---
title: GitLab MCP Server Introduction
description: "Complete introduction to GitLab MCP Server — advanced MCP server providing AI agents with comprehensive GitLab API access. Features CQRS architecture, multi-instance support, OAuth, and tier detection."
head:
- - meta
- name: keywords
content: gitlab mcp introduction, mcp server features, cqrs architecture, gitlab api tools, model context protocol
---
# GitLab MCP Server Introduction
Advanced GitLab MCP server providing AI agents with comprehensive access to the GitLab API.
## Features
- **__TOOL_COUNT__ tools** across __ENTITY_COUNT__ entity types covering the full GitLab API
- **CQRS pattern** — `browse_*` for read operations, `manage_*` for writes
- **Multi-instance** — Connect to multiple GitLab instances with per-instance OAuth and rate limiting
- **Multiple transports** — stdio, SSE, and StreamableHTTP
- **OAuth 2.1** — Per-user authentication for teams via Claude Custom Connector
- **Read-only mode** — Safe operation for production environments
- **Auto-discovery** — Detects GitLab config from git remotes
- **Fine-grained control** — Enable/disable tool groups, filter actions, customize descriptions
- **Tier detection** — Automatically enables features based on your GitLab tier (per-namespace on gitlab.com)
## Requirements
- **Node.js** >= 24.0.0 (required for native fetch with Undici dispatcher pattern)
- **GitLab** — Compatible with GitLab.com and self-hosted instances
## Architecture
The server uses a **CQRS (Command Query Responsibility Segregation)** pattern:
| Pattern | Prefix | Purpose | Example |
|---------|--------|---------|---------|
| Query | `browse_*` | Read-only operations | `browse_merge_requests` |
| Command | `manage_*` | Write operations | `manage_merge_request` |
Each tool accepts an `action` parameter that selects the specific operation. This consolidates what would be many individual tools into a manageable set optimized for AI context windows.
## Next Steps
- [Quick Start](/guide/quick-start) — Get running in under a minute
- [Installation](/guide/installation/npm) — Detailed setup for your platform
- [Configuration](/guide/configuration) — Environment variables and options
- [Multi-Instance](/guide/multi-instance) — Connect to multiple GitLab instances
- [Tool Reference](/tools/) — Complete list of available tools
