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To connect GitLab features in VS Code, use the GitLab for VS Code extension and its built-in authentication command. The current procedure is not to paste a token into a gitlab.token setting.
You need a GitLab personal access token (PAT) with the api scope. The extension stores that credential separately from Git’s credentials, so authenticating the extension does not automatically authenticate HTTPS git push or git pull.
1. Install GitLab for VS Code
In standard Visual Studio Code:
- Open the Extensions view.
- Search for GitLab for VS Code.
- Install the extension published for GitLab.
The extension is still identified as GitLab.gitlab-workflow in Dev Container configurations. If you use an unofficial VS Code build, install it from the Open VSX Registry instead of the Visual Studio Marketplace.
2. Create a GitLab personal access token
Create the token before starting the VS Code sign-in flow:
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- Sign in to GitLab.
- Select your avatar, then choose Edit profile.
- Open Access > Personal access tokens.
- Under Generate token, select Legacy token.
- Enter a token name, such as
VS Code workstation. - Optionally enter a description.
- Set an expiration date.
- Select the
apiscope. - Select Generate token.
GitLab displays the token only immediately after it is generated. Copy it to a password manager or another secure location before leaving or refreshing the page. GitLab cannot show that same token again later.
Expiration rules
New personal access tokens require an expiration date. If you leave the date blank, GitLab applies an expiration date 365 days from the current date. Tokens expire at midnight UTC on the expiration date, which can be earlier or later than expected in your local time zone.
GitLab administrators can impose shorter maximum lifetimes. GitLab 17.6 added support for a configurable maximum lifetime that can be extended to 400 days, and GitLab 17.7 added personal-access-token descriptions.
3. Add the token to VS Code
- Open VS Code.
- Go to View > Command Palette.
- Run
GitLab: Authenticate. - Choose your GitLab instance. Select GitLab.com for the hosted service.
- For GitLab Self-Managed or GitLab Dedicated, enter the complete instance URL, including
https://orhttp://. For example:https://gitlab.example.com. - Select PAT as the authentication method.
- When prompted, choose to enter an existing token and paste the PAT you created.
The current extension flow may also offer to create a token. If you already generated one, use the existing-token option. You do not need to create a setting named GitLab Token, and the documented extension requirement is api; read_user is not listed as required for this flow.
4. Check the repository connection
After authentication, the extension uses the repository’s Git remote to associate your GitLab account with a project. Check the remote from the VS Code terminal:
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git remote -vA typical result looks like this:
origin https://gitlab.example.com/team/app.git (fetch)
origin https://gitlab.example.com/team/app.git (push)If the repository has no remote, add one through the Source Control view:
- Open Source Control.
- Right-click the Source Control label.
- Select Repositories.
- Select the repository’s ellipsis menu.
- Choose Remote > Add Remote > Add remote from GitLab.
- Select the appropriate remote.
Multiple accounts or projects
If you have authenticated more than one GitLab account, VS Code may show Multiple GitLab Accounts in the status bar. Run GitLab: Select Account for this Workspace from the Command Palette and choose the account for the current workspace.
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5. Authenticate Git push and pull separately
Adding a PAT to the extension authenticates GitLab’s VS Code features, such as issues and merge requests. It does not configure Git’s credentials for an HTTPS remote.
When Git prompts for HTTPS credentials, enter any non-empty value as the username and the PAT as the password. GitLab does not validate the username value. For example, this avoids putting the token directly into the repository URL:
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git clone https://<username>@gitlab.example.com/group/project.gitWhen prompted:
Username: your-username
Password: your-personal-access-tokenYou can also use oauth2 as the username:
git clone https://oauth2:<your_access_token>@gitlab.example.com/group/project.gitHowever, avoid this form when possible. A token in a URL can be saved in .git/config in plaintext and may appear in shell history, proxy logs, or application-server logs. A credential manager or SSH key is safer for repeated Git operations.
6. Use environment variables when VS Code storage is deleted
In disposable environments such as Gitpod or frequently recreated containers, VS Code may lose its stored authentication. Set these variables before starting VS Code:
GITLAB_WORKFLOW_INSTANCE_URL=https://gitlab.com
GITLAB_WORKFLOW_TOKEN=<your_personal_access_token>For a Self-Managed instance, replace the first value with that instance’s full URL:
GITLAB_WORKFLOW_INSTANCE_URL=https://gitlab.example.com
GITLAB_WORKFLOW_TOKEN=<your_personal_access_token>If both an extension token and an environment-variable token are configured for the same instance, the token configured in the extension takes precedence.
