feat(server): add GitLab `glab` CLI support for merge request operations by binbandit · Pull Request #592 · pingdotgg/t3code

binbandit · 2026-03-09T01:39:05Z

Summary

Adds GitLab (glab CLI) support for the PR/MR creation flow, alongside the existing GitHub (gh) support. The hosting provider is detected automatically from the repository's origin remote URL — no user configuration required.

Closes #535
Closes #191

Architecture

The existing GitHubCli Effect service is kept as the GitHub-specific implementation (with Schema-validated JSON decoders, error normalization, etc.). This PR adds a provider-agnostic GitHostingCli service that acts as the interface consumed by GitManager, with a dispatcher layer that delegates to GitHubCli for GitHub repos and implements glab CLI calls inline for GitLab repos:

GitHostingCli (service contract — consumed by GitManager)
    │
    └── GitHostingCliDispatcher (runtime layer)
            │
            ├── detectHostingProvider(cwd)
            │     └── git remote get-url origin → parse hostname
            │           ├── github.com / *.github.com → "github"
            │           ├── gitlab.com / *.gitlab.com → "gitlab"
            │           └── unknown → "github" (backwards-compatible default)
            │
            ├── "github" → delegates to GitHubCli service (dependency)
            │     └── GitHubCliLive (Schema-validated gh JSON parsing)
            │
            └── "gitlab" → inline glab CLI calls
                  └── glab mr list / glab mr view / glab mr create / glab repo view

Layer wiring (serverLayers.ts):
  GitHostingCliLive ─── provides ──→ GitHubCliLive
  GitManagerLive    ─── depends on ─→ GitHostingCliLive

Detection logic

detectHostingProvider(cwd) runs git remote get-url origin, parses the URL hostname (supports both https:// and git@ formats), and matches against gitlab.com / *.gitlab.com. Results are cached per repository path so detection only runs once per cwd. Falls back to GitHub for unknown or missing remotes, preserving full backwards compatibility.

Key design decisions

GitHubCli is kept unchanged — all existing GitHub-specific Schema types (GitHubPullRequestSummary, GitHubRepositoryCloneUrls), JSON decoders, and the GitHubCli.test.ts unit tests from main's PR Add PR thread setup for local and worktree modes #718 are preserved as-is.
GitHostingCli is the superset interface — includes all 7 methods: execute, listOpenPullRequests, getPullRequest, getRepositoryCloneUrls, createPullRequest, getDefaultBranch, checkoutPullRequest.
GitHubCliError is a deprecated alias for GitHostingCliError (same _tag: "GitHostingCliError"), so existing error-handling code continues to work.

Changes

File	Change
`apps/server/src/git/Services/GitHostingCli.ts`	New — Provider-agnostic service contract (`GitHostingCliShape`, `PullRequestSummary`, `RepositoryCloneUrls`, `GitHostingCli` tag)
`apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitHostingCliDispatcher.ts`	New — Runtime dispatcher: detects provider, delegates to `GitHubCli` for GitHub, implements `glab` inline for GitLab
`apps/server/src/git/Errors.ts`	Add `GitHostingCliError` class; `GitHubCliError` kept as deprecated alias
`apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitManager.ts`	Consume `GitHostingCli` instead of `GitHubCli` (5 call sites)
`apps/server/src/git/Layers/CodexTextGeneration.ts`	PR prompt text made provider-agnostic
`apps/server/src/serverLayers.ts`	Wire `GitHostingCliLive` layer with `GitHubCliLive` as dependency
`apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitManager.test.ts`	Updated to use `GitHostingCliError` / `GitHostingCli` / `PullRequestSummary` types

GitLab CLI commands used

Operation	Command
List open MRs	`glab mr list --source-branch <branch> --per-page <n> --output json`
View MR	`glab mr view <id> --output json`
Create MR	`glab mr create --target-branch <base> --source-branch <head> --title <title> --description <body> --yes`
Checkout MR	`glab mr checkout <id>`
Repo clone URLs	`glab repo view <repo> --output json` → `http_url_to_repo`, `ssh_url_to_repo`
Default branch	`glab repo view --output json` → `default_branch`

Testing

bun lint — 0 errors
bun typecheck — 0 errors across all 7 packages
bun fmt:check — all files formatted
GitManager tests: all 29 pass (including main's new fork/worktree/PR thread tests)
GitHubCli tests: all 3 pass (Schema decoder tests from main, preserved unchanged)

Note

Add GitLab `glab` CLI support for merge request operations

Introduces a new GitHostingCli abstraction and GitHostingCliDispatcher that routes all PR/MR operations (listPullRequests, createPullRequest, checkoutPullRequest, etc.) to either gh or glab based on the repository's remote origin hostname.
Replaces all direct GitHubCli references in GitManager with the new GitHostingCli interface, making hosting-provider detection transparent to callers.
Adds hostingPlatform ('github'|'gitlab') and hostingCliAuthenticated (boolean|null) fields to GitStatusResult, surfaced from the dispatcher's cached auth checks.
Updates the web UI (GitActionsControl, Sidebar, pullRequestReference) to use platform-aware PR/MR labels, icons, and disabled states — including downgrading PR creation to push-only when the hosting CLI is unauthenticated.
Risk: all consumers of GitStatusResult must now handle the two new required fields; the GitHostingCliError tag replaces GitHubCliError (backward-compat aliases provided).

