How to Use the Gitea MCP in Claude

Q: How do I connect my self-hosted Gitea instance to Claude Desktop?

Open your claudedesktopconfig.json file and add the Gitea MCP server configuration under the mcpServers block. Provide your Gitea access token and instance URL as arguments so the desktop app can execute tools like getme on startup.

Manage your self-hosted Gitea repositories, issues, and organizations directly inside your Claude Desktop chat window.

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Connect Gitea MCP to Claude Desktop

Create your Vinkius account to connect Gitea to Claude Desktop and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup Gitea with Claude Desktop

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Audit self-hosted Gitea repos inside Claude Desktop

Stop bouncing to the browser to check your self-hosted Gitea instances when using the Claude Desktop application. This Gitea MCP server lets Claude Desktop run `list_repos` and `list_org_repos` to pull your entire repository tree directly into your active chat window. You get instant visibility into your Gitea organization structures without leaving your Claude Desktop app window. Claude Desktop uses the local stdio transport to query your Gitea server, making it easy to check repository details with `get_repo` whenever you need to verify a clone URL.

Manage issues and pull requests in Claude Desktop

Keep your team updated by letting your Claude Desktop app inspect active Gitea issues and pull requests. When you ask about blockers, Claude Desktop calls `list_issues` and `list_pulls` to fetch live ticket statuses directly from your self-hosted Gitea setup. Digging into specific Gitea bugs becomes a one-step task inside your local Claude Desktop chat window. The Claude Desktop agent runs `get_issue` to pull full markdown descriptions from Gitea, allowing you to debug and plan your next sprint without switching tabs.

Inspect Gitea organizations from Claude Desktop

Managing Gitea organizations gets simple when your Claude Desktop chat has direct access to your self-hosted instance. Claude Desktop invokes `list_orgs` and `get_org` to map out your Gitea organization structures and team memberships instantly. Tracking down stale Gitea development branches in Claude Desktop is just as fast. By calling `list_branches`, the desktop agent checks who is working on what, helping you clean up your self-hosted Gitea server before merging.

Setup guide

Set up Gitea MCP in Claude Web or Desktop

1

Open Claude Settings

Go to claude.ai, click your profile icon, then navigate to Customize → Connectors.
2

Add Custom Connector

Click the "+" button and select Add custom connector. Paste your Vinkius endpoint URL: https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your token from cloud.vinkius.com. For OAuth-protected servers, expand Advanced settings to add credentials.
3

Start a conversation

Open a new chat. The Gitea MCP tools are available immediately — no restart needed.

Endpoint URL

https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp

No configuration file needed — paste the URL directly in the Claude web interface.

Available on Free (1 connector), Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans.

Prerequisites

Claude Desktop installed (macOS or Windows)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open Claude Desktop Settings

Click the menu icon at the top-left corner, go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config. This opens claude_desktop_config.json in your default text editor.
2

Paste the Gitea MCP configuration

Copy the JSON snippet on the right into the mcpServers object. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Restart Claude Desktop

Close and reopen the application. Claude needs a full restart to load new MCPs — refreshing a conversation is not enough.
4

Verify the connection

Open a new conversation. Click the 🔌 icon at the bottom of the message input. You should see tools listed under gitea-mcp.

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gitea-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

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Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by Gitea. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about Gitea MCP in Claude Desktop

Open your `claude_desktop_config.json` file and add the Gitea MCP server configuration under the `mcpServers` block. Provide your Gitea access token and instance URL as arguments so the desktop app can execute tools like `get_me` on startup.

Yes, you can configure it on any machine running the desktop app by adding the command arguments to your local config. Alternatively, connect it via Claude Web as a remote custom connector using the secure endpoint provided by Vinkius.

No, the permissions depend entirely on the token you provide to Claude Desktop. If your token only has read access, the desktop app can run `list_issues` but won't be able to view private organization resources via `get_org`.

The desktop client handles pagination automatically when calling `list_repos`. It fetches repository lists in batches, ensuring your chat window doesn't freeze up when querying large self-hosted Gitea instances.

Your Gitea repository details, issues, and branch names never pass through external third-party logging systems. Vinkius runs the Gitea MCP server in an ephemeral, zero-trust sandbox, sending data directly to your local Claude Desktop app over a secure stdio connection.

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