How do I install the Glab Variable skill?

Run npx skillmds add vince-winkintel/glab-variable 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 Glab Variable safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Capability flags: reads secrets. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Glab Variable?

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 Glab Variable free to use?

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

Who published Glab Variable?

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

Glab Variable by vince-winkintel — Agent Skill

Name: Glab Variable
Rating: 4.5 (4 reviews)
Author: vince-winkintel

Glab Variable

Manage CI/CD variables at project and group level including create, update, import, export, list, and delete operations. Use when setting environment variables for pipelines, managing secrets, migrating variables, or configuring CI/CD variables. Triggers on variable, CI variable, environment variable, secrets, variable import, CI/CD config.

vince-winkintel 991d565 2 files · 12.0 KB Updated Sep 9, 2026

File contents

glab variable

Overview


  Variables store configuration and secrets used by CI/CD pipelines.

  Each subcommand acts on the current project by default. Use
  `--group` to manage a group's variables instead.
         
  USAGE  
         
    glab variable [command] [--flags]  
            
  COMMANDS  
            
    delete <key> [--flags]          Delete a variable for a project or group.
    export [--flags]                Export variables from a project or group.
    get <key> [--flags]             Get a variable for a project or group.
    import [--flags]                Import variables from a JSON file or standard input.
    list [--flags]                  List variables for a project or group.
    set <key> <value> [--flags]     Create a new variable for a project or group.
    update <key> <value> [--flags]  Update an existing variable for a project or group.
         
  FLAGS  
         
    -h --help                       Show help for this command.
    -R --repo                       Select another repository. Can use either `OWNER/REPO` or `GROUP/NAMESPACE/REPO` format. Also accepts full URL or Git URL.

Quick start

glab variable --help

Export and import variables

glab variable import consumes the same JSON array shape emitted by glab variable export --output json. It reads standard input by default or a file passed with --input-file / -i.

# Preview and preserve an export before importing it elsewhere
glab variable export --output json > variables.json
glab variable import --input-file variables.json -R group/target-project

# Pipe between groups
glab variable export --group source-group |
  glab variable import --group target-group

# Continue when target variables already exist
glab variable import --input-file variables.json --skip-existing

Import stops when a target variable already exists unless --skip-existing is set. Hidden variable values are omitted from exports, so those entries are skipped with a warning during import; recreate their values explicitly with glab variable set --hidden from an approved secret source. Treat export files as sensitive, keep them out of version control, and verify the target project or group before importing.

Masked and hidden group variables

glab variable set now sends --masked and --hidden correctly for group-level variables. Use explicit flags, verify the target group, and never print the value during confirmation:

glab variable set DEPLOY_TOKEN "$DEPLOY_TOKEN" \
  --group group/subgroup \
  --masked \
  --hidden \
  --protected

# Verify metadata without exposing the value
glab variable get DEPLOY_TOKEN --group group/subgroup --output json

Masking and hiding are server-enforced properties, not substitutes for least privilege or rotation. If GitLab rejects a value because it does not satisfy masking rules, do not weaken the setting silently; fix the value format or get explicit operator approval for a different policy.

Subcommands

See references/commands.md for full --help output.

---name: glab-variabledescription: Manage CI/CD variables at project and group level including create, update, import, export, list, and delete operations. Use when setting environment variables for pipelines, managing secrets, migrating variables, or configuring CI/CD variables. Triggers on variable, CI variable, environment variable, secrets, variable import, CI/CD config.--- # glab variable ## Overview ``` Variables store configuration and secrets used by CI/CD pipelines. Each subcommand acts on the current project by default. Use `--group` to manage a group's variables instead. USAGE glab variable [command] [--flags] COMMANDS delete <key> [--flags] Delete a variable for a project or group. export [--flags] Export variables from a project or group. get <key> [--flags] Get a variable for a project or group. import [--flags] Import variables from a JSON file or standard input. list [--flags] List variables for a project or group. set <key> <value> [--flags] Create a new variable for a project or group. update <key> <value> [--flags] Update an existing variable for a project or group. FLAGS -h --help Show help for this command. -R --repo Select another repository. Can use either `OWNER/REPO` or `GROUP/NAMESPACE/REPO` format. Also accepts full URL or Git URL. ``` ## Quick start ```bash glab variable --help ``` ## Export and import variables `glab variable import` consumes the same JSON array shape emitted by `glab variable export --output json`. It reads standard input by default or a file passed with `--input-file` / `-i`. ```bash # Preview and preserve an export before importing it elsewhere glab variable export --output json > variables.json glab variable import --input-file variables.json -R group/target-project # Pipe between groups glab variable export --group source-group | glab variable import --group target-group # Continue when target variables already exist glab variable import --input-file variables.json --skip-existing ``` Import stops when a target variable already exists unless `--skip-existing` is set. Hidden variable values are omitted from exports, so those entries are skipped with a warning during import; recreate their values explicitly with `glab variable set --hidden` from an approved secret source. Treat export files as sensitive, keep them out of version control, and verify the target project or group before importing. ## Masked and hidden group variables `glab variable set` now sends `--masked` and `--hidden` correctly for group-level variables. Use explicit flags, verify the target group, and never print the value during confirmation: ```bash glab variable set DEPLOY_TOKEN "$DEPLOY_TOKEN" \ --group group/subgroup \ --masked \ --hidden \ --protected # Verify metadata without exposing the value glab variable get DEPLOY_TOKEN --group group/subgroup --output json ``` Masking and hiding are server-enforced properties, not substitutes for least privilege or rotation. If GitLab rejects a value because it does not satisfy masking rules, do not weaken the setting silently; fix the value format or get explicit operator approval for a different policy. ## Subcommands See [references/commands.md](references/commands.md) for full `--help` output.

Frequently asked questions