en How to Integrate GitLab Using MCP
Repos, issues and CI/CD pipelines. This guide creates an MCP server from Arthur's GitLab template — tools preconfigured against https://gitlab.com/api/v4 — and finishes by sharing the server's MCP swagger documentation.
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Open the Secrets vault and create a secret named
GITLAB_API_KEYholding your access token. Create a Personal Access Token in GitLab → Settings → Access Tokens with the "api" scope.Open the Secrets vault to store the GitLab credential before using the template.
Start the New secret wizard.
Name the secret GITLAB_API_KEY — servers reference it by this name.
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Go to the REST API Templates gallery and search for GitLab.
Record what the credential is for so it stays recognizable.
Continue to the protected value step.
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Click Use template on the GitLab card to open the server-creation dialog.
Enter the credential value — a demo value here; use your real key when adopting the integration.
Review the generated secret reference syntax.
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Review the server name and select
GITLAB_API_KEYin the credential field — the dialog only accepts vault secrets, and it lists every tool that will be created.Store the GITLAB_API_KEY secret in the vault.
Open the REST API template gallery.
Search the gallery for the GitLab integration.
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Click Create server. Arthur creates the server, applies the authentication, and generates all the tools.
Open the GitLab template with its preconfigured tools.
Name the server after the integration it provides.
Pick the GITLAB_API_KEY secret from the vault suggestions.
Select the stored credential.
Create the GitLab server with its preconfigured tools.
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Open the server's Tools tab to review the generated tools.
Review the tools generated from the GitLab template.
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Open the server's Connect section and click Share the MCP swagger documentation — Arthur generates the public documentation link and QR code for this server.
Open the server's Connect section, where the MCP endpoint and its documentation live.
Open the MCP swagger documentation share panel.
Show the generated swagger documentation link and QR code for this server.
The server appears with 5 preconfigured tool(s): search_projects, list_issues, create_issue, list_merge_requests, list_pipelines. The Connect section offers the MCP swagger documentation — a shareable page with setup instructions for any AI client.
- Manage GitLab repositories, issues, and merge requests. Works with gitlab.com or self-hosted instances — update the base URL in Settings for self-hosted.
- This integration requires a credential (bearer). Get one at https://gitlab.com/-/user_settings/personal_access_tokens.
- Official API documentation: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/api/
- Editing a tool later never changes the template — templates are starting points, and the server is fully yours after creation.