How do I install the Gitlab CLI skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add tangcent/gitlab-cli in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Gitlab CLI safe to use?

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Which AI agents work with Gitlab CLI?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Gitlab CLI free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Gitlab CLI?

tangcent (@tangcent) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Gitlab CLI by tangcent — Agent Skill

Name: Gitlab CLI
Author: tangcent

Gitlab CLI

Operate GitLab from terminal with `glab` for repositories, merge requests, issues, pipelines, releases, and API calls. Use for any GitLab task. For template-compliant MR creation, load reference workflow under references/.

tangcent 89e89d1 2 files · 5.9 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

GitLab CLI

Execution Policy

For GitLab tasks, use glab as the primary interface.

Rules:

Always try glab first.
Use glab api instead of raw curl for GitLab API calls.
Do not hardcode tokens in commands.
Confirm destructive actions (merge/close/delete/cancel).

Preflight

Verify CLI:
```
glab --version
```

Detect GitLab hostname from remote:

host="$(git remote get-url origin 2>/dev/null | sed -E 's#^https?://([^/]+)/.*#\1#; s#^[^@]+@([^:]+):.*#\1#')"

Verify auth for host:
```
glab auth status --hostname "$host"
```
Resolve repository context:
- inside repo: auto-detected
- outside repo: use -R group/project

Conditional Reference

For MR creation with .gitlab/merge_request_templates/*, read:

references/create-mr.md

Keep this file focused on general glab operations and routing.

High-Value Commands

# Repository
glab repo view
glab repo clone owner/repo
glab repo create my-repo --description "My new repo"
glab repo fork owner/repo
glab repo list --group my-group
glab browse

# Merge requests
glab mr list
glab mr list --state all
glab mr view 42
glab mr view 42 --output json
glab mr checkout 42
glab mr approve 42
glab mr merge 42 --squash
glab mr merge 42 --squash --remove-source-branch
glab mr close 42
glab mr reopen 42
glab mr note 42 --message "Looks good to me"

# Issues
glab issue list
glab issue view 123
glab issue view 123 --output json
glab issue close 123
glab issue reopen 123
glab issue note 123 --message "I can reproduce this"

# Pipelines
glab ci status
glab ci list
glab ci run
glab ci run --variables KEY=value
glab ci view <pipeline-id>
glab ci retry <pipeline-id>
glab ci cancel <pipeline-id>
glab ci trace <job-id>

# Releases
glab release list
glab release view v1.2.3
glab release create v1.2.3 --name "Release v1.2.3" --notes "Changelog..."
glab release create v1.2.3 --ref main
glab release upload v1.2.3 ./dist/app.zip
glab release delete v1.2.3

Common Workflows

Review and merge MR

Check out the MR locally:
```
glab mr checkout <number>
```
Review the code, run tests.

Approve and merge:

glab mr approve <number>
glab mr merge <number> --squash --remove-source-branch

Investigate issue

View the issue details:
```
glab issue view <number>
```
Check related MRs:
```
glab mr list --search "<keyword>"
```

Monitor pipeline

View current pipeline status:
```
glab ci view
```
Watch pipeline in real-time:
```
glab ci view --live
```
If a job failed, view its logs:
```
glab ci trace <job-id>
```
Retry if needed:
```
glab ci retry <pipeline-id>
```

Troubleshooting

glab: command not found -> install glab.
not logged in -> glab auth login --hostname <host>.
wrong repo context -> use -R group/project.
insufficient permissions -> refresh PAT scopes (api, repository scopes).

---name: gitlab-clidescription: Operate GitLab from terminal with `glab` for repositories, merge requests, issues, pipelines, releases, and API calls. Use for any GitLab task. For template-compliant MR creation, load reference workflow under references/.---# GitLab CLI## Execution PolicyFor GitLab tasks, use `glab` as the primary interface.Rules:- Always try `glab` first.- Use `glab api` instead of raw `curl` for GitLab API calls.- Do not hardcode tokens in commands.- Confirm destructive actions (merge/close/delete/cancel).## Preflight1. Verify CLI: ```bash glab --version ```2. Detect GitLab hostname from remote: ```bash host="$(git remote get-url origin 2>/dev/null | sed -E 's#^https?://([^/]+)/.*#\1#; s#^[^@]+@([^:]+):.*#\1#')" ```3. Verify auth for host: ```bash glab auth status --hostname "$host" ```4. Resolve repository context: - inside repo: auto-detected - outside repo: use `-R group/project`## Conditional ReferenceFor MR creation with `.gitlab/merge_request_templates/*`, read:- `references/create-mr.md`Keep this file focused on general `glab` operations and routing.## High-Value Commands```bash# Repositoryglab repo viewglab repo clone owner/repoglab repo create my-repo --description "My new repo"glab repo fork owner/repoglab repo list --group my-groupglab browse# Merge requestsglab mr listglab mr list --state allglab mr view 42glab mr view 42 --output jsonglab mr checkout 42glab mr approve 42glab mr merge 42 --squashglab mr merge 42 --squash --remove-source-branchglab mr close 42glab mr reopen 42glab mr note 42 --message "Looks good to me"# Issuesglab issue listglab issue view 123glab issue view 123 --output jsonglab issue close 123glab issue reopen 123glab issue note 123 --message "I can reproduce this"# Pipelinesglab ci statusglab ci listglab ci runglab ci run --variables KEY=valueglab ci view <pipeline-id>glab ci retry <pipeline-id>glab ci cancel <pipeline-id>glab ci trace <job-id># Releasesglab release listglab release view v1.2.3glab release create v1.2.3 --name "Release v1.2.3" --notes "Changelog..."glab release create v1.2.3 --ref mainglab release upload v1.2.3 ./dist/app.zipglab release delete v1.2.3```## Common Workflows### Review and merge MR1. Check out the MR locally: ```bash glab mr checkout <number> ```2. Review the code, run tests.3. Approve and merge: ```bash glab mr approve <number> glab mr merge <number> --squash --remove-source-branch ```### Investigate issue1. View the issue details: ```bash glab issue view <number> ```2. Check related MRs: ```bash glab mr list --search "<keyword>" ```### Monitor pipeline1. View current pipeline status: ```bash glab ci view ```2. Watch pipeline in real-time: ```bash glab ci view --live ```3. If a job failed, view its logs: ```bash glab ci trace <job-id> ```4. Retry if needed: ```bash glab ci retry <pipeline-id> ```## Troubleshooting- `glab: command not found` -> install `glab`.- `not logged in` -> `glab auth login --hostname <host>`.- wrong repo context -> use `-R group/project`.- insufficient permissions -> refresh PAT scopes (`api`, repository scopes).

Frequently asked questions