GitKraken Desktop Documentation

GitKraken Desktop GitLab Self-Managed Integration

Last updated: May 2025

GitKraken allows you to connect to GitLab Self-Managed (CE or EE), enabling repository discovery, pull request creation, and SSH key management within your self-hosted GitLab environment.

Note: All self-hosted server integrations, including GitLab Self-Managed, require an Advanced subscription tier or higher.

Benefits

  • Create new repositories with optional .gitignore and license files.
  • Automatically generate an SSH key and upload it to GitLab Self-Managed.
  • Save authentication credentials using profiles.
  • Clone from your GitLab Self-Managed repository list.
  • Add and manage remotes for GitLab Self-Managed.
  • Create and view pull requests.
  • Manage GitLab Self-Managed Issues.

GitLab Self-Managed Authentication

Note: GitKraken supports any version of GitLab Self-Managed released within the past year.

To authenticate:

  1. Navigate to Preferences > Integrations in the upper-right corner.
Open Preferences to access Integrations
  1. Or from the New Tab view, click See all the integrations.
Open available integrations from the New Tab
  1. Enter your GitLab Self-Managed host domain. Click and follow the link.
Connect to GitLab Self-Managed
  1. In your browser, log in and generate a token. Required scopes: api and read_user. Leave expiration blank.
Create a personal access token for GitLab
  1. Copy and paste the token into GitKraken, then click .
Token successfully connected in GitKraken

Generating an SSH Key for GitLab Self-Managed

Note: GitKraken uses the SSH key from Preferences > SSH unless overridden with a GitLab-specific key or a system SSH Agent.

  1. Open Preferences > Integrations.
  2. Click .
Generate and upload SSH key to GitLab Self-Managed

You can also:

  • Use for an existing SSH Default.
  • Use Add existing SSH key to upload a saved key manually.

Connecting to Multiple GitLab Self-Managed Accounts

GitKraken supports one GitLab Self-Managed account per profile. Use multiple profiles with GitKraken Pro to manage separate accounts.

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