# Glab

> GitLab CLI for merge requests, issues, CI/CD pipelines, repositories, and more. Use when working with GitLab to list/view MRs, check CI status, browse issues, or any GitLab API operation. Triggered by requests involving GitLab data, merge requests, CI pipelines, or GitLab project management. Use when this capability is needed.

- Skill: `tomevault-io/glab` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/glab`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/glab/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/glab

---


# glab - GitLab CLI

Command-line interface for GitLab. Binary name: `glab`.

## Repository Context

glab auto-detects the GitLab project from the git remote in the current directory. Override with `--repo` (`-R`):

```bash
glab mr list                              # auto-detected from git remote
glab mr list -R group/project             # explicit project
glab mr list -R group/namespace/project
```

## Identifying MRs

MR commands accept an MR IID number, a branch name, or nothing (current branch):

```bash
glab mr view 123           # by MR IID
glab mr view feature-x     # by branch name
glab mr view               # current branch's MR
```

---

## Temp Files

When writing content to temp files (MR descriptions, job logs, etc.), use filenames unique to the MR or job — include the MR number, branch name, or job name as a slug (e.g., `/tmp/mr-desc-123.md`, `/tmp/mr-desc-feature-auth.md`, `/tmp/glab-job-build-123.log`).

**Reuse the same file for the same MR/entity** across multiple edits — the Write tool shows diffs, so the user can see exactly what changed between revisions.

**Never use generic fixed filenames** like `/tmp/mr-description.md` — they collide across different MRs.

---

## Creating a Merge Request

```bash
glab mr create --fill --fill-commit-body --yes -b main --draft -a user1 --reviewer user2 -l bug
```

| Flag | Short | Description |
|------|-------|-------------|
| `--title` | `-t` | MR title |
| `--description` | `-d` | Description (`"-"` opens editor) |
| `--fill` | `-f` | Use commit info, auto-push branch |
| `--fill-commit-body` | | Include all commit bodies (with `--fill`) |
| `--draft` | | Create as draft |
| `--assignee` | `-a` | Assign by username (comma-separated or repeated) |
| `--reviewer` | | Request review by username |
| `--label` | `-l` | Add labels |
| `--milestone` | `-m` | Assign milestone |
| `--target-branch` | `-b` | Target branch |
| `--source-branch` | `-s` | Source branch (default: current) |
| `--push` | | Push branch before creating |
| `--remove-source-branch` | | Remove source branch on merge |
| `--squash-before-merge` | | Squash commits on merge |
| `--related-issue` | `-i` | Link to issue IID |
| `--copy-issue-labels` | | Copy labels from linked issue |
| `--yes` | `-y` | Skip confirmation prompt |
| `--web` | `-w` | Continue in browser |

---

## Viewing Current MR

```bash
glab mr view --comments -F json
```

| Flag | Short | Description |
|------|-------|-------------|
| `--comments` | `-c` | Include comments and activities |
| `--system-logs` | `-s` | Include system activities |
| `--output` | `-F` | Format: `text`, `json` |
| `--web` | `-w` | Open in browser |
| `--page` | `-p` | Page number for comments |
| `--per-page` | `-P` | Items per page (default 20) |

---

## Updating MR Title and Description

```bash
glab mr update 123 --title "New title" --description "New description" --ready -l bug --reviewer +user2
```

Assignee/reviewer prefix modifiers: `+` to add, `!` or `-` to remove. No prefix replaces all.

| Flag | Short | Description |
|------|-------|-------------|
| `--title` | `-t` | MR title |
| `--description` | `-d` | Description (`"-"` opens editor) |
| `--draft` | | Mark as draft |
| `--ready` | `-r` | Mark as ready |
| `--label` | `-l` | Add labels |
| `--unlabel` | `-u` | Remove labels |
| `--assignee` | `-a` | Set assignees (`+` add, `!` remove, bare replaces all) |
| `--unassign` | | Remove all assignees |
| `--reviewer` | | Set reviewers (`+` add, `!` remove, bare replaces all) |
| `--milestone` | `-m` | Set milestone (`""` or `0` to unset) |
| `--target-branch` | | Change target branch |
| `--remove-source-branch` | | Toggle remove source branch on merge |
| `--squash-before-merge` | | Toggle squash on merge |
| `--lock-discussion` | | Lock discussion |
| `--unlock-discussion` | | Unlock discussion |
| `--yes` | `-y` | Skip confirmation |

---

## MR Discussions and Notes

`glab mr note` can add comments, but listing discussions and replying to threads requires the API.

