# GitLab Servers > Source: https://parallelworks.com/docs/organization-admin/settings/gitlab-servers # GitLab Servers Register the GitLab servers your organization uses so that members can connect their GitLab accounts and run workflows from projects hosted on them. This includes self-managed GitLab instances on private networks as well as GitLab.com. ## How the GitLab Integration Works A GitLab server is registered once per organization. Each member then connects their own GitLab account to that server under **Account** > **Connections**, and ACTIVATE reads repositories as that member. A member only ever sees the projects their GitLab account can see; registering a server grants no access by itself. Members can connect in one of two ways, depending on how the server is registered: - **OAuth**: you register an OAuth application on the GitLab server and enter its **Application ID** and **Application secret**. Members click **Connect** and authorize ACTIVATE in GitLab. - **Personal access tokens**: you allow tokens and members paste a personal access token with the `read_api` scope. At least one method is required. A server can offer both. Once a member is connected, they can: - [add remote workflows](/docs/run/workflows/adding-workflows#creating-remote-workflows) whose YAML lives in a GitLab project - reference GitLab projects from the `uses` field of a workflow step (see [`jobs..steps[*].uses`](/docs/run/workflows/building-workflows/yaml-fields#jobsjobstepsuses)) - run a project's `workflow.yaml` directly with `pw workflows run https://gitlab.example.com/group/project@main` - check out private projects on a cluster with the [`checkout`](/docs/run/workflows/building-workflows/actions#checkout) action ## Registering a GitLab Server ### Create an OAuth Application in GitLab Skip this section if members will only connect with personal access tokens. On the GitLab server, create an OAuth application (under your user or group **Settings** > **Applications**, or in the **Admin Area** for an instance-wide application) with: - **Redirect URI**: `https:///api/integrations/gitlab/oauth/callback`. The exact value is shown in the registration dialog below. - **Scopes**: `read_api`. - **Confidential**: enabled. GitLab shows the **Application ID** and **Secret** after saving. You need both in the next step. ### Add the Server in ACTIVATE From the **Organizations** list, select your organization. In the sidebar, under **Settings**, click **GitLab Servers**. ![Screenshot of the user clicking GitLab Servers in the organization sidebar.](/content-images/docs/organization-admin/settings/gitlab-servers/click-gitlab-servers.png?v=be11573a) Click **+ Add**. ![Screenshot of the user clicking the Add button on the GitLab Servers page.](/content-images/docs/organization-admin/settings/gitlab-servers/click-add-server.png?v=02c17207) In the dialog box, enter the following: - **Name**: a short name for the server, using lowercase letters, digits, and hyphens. Members see this name on their Connections page. - **Server URL**: the `https` origin of the GitLab instance, for example `https://gitlab.example.com`. - **Application ID** and **Application secret**: from the OAuth application you created in GitLab. Leave both blank to only allow personal access tokens. - **Allow personal access tokens**: lets members connect by pasting a personal access token. The token is verified against the server, stored in the platform vault, and forgotten when the member disconnects. The dialog box shows the redirect URI to configure on the GitLab OAuth application. Click **Create**. ![Screenshot of the user filling in the GitLab server dialog and clicking Create.](/content-images/docs/organization-admin/settings/gitlab-servers/click-create-server.png?v=f916c768) A dialog box with the message _GitLab server registered_ will appear, and the server will be listed with the methods members can connect with under **Connect via**. ![Screenshot of the GitLab Servers page listing two registered servers.](/content-images/docs/organization-admin/settings/gitlab-servers/gitlab-servers-list.png?v=b80f1432) ### Connection Options The pills at the bottom of the dialog box control how ACTIVATE reaches the server: - **Certificate verification**: how the server's TLS certificate is checked. - **Publicly trusted certificate** (default): the certificate must chain to a public root. - **Custom CA certificate**: for servers with certificates issued by a private PKI. Paste the CA certificate in PEM format, or click **Discover from server** to fetch the CA from the chain the server presents. If the server doesn't include its root in the chain, paste the root certificate manually. - **Skip verification (insecure)**: traffic is encrypted but the certificate is not checked. Use only when no CA you can supply will chain to the server. - **Minimum TLS**: the lowest TLS version the platform negotiates with the server (1.2 by default). - **Allow private network address**: lets the platform reach a GitLab server on a private network address. This option is only shown to, and can only be set by, platform administrators. ![Screenshot of the user selecting Custom CA certificate and clicking Discover from server.](/content-images/docs/organization-admin/settings/gitlab-servers/click-discover-ca-certificate.png?v=d1d4e093) ## Editing a GitLab Server On the **GitLab Servers** page, hover over the server and click the edit icon, or right-click the row and select **Edit**. ![Screenshot of the user clicking the edit icon on a GitLab server row.](/content-images/docs/organization-admin/settings/gitlab-servers/click-edit-server.png?v=d801901c) The application secret is never shown again. Leave the **Application secret** field blank to keep the stored secret, or enter a new one to replace it. Switching **Certificate verification** away from **Custom CA certificate** discards the stored CA certificate. Click **Save**. ## Removing a GitLab Server Hover over the server, click the **⋯** menu, and select **Delete**. ![Screenshot of the user selecting Delete from a GitLab server's actions menu.](/content-images/docs/organization-admin/settings/gitlab-servers/click-delete-server.png?v=8196cae3) :::warning Irreversible Action Removing a server removes every member's connection to it, and workflows can no longer read repositories on it. ::: Click **Remove server**. ![Screenshot of the Remove this GitLab server confirmation dialog.](/content-images/docs/organization-admin/settings/gitlab-servers/click-remove-server.png?v=460ccecc) A dialog box with the message _GitLab server removed_ will appear.