^{Macroscope summarized 5273959.}

Introduce a provider-agnostic git hosting abstraction that automatically detects whether a repository is hosted on GitHub or GitLab (by inspecting the origin remote URL) and dispatches PR/MR operations to the correct CLI. Architecture changes: - Add GitHostingCli service contract (generic interface replacing the GitHub-specific GitHubCli service) - Add GitHostingCliDispatcher layer that detects github.com vs gitlab.com from the origin remote URL and routes to gh or glab accordingly - Rename GitHubCliError to GitHostingCliError (deprecated alias preserved for backwards compatibility) - Update GitManager to consume the generic GitHostingCli service - Remove standalone GitHubCli/GitLabCli layer files (logic consolidated into the dispatcher) GitLab support includes: - glab mr list (with --source-branch, --output json) - glab mr create (with --target-branch, --source-branch, --description) - glab repo view --output json (for default branch detection) - Authentication and CLI-not-found error normalization Closes pingdotgg#535 Closes pingdotgg#191

coderabbitai · 2026-03-09T01:39:21Z

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apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitHostingCliDispatcher.ts

…s and handling git@ syntax

binbandit · 2026-03-09T01:57:45Z

@t3dotgg I know gitlab is not always the most supported platform, but this might help with user adoption. Happy to revise if you want to take another approach for this implementation

binbandit · 2026-03-10T00:07:15Z

@juliusmarminge I cannot add the needsjulius tag, but i think this is another one you should review before merge

juliusmarminge · 2026-03-10T00:13:30Z

looks mostly alright, with some exceptions:

a) will conflict a bunch with #718.
b) isn't a better architecture to have separate service layers for each, pseudo:

// Service
export class GitHostingService extends ServiceMap.Service<GitHostingService, Shape>(...)

// Layers/Github
export const makeGithubService = ...

// Layers/GitLab
export const makeGitlabService = ...

then whenever we run with the GitHostingService, we do some Effect.provideService(GitHostingService, detectAndMake()

binbandit · 2026-03-10T00:16:45Z

looks mostly alright, with some exceptions:

a) will conflict a bunch with #718. b) isn't a better architecture to have separate service layers for each, pseudo:
// Service
export class GitHostingService extends ServiceMap.Service<GitHostingService, Shape>(...)

// Layers/Github
export const makeGithubService = ...

// Layers/GitLab
export const makeGitlabService = ...
then whenever we run with the GitHostingService, we do some Effect.provideService(GitHostingService, detectAndMake()

Yes and no. I believe either direction would be viable realistically. It just comes down to preference.
If you would prefer to go that route we can.

In terms of conflicting with the other PR. We can either try and change this to work in a way that will cause less conflict, or we could merge this before that to allow for gitlab users earlier. Then i'll contribute to your branch to fix the conflicts.

Up to you with how you want to move forward.

juliusmarminge · 2026-03-10T00:26:00Z

consulted mr gpt:

A hybrid architecture is usually the cleanest.

Define provider-specific implementations, but keep a dispatcher service.

Structure:
GitHostingService (interface)

GithubGitHostingService
GitlabGitHostingService

GitHostingDispatcherService
    detectProvider()
    delegate → githubService | gitlabService
Example conceptually:
GitHostingService
    listPRs()
    createPR()

GithubGitHostingService
GitlabGitHostingService

GitHostingDispatcherService
    listPRs():
        provider = detect()
        return providerService(provider).listPRs()
Benefits:

• clean separation of providers
• easy to test
• easy to add Bitbucket later
• dispatcher remains thin
• consumers stay simple

One more improvement: cache provider detection per repo path so you don't run git each call.

Example:
Map<repoPath, provider>
Invalidate if needed.

Rule of thumb:

• Provider varies per repo/request → dispatcher
• Provider fixed per runtime → service injection

Since you're using cwd detection, your original dispatcher architecture is correct.

