GitLab Docs MCP server

GitLab Docs MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol server that provides AI assistants instant access to GitLab's official documentation.

Features

• Intelligent Search - Fast, relevance-ranked search across all docs
• Section Filtering - Target specific areas (CI/CD, API, Admin, etc.)
• Full Content Access - Retrieve complete documentation pages
• Always Up-to-Date - Automatically synced with latest GitLab docs
• Universal Compatibility - Works with any MCP-compatible AI assistant

Installation

This server works with any MCP-compatible AI assistant. The Model Context Protocol allows AI assistants to connect to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.

GitHub Copilot (VS Code)

1. Open MCP Configuration

Press ⌘+Shift+P (or Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux), type MCP: Open User Configuration, and press Enter.

2. Add to mcp.json:

{
  "servers": {
    "gitlab-docs": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "gitlab-docs-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

3. Reload VS Code

Press ⌘+Shift+P (or Ctrl+Shift+P), type Developer: Reload Window, and press Enter.

Alternative: You can also manually create/edit the file at:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/mcp.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Code\User\mcp.json
• Linux: ~/.config/Code/User/mcp.json

Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop is a standalone desktop application by Anthropic that supports MCP servers.

Add to your Claude Desktop configuration file:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gitlab-docs": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "gitlab-docs-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop.

Cursor IDE

Cursor has built-in MCP support. Create or edit the MCP configuration file:

1. Create/Edit Configuration File

• Project-specific: .cursor/mcp.json in your project root
• Global: ~/.cursor/mcp.json in your home directory

2. Add Server Configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gitlab-docs": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "gitlab-docs-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

3. Restart Cursor

Other MCP Clients

For other MCP-compatible clients (Zed, Windsurf, etc.), configure them to run:

npx -y gitlab-docs-mcp

Refer to your client's MCP configuration documentation for the specific format required.

Usage

Once configured, simply ask your AI assistant about GitLab:

Example Conversations:

You: "How do I set up a CI/CD pipeline in GitLab?"
Assistant: [Searches GitLab docs and provides detailed pipeline configuration guide]

You: "Show me how to configure GitLab Runner on Ubuntu"
Assistant: [Retrieves GitLab Runner installation documentation]

You: "What are the GraphQL mutations for updating issues?"
Assistant: [Searches API docs and shows GraphQL mutation examples]

You: "Explain GitLab's authentication options"
Assistant: [Provides overview from authentication documentation]

The AI assistant will automatically use the GitLab Docs MCP server to search documentation and provide accurate, up-to-date answers.

Available Tools

searchGitLabDocs

Search across 2,900+ GitLab documentation pages with intelligent ranking.

Parameters:

• query - Search terms
• maxResults - Maximum results (default: 10, max: 50)
• section - Filter by section: ci, api, user, admin, development

getDocPage

Retrieve the complete content of a specific documentation page.

Parameters:

• path - Document path (e.g., "ci/yaml/_index.md")

listDocSections

Browse available documentation sections and their structure.

Troubleshooting

Server not responding?

• Ensure Node.js 22.13+ or 24+ is installed: node --version
• Restart your AI assistant/client completely
• Check application logs for MCP connection errors

Documentation out of date? The server automatically uses the latest published version from npm. Simply restart your MCP client to get updates.

Contributing

Found a bug or have a feature request? Please visit the GitHub repository.

License

MIT - see LICENSE file for details.