Gk Cli

What gitkraken/gk-cli MCP server does

The gitkraken/gk-cli MCP server connects an MCP-compatible AI application to GitKraken CLI functionality. Its MCP layer covers Git operations and actions for issue and Git hosting providers, including GitHub and Jira; the project description also identifies GitLab and other providers as supported through the broader API surface.

The underlying CLI organizes development work around Work Items. A Work Item can represent a feature or issue and can include multiple local repositories, giving an agent or developer one workflow across repositories without requiring a monorepo. The CLI also supports AI-assisted commit messages and pull request generation.

How it works

The MCP server runs locally through the installed gk executable and is started with gk mcp. An AI client invokes the exposed actions rather than calling the provider APIs directly. Authentication is handled through GitKraken CLI commands: gk auth login authenticates with the GitKraken platform, while provider credentials can be added or removed with the gk provider command.

A typical workflow begins in a local repository. The user creates a Work Item, edits files, generates an AI-assisted commit, pushes changes, and creates a pull request. Additional repositories can be attached to the same Work Item with gk work add, allowing related work to span multiple repositories.

Setup and configuration

Install the GitKraken CLI before configuring an MCP client. macOS users can install it with Homebrew or download a release binary. Unix users can use a release binary, a Debian or RPM package, or the Snap Store. Windows users can install it with Winget. The repository also provides release downloads for manual installation.

After installation, authenticate with gk auth login and configure provider tokens as needed. The project directs users to GitKraken's Help Center for application-specific MCP setup instructions. The MCP server is local, so the selected AI client must be configured to launch the local gk mcp process.

Nerd Fonts are optional but supported by the CLI for displaying icons in some commands. On macOS, manually installed binaries may require approval in Security & Privacy settings. Safari and Brave can also cause the browser-based login flow to stop responding to the local callback; the documented workaround is to use another browser or open the redirect URL there.

Tools and capabilities

The gitkraken/gk-cli MCP server provides access to capabilities associated with:

• Git operations and Git command passthrough
• GitHub and GitLab workflows
• Jira issue actions
• GitKraken APIs and functionality
• Work Items spanning multiple repositories
• AI-generated commit messages
• AI-generated pull requests

The underlying CLI includes commands for authentication, provider management, issues, organizations, work, workspaces, commit graphs, setup, and version information. It can also pass arbitrary Git commands through the gk executable, such as status and remote inspection.

Limitations and notes

The provided material does not list every MCP action, its input schema, or the complete set of supported providers. Client-specific configuration is documented externally in the GitKraken Help Center rather than in the repository excerpt. Authentication is required for GitKraken platform access and provider integrations, but the excerpt does not specify environment-variable names or a universal token format.

The MCP server is described as local; no hosted MCP endpoint is provided. The CLI supports macOS, Windows, and Unix systems, but the exact MCP configuration syntax may differ between AI applications.