How to connect GitLab to Claude Code

1. 1. Enable GitLab in Metorial

   In your Metorial portal, enable the GitLab MCP server and sign in with the account that owns the data. Access stays governed by your team policies.

2. 2. Add the server over HTTP

   Add --scope user to use it in every project.

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   claude mcp add --transport http metorial <your-magic-mcp-url>

3. 3. Sign in

   Run /mcp, select Metorial and sign in to load GitLab tools.

• Create Release: Create a new release for a project, or list existing releases.
• Manage Pipeline: Trigger, retry, or cancel a CI/CD pipeline.
• Manage Project: Create, update, fork, or delete a GitLab project.
• Manage Issue: Create, update, close, reopen, or delete a GitLab issue.
• List Merge Requests: List GitLab merge requests, optionally scoped to a project.
• Manage Merge Request: Create, update, or merge a GitLab merge request.
• List Issues: List GitLab issues filtered by project, state, labels, milestone, assignee, author, or search term.
• List Pipelines: List CI/CD pipelines for a project.
• Add Comment: Add a comment (note) to an issue or merge request.
• Get Project: Retrieve detailed information about a specific GitLab project by its ID or URL-encoded path (e.g.
• Browse Repository: Browse a project's repository tree, read file contents, or compare branches.
• Manage Branch: List, create, or delete branches in a project repository.
• Search: Search across GitLab for projects, issues, merge requests, milestones, code (blobs), commits, wiki content, and users.
• List Groups: List GitLab groups accessible to the authenticated user.
• List Projects: List GitLab projects accessible to the authenticated user.
• And 15 more on the GitLab MCP server page.

• GitLab tools appear as mcp__metorial__<tool>. Use that name in permission rules to allow or deny a tool.
• Run /mcp to see whether Metorial is connected and to sign in again.
• Claude Code warns when a tool result passes 10,000 tokens and caps it at 25,000 by default. Raise the cap with MAX_MCP_OUTPUT_TOKENS.
• Pre-approve trusted GitLab tools with allow rules in your settings so Claude Code stops asking each time.

claude mcp list shows "Needs authentication"

Run /mcp, select Metorial, and sign in. If sign-in keeps failing, choose Clear authentication in the same menu and sign in again.

A teammate sees "Pending approval"

Servers shared through a project .mcp.json need approval. Run claude in the project and approve Metorial when asked.

Large tool results are cut off

Claude Code limits MCP tool output to 25,000 tokens by default. Raise it with the MAX_MCP_OUTPUT_TOKENS environment variable.

Based on the Claude Code MCP documentation.