If you'd like, I can also show a very clean Effect-style version that keeps the dispatcher but still uses Layers elegantly.

juliusmarminge · 2026-03-10T00:27:08Z

as for order, i need to get mine in to be able to triage faster, and i have no ability to test the glab cli rn so I'm going to merge mine first

Noojuno · 2026-03-10T00:51:11Z

@binbandit Once this has been updated with the new changes I am happy to give this a quick test, we use GitLab for some of our stuff at work so I can try it there

binbandit · 2026-03-10T01:06:58Z

@binbandit Once this has been updated with the new changes I am happy to give this a quick test, we use GitLab for some of our stuff at work so I can try it there

@Noojuno Good to go. Let me know how it goes 😊

juliusmarminge · 2026-03-10T06:00:47Z

@binbandit checkout pr is merged so feel free to get this up to date and we can get it merged (preferalby after someone can vouch for the glab working)

Noojuno · 2026-03-10T06:17:27Z

@juliusmarminge @binbandit I'll give this a try to validate it when it's up to date (wasn't able to before)

binbandit · 2026-03-10T09:36:21Z

@juliusmarminge This now incorporates the architecture you requested.

@Noojuno It's good for you to test please ☺️

Noojuno · 2026-03-10T21:22:38Z

@binbandit Just had a chance to give it a go, but it doesn't seem to work for me.

I am using macOS with glab 1.89.0 (c6fca530)

Test 1 - Creating a new branch and MR

When creating a new branch (so Commit, Push, and PR workflow) it commits and pushes the change, but errors when creating the PR. This test was recorded when using a worktree, but it happens on a regular branch too.

screen-recording-2026-03-11-1006-compressed.mp4

It then gets put in a broken state where I can't trigger the PR creation again, even though it failed the first time.

Test 2 - Auto-detecting existing MR's when loading a branch

When choosing a branch with an active PR that uses GitHub, we get an auto-detected "View PR" button state change, even if the PR was created externally from T3 Code. This doesn't happen on GitLab.

GitHub:

GitLab:

Other feedback

This is the more nitpicky feedback since it didn't really work for me, so I wasn't able to review the full thing.

The mix in terminology between MR and PR is a little odd, imo in an ideal world we would refer to them as MR's rather than PR's when using GitLab.

Similarly (and I think this one is more of a big deal), using the GitHub icon for the PR related actions when using GitLab is very confusing, I think this probably needs to be the GitLab icon. I work at an org that uses both, and I think displaying the GH icon would confuse people.

Happy to test again (or give any info you may need to debug the issue), so lmk!

binbandit · 2026-03-10T21:24:22Z

@binbandit Just had a chance to give it a go, but it doesn't seem to work for me.

Oh no! I tried it myself and it seemed to work. Let me try a fresh device to ensure there is no quirks with my setup. Thanks for testing.

Your comments about the mix of MR and PR are valid. I'll see what I can do.
With the gitlab icon, ill have a hunt to see if I can source one to use.

Noojuno · 2026-03-10T21:26:40Z

@binbandit Just had a chance to give it a go, but it doesn't seem to work for me.

Oh no! I tried it myself and it seemed to work. Let me try a fresh device to ensure there is no quirks with my setup. Thanks for testing

I'm about to swap over to Windows for some other testing of a project, when I get a chance I will also give it a once over there to see if I am having the same issue

# Conflicts: # apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitManager.ts

… changes Merge main's cross-repository PR detection (headSelector, BranchHeadContext, resolveRemoteRepositoryContext) into the GitLab hosting abstraction layer. Restore all GitLab-specific changes (Icons, platform-aware UI labels, MR URL parsing) that were stashed during the merge.

binbandit · 2026-03-10T22:43:21Z

@Noojuno I have added the logo and the MR instead of PR. Plz check

Still sussing out the glab failure though

binbandit · 2026-03-10T22:47:18Z

@Noojuno Just confirmed on 2 different clean machines that it works. Don't want to be the guy that says "It works on my machine"... but i think it does

Noojuno · 2026-03-10T22:51:53Z

@Noojuno Just confirmed on 2 different clean machines that it works. Don't want to be the guy that says "It works on my machine"... but i think it does

Okay good to know, I'll give it a go on Windows and then start tracking down why it isn't working for me :)

…ests abstraction findLatestPr was calling gitHostingCli.execute() with gh-specific CLI args (pr list --head --state --json) which fail on glab since GitLab uses completely different syntax (mr list --source-branch --all --output json). Add listPullRequests method to GitHostingCliShape that accepts state filter and limit, with proper glab flag translation (--all, --closed, --merged). Add updatedAt to PullRequestSummary so the findLatestPr sort-by-recency logic works through the abstraction layer. Remove now-dead parsePullRequestList function from GitManager.

binbandit · 2026-03-10T23:12:48Z

Made some hardening changes that might also help

Noojuno · 2026-03-10T23:35:43Z

@binbandit Ahh I figured it out, it was (mostly) a me issue haha.

