How to install gitlab CLI

glab is an open-source CLI tool that allows you to interact with GitLab directly from your terminal.

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Why Use glab?

Using glab, you can:

• List, view, and create Merge Requests
• Manage Issues
• Clone repositories
• Automate GitLab workflows
• Merge, rebase, and approve MRs directly from the terminal

This is especially useful for developers and DevOps engineers who frequently work with GitLab.

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Installation Methods for Ubuntu/Debian

There are several ways to install glab on Debian-based systems. Below are the most reliable methods:

1. Install via WakeMeOps Repository (Recommended)

This is one of the easiest ways to install glab using a package manager.

# Add the WakeMeOps repository
curl -sSL "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/upciti/wakemeops/main/assets/install_repository" | sudo bash

# Install glab
sudo apt install glab

After installation, verify the version:

glab --version

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2. Install via Prebuilt-MPR Repository

If you prefer using a prebuilt .deb package instead of compiling from source, follow these steps:

# Add the Prebuilt-MPR repository
wget -qO - 'https://proget.makedeb.org/debian-feeds/prebuilt-mpr.pub' | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/prebuilt-mpr-archive-keyring.gpg 1> /dev/null

echo "deb [arch=all,$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/prebuilt-mpr-archive-keyring.gpg] https://proget.makedeb.org prebuilt-mpr $(lsb_release -cs)" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/prebuilt-mpr.list

# Update package lists
sudo apt update

# Install glab
sudo apt install glab

After installation, check the version:

glab --version

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3. Install from Source via Makedeb (Advanced Users)

If you want to compile glab from source, use makedeb:

git clone 'https://mpr.makedeb.org/glab'
cd glab/
makedeb -si

This method ensures you have the latest version but requires additional dependencies.

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How to Use glab

Once installed, you can authenticate and start using glab.

Login to GitLab

glab auth login

• Select gitlab.com (or your self-hosted GitLab instance).
• Enter your Personal Access Token (which can be generated from GitLab under Settings → Access Tokens).

List Open Merge Requests

glab mr list

View a Specific Merge Request

glab mr view <MR-ID>

Example:

glab mr view 42

Merge a Merge Request

glab mr merge <MR-ID>

List Issues

glab issue list

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Reference

https://docs.gitlab.com/editor_extensions/gitlab_cli/#install-the-cli
https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/cli/#installation
https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/cli/-/blob/main/docs/installation_options.md#linux
https://docs.makedeb.org/prebuilt-mpr/getting-started/#setting-up-the-repository