gitlab-server

---
name: gitlab-server
description: |
  GitLab server (on-prem) integration via Apideck's Issue Tracking unified API — same methods work across every connector in Issue Tracking, switch by changing `serviceId`. Use when the user wants to read, write, or comment on tickets and issues in GitLab server (on-prem). Routes through Apideck with serviceId "gitlab-server".
license: Apache-2.0
alwaysApply: false
metadata:
  author: apideck
  version: "1.0.0"
  serviceId: gitlab-server
  unifiedApis: ["issue-tracking"]
  authType: apiKey
  tier: "2"
  verified: true
  status: beta
---

# GitLab server (on-prem) (via Apideck)

Access GitLab server (on-prem) through Apideck's **Issue Tracking** unified API — one of 6 Issue Tracking connectors that share the same method surface. Code you write here ports to Jira, GitHub, GitLab and 2 other Issue Tracking connectors by changing a single `serviceId` string. Apideck handles auth, pagination, rate limiting, and retries so you don't write per-tenant GitLab server (on-prem) plumbing.

> **Beta connector.** GitLab server (on-prem) is currently in beta on Apideck. Expect partial resource coverage and occasional mapping gaps. Always verify coverage (see below) and fall back to the Proxy API for unsupported operations.

## Quick facts

- **Apideck serviceId:** `gitlab-server`
- **Unified API:** Issue Tracking
- **Auth type:** apiKey
- **Status:** beta
- **Apideck setup guide:** [Connection guide](https://developers.apideck.com/connectors/gitlab-server/docs/consumer+connection)
- **Gotchas:** [page](https://developers.apideck.com/apis/issue-tracking/gitlab-server/gotchas)
- **GitLab server (on-prem) docs:** https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/api/
- **Homepage:** https://www.gitlab.com/

## When to use this skill

Activate this skill when the user explicitly wants to work with **GitLab server (on-prem)** — for example, "create a ticket in GitLab server (on-prem)" or "comment on an issue in GitLab server (on-prem)". This skill teaches the agent:

1. Which Apideck unified API covers GitLab server (on-prem) (Issue Tracking)
2. The correct `serviceId` to pass on every call (`gitlab-server`)
3. GitLab server (on-prem)-specific auth and coverage caveats

For the full method surface (parameters, pagination, filtering), use your language SDK skill:

- [`apideck-node`](../../skills/apideck-node/), [`apideck-python`](../../skills/apideck-python/), [`apideck-dotnet`](../../skills/apideck-dotnet/), [`apideck-java`](../../skills/apideck-java/), [`apideck-go`](../../skills/apideck-go/), [`apideck-php`](../../skills/apideck-php/), or [`apideck-rest`](../../skills/apideck-rest/)

For the raw OpenAPI spec:

- **Issue Tracking:** [https://specs.apideck.com/issue-tracking.yml](https://specs.apideck.com/issue-tracking.yml) · [API Explorer](https://developers.apideck.com/api-explorer?id=issue-tracking)

## Minimal example (TypeScript)

```typescript
import { Apideck } from "@apideck/unify";

const apideck = new Apideck({
  apiKey: process.env.APIDECK_API_KEY,
  appId: process.env.APIDECK_APP_ID,
  consumerId: "your-consumer-id",
});

// List tickets in GitLab server (on-prem)
const { data } = await apideck.issueTracking.tickets.list({
  serviceId: "gitlab-server",
});
```

## Portable across 6 Issue Tracking connectors

The Apideck **Issue Tracking** unified API exposes the same methods for every connector in its catalog. Switching from GitLab server (on-prem) to another Issue Tracking connector is a one-string change — no rewrite, no new SDK.

```typescript
// Today — GitLab server (on-prem)
await apideck.issueTracking.tickets.list({ serviceId: "gitlab-server" });

// Tomorrow — same code, different connector
await apideck.issueTracking.tickets.list({ serviceId: "jira" });
await apideck.issueTracking.tickets.list({ serviceId: "github" });
```

This is the compounding advantage of using Apideck over integrating GitLab server (on-prem) directly: code against the unified Issue Tracking API once, gain access to every connector in it. New connectors Apideck adds become available to your app without code changes.

## Authentication

- **Type:** API Key
- **Managed by:** Apideck Vault — the user pastes their GitLab server (on-prem) API key into the Vault modal; Apideck stores it encrypted and injects it on every request.
- **Rotation:** if the user rotates their key, they re-enter it in Vault. No code changes needed.

**Setup guide:** Apideck publishes a step-by-step guide for registering an OAuth app / configuring credentials for GitLab server (on-prem) — see [https://developers.apideck.com/connectors/gitlab-server/docs/consumer+connection](https://developers.apideck.com/connectors/gitlab-server/docs/consumer+connection). Use that as the authoritative source when walking users through connection setup.

See [`apideck-best-practices`](../../skills/apideck-best-practices/) for Vault setup, connection lifecycle, and handling re-auth flows.

## Verifying coverage

Not every Issue Tracking operation is supported by every connector. Always verify before assuming a method works:

```bash
curl 'https://unify.apideck.com/connector/connectors/gitlab-server' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ${APIDECK_API_KEY}" \
  -H "x-apideck-app-id: ${APIDECK_APP_ID}"
```

See [`apideck-connector-coverage`](../../skills/apideck-connector-coverage/) for patterns around `UnsupportedOperationError` and connector-specific fallbacks.

## Escape hatch: Proxy API

When an endpoint isn't covered by the Issue Tracking unified API, use Apideck's Proxy to call GitLab server (on-prem) directly — Apideck injects auth headers and handles token refresh. Set `x-apideck-downstream-url` to the target endpoint on GitLab server (on-prem)'s own API:

```bash
curl 'https://unify.apideck.com/proxy' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ${APIDECK_API_KEY}" \
  -H "x-apideck-app-id: ${APIDECK_APP_ID}" \
  -H "x-apideck-consumer-id: ${CONSUMER_ID}" \
  -H "x-apideck-service-id: gitlab-server" \
  -H "x-apideck-downstream-url: <target endpoint on GitLab server (on-prem)>" \
  -H "x-apideck-downstream-method: GET"
```

See [GitLab server (on-prem)'s API docs](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/api/) for available endpoints.

## Sibling connectors

Other **Issue Tracking** connectors that share this unified API surface (same method signatures, just change `serviceId`):

[`jira`](../jira/) *(beta)*, [`github`](../github/) *(beta)*, [`gitlab`](../gitlab/) *(beta)*, [`linear`](../linear/) *(beta)*, [`linear-multiworkspace`](../linear-multiworkspace/) *(beta)*.

## See also

- [Apideck connection guide for GitLab server (on-prem)](https://developers.apideck.com/connectors/gitlab-server/docs/consumer+connection)
- [Issue Tracking OpenAPI spec](https://specs.apideck.com/issue-tracking.yml) · [API Explorer](https://developers.apideck.com/api-explorer?id=issue-tracking)
- [`apideck-connector-coverage`](../../skills/apideck-connector-coverage/) — programmatic coverage checks
- [`apideck-best-practices`](../../skills/apideck-best-practices/) — architecture, Vault, pagination, error handling
- [`apideck-node`](../../skills/apideck-node/) — TypeScript / Node SDK patterns
- [GitLab server (on-prem) official docs](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/api/)