GitLab.com, Self-Managed, and Dedicated differences
| GitLab installation | Instance value | PAT support |
|---|---|---|
| GitLab.com | Select GitLab.com | Yes; use a PAT with api |
| GitLab Self-Managed | Enter the full URL, such as https://gitlab.example.com |
Yes; use a PAT with api |
| GitLab Dedicated | Enter the full Dedicated instance URL | Yes; use a PAT with api |
OAuth is also available for Self-Managed and Dedicated instances beginning with GitLab for VS Code 6.47.0, released during GitLab 18.3. OAuth requires an OAuth application ID; PAT authentication does not.
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Configure OAuth for a Self-Managed or Dedicated instance
- Open View > Command Palette.
- Run
Preferences: Open User Settings. - Open Settings > Extensions > GitLab > Authentication.
- Under OAuth Client IDs, select Add Item.
- Use the GitLab instance URL as the Key.
- Use the OAuth application ID as the Value.
Token scope: which one should you use?
| Scope | What it permits | Suitable for the VS Code extension? |
|---|---|---|
api |
Complete read/write API access within the token owner’s permitted reach | Yes; this is the scope required by GitLab for PAT authentication |
read_repository |
Pull and read access through Git over HTTP | No; it does not provide the API access the extension needs |
write_repository |
Pull and push access through Git over HTTP | No; it does not support API authentication |
A personal access token can reach resources available to your user. A group access token is limited to its group and projects, while a project access token is limited to its project. Use the narrowest token type that meets the actual requirement, but the PAT used by this extension must have the required api permission.
Troubleshooting
The PAT is rejected
- Confirm that the token has the
apiscope. - Check that you selected the correct GitLab instance during
GitLab: Authenticate. - For Self-Managed or Dedicated GitLab, include the URL scheme, for example
https://gitlab.example.com. - Check the expiration date. A token expires at midnight UTC on its expiration date.
- Generate a new token if you no longer have the original value; GitLab does not display it again.
The personal-access-token page returns 404
An administrator can disable access tokens on GitLab Self-Managed or GitLab Dedicated. When they are disabled, PAT-authenticated API requests are rejected, users cannot authenticate with PATs, and the personal-access-token page returns 404 Not Found. Contact the GitLab administrator rather than repeatedly generating credentials.
GitLab features work, but push fails
This normally means the extension authentication succeeded but Git’s HTTPS credentials did not. Re-authenticate Git when it prompts, using a non-empty username and the PAT as the password, or configure a Git credential manager. Also check the remote with git remote -v; it may point to a different GitLab host or project.
The project is not detected
Inspect the repository remote, add a GitLab remote if none exists, and resolve any account or project selection message in the GitLab Activity Bar. The extension cannot reliably choose when several accounts or GitLab remotes apply.
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FAQ
Where do I paste a GitLab token in VS Code?
Open View > Command Palette, run GitLab: Authenticate, choose the GitLab instance, select PAT, and enter the token when prompted. Do not paste it into an old gitlab.token setting.
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What scope does GitLab for VS Code require?
The current GitLab documentation requires the api scope for PAT authentication. A token with only read_repository or write_repository is not sufficient for the extension’s API authentication.
Does the VS Code token also authenticate git push?
No. The extension’s GitLab API authentication and Git’s remote authentication are separate. For an HTTPS remote, use the PAT as the password when Git prompts, or use a credential manager or SSH.
How long does a GitLab personal access token last?
New tokens require an expiration date. If you omit the date, GitLab uses 365 days from the current date. The token expires at midnight UTC on its expiration date, subject to administrator lifetime limits.
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Yes. Run GitLab: Authenticate, enter the complete Self-Managed URL including https:// or http://, select PAT, and provide a token with the api scope.
The Bottom Line
Install GitLab for VS Code, create a GitLab personal access token with the api scope, then run View > Command Palette > GitLab: Authenticate and select PAT. Verify the repository’s Git remote separately, because the extension token does not automatically grant Git HTTPS push and pull access.
