GitKraken Desktop Documentation

GitLab Self-Managed Integration with GitKraken Desktop

Last updated: June 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. Choose Gitlab Self-Managed. 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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