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GitLab MCP Server

GitLab MCP Server

by ttpears
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
TypeScript
Hybrid

Search Users

search_users
Read-onlyIdempotent

Find GitLab users by username or name to identify team members or contributors.

Instructions

Search for GitLab users by username or name - useful for finding team members or contributors

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
afterNoPagination cursor. To fetch the next page, pass the previous response pageInfo.endCursor here and repeat until pageInfo.hasNextPage is false. Paginating this way is the reliable path to complete results and accurate totals.
firstNoNumber of users to retrieve
fetchAllNoFetch multiple pages in one call, up to "first" items total (max 100) — NOT exhaustive. For complete results or accurate counts, leave this false and paginate via after (pageInfo.endCursor).
searchTermYesSearch term to find users by username or name
userCredentialsNoYour GitLab credentials (optional — falls back to the configured env token if not provided)

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed2 schema fields changedv4.0.0
    • removedInput schema / additionalProperties
      Removed value: -false
    • changedInput schema / properties / userCredentials / anyOf
      Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "additionalProperties": false,
-    "properties": {
-      "accessToken": {
-        "minLength": 1,
-        "type": "string"
-      },
-      "gitlabUrl": {
-        "format": "uri",
-        "type": "string"
-      }
-    },
-    "type": "object"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "properties": {
+      "accessToken": {
+        "minLength": 1,
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "gitlabUrl": {
+        "format": "uri",
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]
  2. Changed2 schema fields changedv2.2.4
    • changedInput schema / properties / after / description
      Previous value: -"Cursor for pagination"New value: +"Pagination cursor. To fetch the next page, pass the previous response pageInfo.endCursor here and repeat until pageInfo.hasNextPage is false. Paginating this way is the reliable path to complete results and accurate totals."
    • changedInput schema / properties / fetchAll / description
      Previous value: -"Fetch all pages up to 100 results"New value: +"Fetch multiple pages in one call, up to \"first\" items total (max 100) — NOT exhaustive. For complete results or accurate counts, leave this false and paginate via after (pageInfo.endCursor)."
  3. Changed3 schema fields changedv1.15.0
    • addedInput schema / properties / after
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Cursor for pagination",
+  "type": "string"
+}
    • addedInput schema / properties / fetchAll
      Added value: +{
+  "default": false,
+  "description": "Fetch all pages up to 100 results",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}
    • changedInput schema / properties / userCredentials / description
      Previous value: -"Your GitLab credentials (optional - uses shared token if not provided)"New value: +"Your GitLab credentials (optional — falls back to the configured env token if not provided)"
  4. First observedv1.7.3

TDQS

B3.2/5.0
Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnly/idempotent/non-destructive, so the safety profile is covered, but the description adds nothing behavioral beyond restating the search fields. There is no guidance on partial vs exact matching, result ordering, or what happens with an empty/broad term — meaningful gaps for a search endpoint.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

A single front-loaded sentence with the verb and resource up front; no waste. The trailing 'useful for finding team members or contributors' is mildly redundant with the purpose clause but cheap.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Five parameters, all fully documented in schema, and no output schema — so the description only needs to be complete on intent and semantics. It is adequate for choosing the tool but leaves the non-obvious pagination behavior (fetchAll is not exhaustive) entirely to the schema, and never says what a user record contains.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, and the schema itself thoroughly documents pagination (after/first/fetchAll) and the credential override, so the baseline of 3 applies. The description contributes no additional parameter meaning and never mentions the pagination tradeoff, which is the trickiest part of calling this tool.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Names a specific verb+resource (search users) and scopes the match fields to 'username or name', which distinguishes it cleanly from the many other search_* siblings (search_projects, search_issues, search_groups). It stops short of explicitly contrasting with get_current_user or list_group_members, which also surface users.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

'Useful for finding team members or contributors' implies the lookup use case but gives no when-not conditions and names no alternative. An agent must infer on its own whether to use this versus list_group_members or get_current_user.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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