GitLab CLI (glab) Skill for Claude Code

A comprehensive Claude Code skill that provides expert guidance for using the GitLab CLI (glab) to manage GitLab resources directly from the command line.

Overview

This skill enables Claude Code to effectively assist with GitLab workflows using the official glab CLI tool. It provides detailed knowledge about GitLab operations including merge requests, issues, CI/CD pipelines, repository management, and more.

What This Skill Provides

• Core workflows: Common GitLab operations (MRs, issues, CI/CD, repos)
• Authentication guidance: Quick setup for GitLab.com and self-hosted instances
• Best practices: When and how to use glab effectively
• Progressive disclosure: Concise core instructions with detailed references loaded as needed
• Comprehensive references: Detailed command docs, troubleshooting, and quick reference guides

Installation

Installing the Skill

This skill should be placed in your Claude Code skills directory:

# For project-specific installation
mkdir -p .claude/skills
git clone https://github.com/henricook/claude-glab-skill .claude/skills/glab

# For personal/global installation
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills
git clone https://github.com/henricook/claude-glab-skill ~/.claude/skills/glab

After installation, your directory structure will be:

.claude/skills/glab/
├── SKILL.md                          # Core skill (~200 lines, loaded when skill invoked)
├── references/                       # Detailed docs (loaded only as needed)
│   ├── commands-detailed.md          # Comprehensive command reference
│   ├── quick-reference.md            # Command cheat sheet
│   └── troubleshooting.md            # Detailed error scenarios
├── README.md
├── CONTRIBUTING.md
├── CHANGELOG.md
└── LICENSE

Installing glab CLI

Before using this skill, ensure glab is installed on your system:

macOS:

brew install glab

Linux:

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install glab

# Fedora/RHEL
sudo dnf install glab

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S glab

Windows:

# Using Chocolatey
choco install glab

# Using Scoop
scoop install glab

From source:

go install gitlab.com/gitlab-org/cli/cmd/glab@latest

For more installation options, visit: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/cli

Usage

Once installed, Claude Code will automatically detect when you need GitLab CLI assistance and can invoke this skill. You can also explicitly invoke it:

@claude using the glab skill, help me create a merge request

Or simply ask Claude Code to perform GitLab operations:

Can you list my open merge requests?
Create an issue for the bug we just found
Show me the status of the CI pipeline

Skill Architecture

This skill follows the progressive disclosure design principle for optimal performance:

Three-Level Context Loading

1. SKILL.md frontmatter (~50 chars) - Loaded first for skill discovery and invocation
2. SKILL.md body (~200 lines) - Core workflows and patterns loaded when skill is invoked
3. references/ folder - Detailed documentation loaded into context only as needed

SKILL.md (Core Instructions)

The main skill file is concise and focused on:

• When to use glab for different tasks
• Essential authentication setup
• Common workflow patterns (not exhaustive command lists)
• Best practices and quick fixes
• References to detailed documentation

Why it's concise: Loads quickly when invoked, providing immediate guidance without overwhelming context.

references/ (Detailed Documentation)

commands-detailed.md - Load when:

• User needs specific flag or option details
• Working with advanced commands (API, variables, schedules)
• Need comprehensive command examples

troubleshooting.md - Load when:

• Encountering authentication or connection errors
• Debugging CI/CD pipeline issues
• Need detailed error scenarios and solutions

quick-reference.md - Load when:

• User wants a command cheat sheet
• Quick lookup of common flags and patterns

Tool Restrictions

The skill is configured with allowed-tools: Bash, Read, Grep, Glob to ensure Claude Code can:

• Execute glab commands via Bash
• Read configuration and reference files as needed
• Search for relevant files and patterns
• Work within the repository context

Skill Features

Workflow-First Approach

Rather than memorizing commands, the skill teaches:

• Creating merge requests with reviewers and labels
• Reviewing code by checking out MRs locally
• Managing issues and linking them to MRs
• Monitoring CI/CD pipelines and handling failures

Comprehensive Command Coverage

30+ glab commands documented across:

• Merge Requests, Issues, CI/CD Pipelines
• Repositories, API access, Labels, Releases
• Snippets, Users, Variables, SSH Keys
• And more (see references/commands-detailed.md)

Context-Aware Assistance

The skill helps Claude Code:

• Detect when

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