I was using a GitLab PAT via GITLAB_TOKEN env var (for some complicated reasons), but the glab CLI process was failing due to not being authed. Once I resolved that it is all working perfectly.

We should probably handle that error state (no auth) slightly nicer than we do here and properly surface it to the user.

On a similar note, the error toast has regressed slightly and now shows the full stack trace, could probs also use some polish.

Since you also changed the UI now with the MR wording and GitLab icon, it's probably also worth adding to the PR description.

binbandit · 2026-03-10T23:41:54Z

@juliusmarminge

Should we remove the GitHub & gitlab create PR / MR options entirely if they are not authed?

juliusmarminge · 2026-03-10T23:43:35Z

@juliusmarminge

Should we remove the GitHub & gitlab create PR / MR options entirely if they are not authed?

probalby wanna have disabled buttons with tooltips saying they're not authed, yeaa

Add proactive auth status check for gh/glab CLIs with 60s TTL cache, surfaced as hostingCliAuthenticated in GitStatusResult. When not authenticated, PR/MR creation is disabled with a tooltip guiding the user to run `gh auth login` or `glab auth login`. Fix error toasts showing full Cause.pretty() fiber metadata by extracting clean tagged error messages via Cause.findErrorOption().

binbandit · 2026-03-11T01:03:47Z

@Noojuno Would love a final check please.
@juliusmarminge I think we are gucci

juliusmarminge · 2026-03-11T01:02:01Z

apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitHostingCliDispatcher.ts

+const authStatusCache = new Map<HostingProvider, AuthCacheEntry>();
+
+/**
+ * Check whether the hosting CLI is authenticated by running
+ * `gh auth status` or `glab auth status`.
+ *
+ * Uses a per-provider in-memory cache with 60s TTL to avoid
+ * running the check on every status poll.
+ */
+function checkHostingAuthStatus(provider: HostingProvider): boolean | null {


use effect/Cache instead of ad-hoc implementations. do a repo search for usage examples if you need references

juliusmarminge · 2026-03-11T01:02:53Z

apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitCore.ts

    statusDetails(input.cwd).pipe(
      Effect.map((details) => ({
        branch: details.branch,
+        hostingPlatform: "github" as const,


not always correct?

juliusmarminge · 2026-03-11T01:03:55Z

apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitHostingCliDispatcher.ts

+          runProcess(
+            "glab",
+            [
+              "mr",
+              "list",
+              "--source-branch",
+              input.headSelector,
+              "--per-page",
+              String(input.limit ?? 1),
+              "--output",
+              "json",
+            ],
+            { cwd: input.cwd, timeoutMs: DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS },
+          ),


please put these in a GitlabCli service layer. dispatcher shoould just coordinate between the different hosting services

juliusmarminge · 2026-03-11T01:06:11Z

apps/server/src/git/Services/GitHubCli.ts

 /**
 * GitHubCliShape - Service API for executing GitHub CLI commands.
 */
 export interface GitHubCliShape {


add a static readonly name = 'gh' or similar and use that instead of condition ? 'gh' : 'glab' in multiple places

binbandit · 2026-03-11T03:40:28Z

The more and more i work on this. The less I am liking the solution as a whole. I think we have gone too far in the wrong direction.

I apologise for anyone waiting on this. Checkout the branch where it is and use as is for now.

I want to take a moment to really think about this

macroscopeapp bot reviewed Mar 9, 2026

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apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitHostingCliDispatcher.ts Show resolved Hide resolved

refactor(githosting): robustly detect hosting provider by parsing URL…

6a8d6c4

…s and handling git@ syntax

github-actions bot added the vouch:trusted PR author is trusted by repo permissions or the VOUCHED list. label Mar 9, 2026

Merge origin/main into feat/gitlab-glab-support

504481d

binbandit force-pushed the feat/gitlab-glab-support branch from f6e24d1 to 504481d Compare March 10, 2026 09:34

binbandit added 3 commits March 11, 2026 08:31

Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into feat/gitlab-glab-support

64c7298

Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into feat/gitlab-glab-support

4a09aa7

# Conflicts: # apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitManager.ts

Tighten GitLab icon viewBox to better match GitHub icon visual weight

fdd7852

binbandit added 2 commits March 11, 2026 11:58

Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into feat/gitlab-glab-support

5273959

juliusmarminge reviewed Mar 11, 2026

View reviewed changes

binbandit marked this pull request as draft March 11, 2026 10:43

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Summary

Architecture

Detection logic

Key design decisions

Changes

GitLab CLI commands used

Testing

Add GitLab glab CLI support for merge request operations

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Test 1 - Creating a new branch and MR

Test 2 - Auto-detecting existing MR's when loading a branch

Other feedback

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Add GitLab `glab` CLI support for merge request operations

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