How do I stop the agent from changing data in GitLab?
Set GITLAB_READ_ONLY_MODE=true. All mutating tools are then not registered and the agent does not see them.
How do I deploy one server for a whole team?
Run the ghcr.io/yoda-digital/mcp-gitlab-server Docker image with AUTH_MODE=oauth and USE_STREAMABLE_HTTP=true. Put a gateway in front that injects an Authorization: Bearer header per connection.
How does it differ from the other GitLab MCP in the catalog?
It is a separate project. It has read-only mode at registration level, three transports, PAT and per-connection OAuth modes, a Docker image and a Helm chart for shared deployment.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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Comparison with similar tools
Entries that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Entry | Official | Authentication | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GitLab MCP Server (Yoda Digital) (this entry) | no | API key | 65 | |
| GitLab MCP Server | no | API key | 2,060 | another GitLab MCP server with its own tool set and authentication options |
| GitHub MCP Server | no | key is optional | 33,858 | the official GitHub server, while this works with GitLab |
README in short
The description explains why the project exists: the Yoda Digital team runs on its own GitLab, and no MCP server for it was available among the first ones. The code was opened in March 2025, and a Docker image and a Helm chart from an outside contributor were added later. Then come a quick start for local clients and for remote mode, the tool groups, a transport table, two authentication modes and a table of configuration variables.