• LISTING
  • DETAILS
  • CREATION
  • HUMAN

How to manage merge requests with your AI

Connect GitLab to your AI client once. From there, you can handle your review queue through simple chat commands.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

Can I manage GitLab merge requests with my AI?

Yes. You can ask your agent to find open requests, pull specific details for a review, or draft new ones. You'll get a clear view of your review queue without switching tabs.

Review outcomes.

Where your work lands.

Your AI handles the GitLab navigation so you can stay in your chat interface.

LISTING

Find open requests

The AI pulls a list of active merge requests from your repos. You get a direct view of what needs your attention.

DETAILS

Inspect specific MRs

Your agent fetches the full context of a single request. You'll see the descriptions and metadata needed to make a call.

CREATION

Draft new requests

Tell your AI what you've changed and it will set up the merge request. It handles the setup so you don't have to click through the GitLab UI.

HUMAN

Final code review

The AI prepares the data and the requests, but you still perform the actual logic check. You remain the final authority on every merge.

The workflow

What your AI does when a request arrives.

The AI acts as a bridge between your conversation and your GitLab repositories.

  1. Scan the queue

    Your agent looks through your projects to find pending work. It identifies which merge requests are currently active.

    list_merge_requests

  2. Pull context

    Once you pick a specific request, the AI grabs the relevant details. This includes the description and state of that item.

    get_merge_request

  3. Submit changes

    When you're ready to propose code, the AI sends the request to GitLab. It populates the fields based on your instructions.

    create_merge_request

  4. Verify status

    The AI can re-check the list at any time to see if a request has been merged or closed. This keeps your view in sync with the repo.

    list_merge_requests

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to trigger actions in GitLab.

Starting points

Swap the bracketed text for your actual repository names or specific request IDs.

GitLab Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_HGGz1cvvAiFURJr2VDrjPMYuMzSMVPMdXMuy8wQ8/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — GitLab capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gitlab-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_HGGz1cvvAiFURJr2VDrjPMYuMzSMVPMdXMuy8wQ8/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • List all open merge requests in the frontend-app repository.

  • Get the details for merge request !42 in the backend-api project.

  • Create a new merge request in the docs-repo for the README updates.

  • Show me the merge requests for the mobile-client project that are still open.

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  • Cline

Start here

Connect GitLab once, then ask.

Follow the link to authorize the connection. Your credentials stay encrypted, and you'll be ready to chat with your GitLab data immediately.

Connect GitLab to your AI

FAQ

How this task behaves.

  • 01

    Can the AI merge the code for me?

    No. The current tools only allow for listing, viewing, and creating merge requests. You must manually approve and merge code in GitLab.

  • 02

    Does the AI have permission to delete my branches?

    No. There are no tools provided to delete branches or remove merge requests. Those actions stay with you.

  • 03

    Can I see merge requests from all my projects at once?

    Yes. If you ask the AI to list merge requests across your account, it will use the list tool to find them.

  • 04

    Do I need to use the GitLab web UI to create an MR?

    No. You can use the create tool to set up a new merge request entirely through your AI client.

  • 05

    Will my GitLab password be shared with the AI model?

    No. Vinkius manages the connection securely. Your AI client only interacts with the tools provided by the MCP.

  • More questions about GitLab? See everything the GitLab Connector can do

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