OpenClaw is the fastest growing agent harness out there, which can work 24/7 to automate almost any kind of tasks. However, its capabilities are limited to the tools it has access to. Composio allows your OpenClaw to access Gitlab with authentication management handled for you. You can execute actions on Gitlab via your favorite OpenClaw interface (Telegram, WhatsApp, TUI, etc), whichever you prefer.
Table of Contents
Connect Gitlab without Auth hassles
We manage OAuth, API Key, token refresh, and scopes, you just build.
Try for FreeIntroduction
Why use Composio?
Apart from a managed and hosted MCP server, you will get:
- Programmatic tool calling allows LLMs to write its code in a remote workbench to handle complex tool chaining. Reduces to-and-fro with LLMs for frequent tool calling.
- Handling Large tool responses out of LLM context to minimize context rot.
- Dynamic just-in-time access to 20,000 tools across 850+ other Apps for cross-app workflows. It loads the tools you need, so LLMs aren't overwhelmed by tools you don't need.
How to install Gitlab with OpenClaw
Using Composio API Key and Setup Prompt
- Go to dashboard.composio.dev/composio/~/connect/clients/openclaw
- Copy the setup prompt
- Run it in your OpenClaw chat interface.
- Authenticate Gitlab from the dashboard
- Go back to your OpenClaw interface and start asking questions.
Using OpenClaw/Composio Plugin
1. Install OpenClaw Composio plugin
2. Copy the API Key from dashboard.composio.dev
3. Setup OpenClaw Config
openclaw config set plugins.entries.composio.config.consumerKey "ck_your_key_here"4. Restart OpenClaw
openclaw gateway restart5. Go to your chat interface and start asking questions.
6. When prompted, authenticate the app and you're all set.
How It Works
The plugin connects to Composio's MCP server at https://connect.composio.dev/mcp and registers all available tools directly into the OpenClaw agent. Tools are called by name — no extra search or execute steps needed.
If a tool returns an auth error, the agent will prompt you to connect that toolkit at dashboard.composio.dev.
Configuration
{
"plugins": {
"entries": {
"composio": {
"enabled": true,
"config": {
"consumerKey": "ck_your_key_here"
}
}
}
}
}| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
enabled | Enable or disable the plugin | true |
consumerKey | Your Composio consumer key (ck_...) | — |
mcpUrl | MCP server URL (advanced) | https://connect.composio.dev/mcp |
What is the Gitlab MCP server, and what's possible with it?
The Gitlab MCP server is an implementation of the Model Context Protocol that connects your AI agent and assistants like Claude, Cursor, etc directly to your Gitlab account. It provides structured and secure access to your repositories, projects, and issues, so your agent can perform actions like creating projects, managing issues, handling branches, and automating DevOps workflows on your behalf.
- Project and group automation: Instantly create new Gitlab projects or organize your workspaces by setting up project groups—all without manual clicks.
- Issue creation and tracking: Have your agent report bugs, request features, or open new issues in specific projects to keep your team on top of tasks.
- Branch management: Let your agent create repository branches from any commit or base branch, making it easy to streamline your development process.
- Project lifecycle management: Archive completed projects or delete unneeded ones, keeping your workspace clean and up to date with minimal effort.
- Commit and job insights: Retrieve commit references, determine commit sequence in project history, or erase job artifacts and logs for deeper CI/CD control.
Supported Tools & Triggers
Tools
Conclusion
You've successfully integrated Gitlab with OpenClaw using Composio plugin. Now interact with Gitlab directly from your terminal, Web UI, or any messenger app using natural language commands.
Key benefits of this setup:
- Seamless integration across TUI, Web UIs, and Messenger apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, Slack, etc.
- Natural language commands for Gitlab operations
- Managed authentication through Composio
- Access to 20,000+ tools across 850+ apps for cross-app workflows
- Programmatic tool calling for complex tool chaining
Next steps:
- Try asking OpenClaw to perform various Gitlab operations
- Explore cross-app workflows by connecting more toolkits like Calendar, Slack, Notion, etc.
- Build complex automation scripts that leverage OpenClaw's 24/7 running capabilities
How to build Gitlab MCP Agent with another framework
Explore Other Toolkits
FAQ
What are the differences in Tool Router MCP and Gitlab MCP?
With a standalone Gitlab MCP server, the agents and LLMs can only access a fixed set of Gitlab tools tied to that server. However, with the Composio Tool Router, agents can dynamically load tools from Gitlab and many other apps based on the task at hand, all through a single MCP endpoint.
Can I use Tool Router MCP with OpenClaw?
Yes, you can. OpenClaw fully supports MCP integration. You get structured tool calling, message history handling, and model orchestration while Tool Router takes care of discovering and serving the right Gitlab tools.
Can I manage the permissions and scopes for Gitlab while using Tool Router?
Yes, absolutely. You can configure which Gitlab scopes and actions are allowed when connecting your account to Composio. You can also bring your own OAuth credentials or API configuration so you keep full control over what the agent can do.
How safe is my data with Composio Tool Router?
All sensitive data such as tokens, keys, and configuration is fully encrypted at rest and in transit. Composio is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant and follows strict security practices so your Gitlab data and credentials are handled as safely as possible.
