create_branch

Instructions

Args:
    project_id: GitLab project ID
    branch_name: New branch name
    ref: Source branch/commit (default: main)
    token: GitLab Personal Access Token (optional)
    ctx: MCP context (automatically injected)

Implementation Reference

• gitlab_clone_mcp_server/server.py:396-417 (handler)

  The handler function for the create_branch tool. It takes project_id, branch_name, ref (default 'main'), token, and ctx, then POSTs to the GitLab API to create a new branch.

  @mcp.tool()
  async def create_branch(project_id: int, branch_name: str, ref: str = "main", token: str = None, ctx=None) -> str:
      """Create a new branch.
      
      Args:
          project_id: GitLab project ID
          branch_name: New branch name
          ref: Source branch/commit (default: main)
          token: GitLab Personal Access Token (optional)
          ctx: MCP context (automatically injected)
      """
      data = {
          "branch": branch_name,
          "ref": ref
      }
      
      result = await make_gitlab_request(f"/projects/{project_id}/repository/branches", "POST", data, ctx=ctx, token=token)
      
      if isinstance(result, dict) and "error" in result:
          return f"Error creating branch: {result['error']}"
      
      return f"Branch created: {result['name']} from {ref}"

• gitlab_clone_mcp_server/server.py:397-405 (schema)

  The schema/type definition for the create_branch tool's inputs (project_id: int, branch_name: str, ref: str default 'main', optional token and ctx).

  async def create_branch(project_id: int, branch_name: str, ref: str = "main", token: str = None, ctx=None) -> str:
      """Create a new branch.
      
      Args:
          project_id: GitLab project ID
          branch_name: New branch name
          ref: Source branch/commit (default: main)
          token: GitLab Personal Access Token (optional)
          ctx: MCP context (automatically injected)

• gitlab_clone_mcp_server/server.py:395-396 (registration)

  The @mcp.tool() decorator registers create_branch as an MCP tool with the FastMCP server.

  @mcp.tool()

• gitlab_clone_mcp_server/server.py:11-52 (helper)

  The make_gitlab_request helper function used by create_branch to make the actual HTTP POST request to the GitLab API for creating a branch.

  async def make_gitlab_request(endpoint: str, method: str = "GET", data: dict = None, ctx=None, token: str = None) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
      """Make a request to GitLab API with proper error handling."""
      # Priority: 1. Explicit token parameter, 2. Context headers, 3. Environment variable
      
      # If no explicit token provided, try to get from context
      if not token and ctx and hasattr(ctx, 'request_context') and ctx.request_context:
          # Try to get from request headers
          if hasattr(ctx.request_context, 'headers'):
              token = ctx.request_context.headers.get('GITLAB_TOKEN')
      
      # Fallback to environment variable
      if not token:
          token = os.getenv("GITLAB_TOKEN")
      
      if not token:
          return {"error": "GitLab token not provided. Please provide a token parameter, GITLAB_TOKEN in the request headers, or set the environment variable."}
      
      # Get GitLab URL (from context or environment)
      gitlab_url = os.getenv("GITLAB_URL", "https://gitlab.com")
      
      headers = {
          "PRIVATE-TOKEN": token,
          "Content-Type": "application/json"
      }
      
      url = f"{gitlab_url}/api/v4{endpoint}"
      
      async with httpx.AsyncClient() as client:
          try:
              if method == "GET":
                  response = await client.get(url, headers=headers, timeout=30.0)
              elif method == "POST":
                  response = await client.post(url, headers=headers, json=data, timeout=30.0)
              elif method == "PUT":
                  response = await client.put(url, headers=headers, json=data, timeout=30.0)
              elif method == "DELETE":
                  response = await client.delete(url, headers=headers, timeout=30.0)
              
              response.raise_for_status()
              return response.json() if response.content else {"success": True}
          except Exception as e:
              return {"error": str(e)}