### Add a Comment

```bash
glab mr note 123 -m "Looks good!"
```

| Flag | Short | Description |
|------|-------|-------------|
| `--message` | `-m` | Comment text |
| `--unique` | | Skip if identical comment already exists |

### List MR Discussions (API)

Discussions are threaded conversations. Each discussion has an `id` and contains `notes`.

```bash
glab api projects/:id/merge_requests/123/discussions --paginate
```

### Reply to a Discussion Thread (API)

```bash
glab api -X POST projects/:id/merge_requests/123/discussions/<discussion_id>/notes \
  -f body="Reply text"
```

### Create a New Discussion Thread (API)

```bash
glab api -X POST projects/:id/merge_requests/123/discussions \
  -f body="Starting a new thread"
```

### Resolve / Unresolve a Discussion (API)

```bash
glab api -X PUT projects/:id/merge_requests/123/discussions/<discussion_id> \
  -F resolved=true
```

---

## MR Pipeline and Job Logs

### View Pipeline Status

```bash
glab ci status --compact
glab ci get --with-job-details -F json
```

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `glab ci status` | Current branch pipeline status |
| `glab ci status --live` | Real-time updates until done |
| `glab ci status --compact` | Compact view |
| `glab ci get` | Pipeline details with job list |
| `glab ci get --with-job-details` | Extended job info |
| `glab ci get -F json` | JSON output |

### View Job Logs

**Always redirect job logs to a temp file** — the output can be thousands of lines and will waste context tokens.

```bash
glab ci trace <job-name> > /tmp/glab-job-<job-name>-$(date +%s).log 2>&1
```

**DO NOT** run `glab ci trace` without redirecting to a file.

| Flag | Short | Description |
|------|-------|-------------|
| `--branch` | `-b` | Branch to search for the job |
| `--pipeline-id` | `-p` | Pipeline ID to search for the job |

### Retry / Trigger Jobs

```bash
glab ci retry <job-name>           # retry a failed job
glab ci trigger <job-name>         # trigger a manual job
```

---

## API (Raw HTTP Requests)

Direct GitLab API access for anything not covered by dedicated commands.

```bash
glab api projects/:id/members                                    # GET (default)
glab api projects/:id/labels -f name=bug -f color=#FF0000        # POST (default when params present)
glab api -X PUT projects/:id -f name="new-name"                  # explicit method
```

### Pagination

`--paginate` fetches **all pages** sequentially. Without it, you only get the first page.

```bash
glab api projects/:id/issues --paginate --output ndjson | jq 'select(.state == "opened")'
```

Output formats:
- `json` (default) — pretty-printed, arrays merged into a single JSON array
- `ndjson` — one JSON object per line, memory-efficient, works with `jq`

### Endpoint Placeholders

Auto-resolved from the git remote: `:id`, `:fullpath`, `:group`, `:namespace`, `:repo`, `:branch`, `:user`, `:username`

### Parameter Flags

| Flag | Short | Description |
|------|-------|-------------|
| `--raw-field` | `-f` | String parameter |
| `--field` | `-F` | Typed parameter (`true`/`false`/integers auto-converted, `@file` reads from file) |
| `--method` | `-X` | HTTP method (default: GET without params, POST with) |
| `--paginate` | | Fetch all pages |
| `--output` | | Format: `json` (default), `ndjson` |
| `--header` | `-H` | Additional HTTP header |
| `--hostname` | | Override GitLab host |
| `--include` | `-i` | Include response headers |
| `--input` | | Request body from file (`-` for stdin) |
| `--silent` | | Don't print response body |

---

## Other Commands

Discover flags with `--help`:

| Group | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| `mr list`, `mr diff`, `mr merge`, `mr approve`, `mr rebase`, `mr checkout` | MR management |
| `issue list`, `issue view`, `issue create`, `issue update`, `issue close` | Issues |
| `ci list`, `ci run`, `ci lint`, `ci cancel` | CI/CD pipelines |
| `job artifact` | Download job artifacts |
| `repo view`, `repo list`, `repo clone` | Repositories |
| `release list`, `release view`, `release create` | Releases |
| `variable list`, `variable get`, `variable set` | CI/CD variables |
| `schedule list`, `schedule create`, `schedule run` | Pipeline schedules |
| `label list`, `label create` | Labels |
| `milestone list`, `milestone create` | Milestones |
| `glab-search-code <query>` | Code search |

```bash
glab <command> --help
glab <command> <subcommand> --help
```

---
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<!-- tomevault:4.0:skill_md:2026-04-13 -->