Managing software development often means juggling multiple tools: tracking issues in Jira, writing code in your IDE, and collaborating through GitLab. Context switching between these platforms disrupts focus and slows down delivery.With GitLab Duo Agent Platform's MCP support, you can now connect Jira or any tool that supports MCP directly to your AI-powered development environment. Query issues, update tickets, and sync your workflow — all through natural language, without ever leaving your IDE.What you'll learnIn this tutorial, we'll walk you through:Setting up the Jira/Atlassian OAuth application for secure authenticationConfiguring GitLab Duo Agent Platform as an MCP clientThree practical use cases demonstrating real-world workflowsPrerequisitesBefore getting started, ensure you have the following:RequirementDetailsGitLab instanceGitLab 18.8+ with Duo Agent Platform enabledJira accountJira Cloud instance with admin access to create OAuth applicationsIDEVisual Studio Code with GitLab Workflow extension installedMCP supportMCP support enabled in GitLabUnderstanding the architectureGitLab Duo Agent Platform acts as an MCP client, connecting to the Atlassian MCP server to access your Jira project management data. Atlassian MCP server handles authentication, translates natural language requests into API calls, and returns structured data back to GitLab Duo Agent Platform — all while maintaining security and audit controls.Part 1: Configure Jira OAuth applicationTo securely connect GitLab Duo Agent Platform to your Jira instance, you'll need to create an OAuth 2.0 application in the Atlassian Developer Console. This grants to GitLab the MCP server authorized access to your Jira data.Setup stepsIf you prefer to configure manually, follow these steps:Navigate to the Atlassian Developer ConsoleGo to developer.atlassian.com/console/myappsSign in with your Atlassian accountCreate a new OAuth 2.0 appClick Create → OAuth 2.0 integrationEnter a name (e.g., "gitlab-dap-mcp")Accept the terms and click CreateConfigure permissionsNavigate to Permissions in the left sidebar.Add Jira API and configure the following scopes:read:jira-work — Read issues, projects, and boardswrite:jira-work — Create and update issuesread:jira-user — Read user informationSet up authorizationGo to Authorization in the left sidebarAdd a callback URL for your environment (https://gitlab.com/oauth/callback)Save your changesRetrieve credentialsNavigate to SettingsCopy your Client ID and Client SecretStore these securely — you'll need them for the MCP configurationInteractive walkthrough: Jira OAuth setupClick on the image below to get started.Part 2: Configure GitLab Duo Agent Platform MCP clientWith your OAuth credentials ready, you can now configure GitLab Duo Agent Platform to connect to the Atlassian MCP server.Create your MCP configuration fileCreate the MCP configuration file in your GitLab project at .gitlab/duo/mcp.json:{ "mcpServers": { "atlassian": { "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.atlassian.com/v1/mcp", "auth": { "type": "oauth2", "clientId": "YOUR_CLIENT_ID", "clientSecret": "YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET", "authorizationUrl": "https://auth.atlassian.com/oauth/authorize", "tokenUrl": "https://auth.atlassian.com/oauth/token" }, "approvedTools": true } }}Replace YOUR_CLIENT_ID and YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET with the credentials you generated in Part 1.Enable MCP in GitLabNavigate to your Group Settings → GitLab Duo → ConfigurationMake sure “Allow external MCP tools” is checkedVerify the connectionOpen your project in VS Code and ask in GitLab Duo Agent Platform chat:What MCP tools do you have access to?ThenTest the MCP JIRA configuration in this projectAt this point you'll be redirected from the IDE to the MCP Atlassian website to approve access:Verify with the MCP DashboardGitLab also provides a built-in MCP Dashboard directly in your IDE for this.In VS Code or VSCodium, open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P on macOS, Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux) and search for "GitLab: Show MCP Dashboard". The dashboard opens in a new editor tab and gives you:Connection status for each configured MCP serverAvailable tools exposed by the server (e.g., jira_get_issue, jira_create_issue)Server logs so you can see exactly which tools are being called in real timeInteractive walkthrough: Testing MCPPart 3: Use cases in actionNow that your integration is configured, let's explore three practical workflows that demonstrate the power of connecting Jira to GitLab Duo Agent Platform.Planning assistantScenario: You're preparing for sprint planning and need to quickly assess the backlog, understand priorities, and identify blockers.This demo shows you how to:Query the backlogIdentify unassigned high-priority issuesGet AI-powered sprint recommendationsExample promptsTry these prompts in GitLab Duo Agent Platform Chat:List all the unassigned issues in JIRA for project GITLABSuggest the two top issues to prioritize and summarize them. Assign them to me.Interactive walkthrough: Project planningIssue triage and creation from codeScenario: While reviewing code, you discover a bug and want to create a Jira issue with relevant context — without leaving your IDE.This demo walks you through:Identifying a bug while codingCreating a detailed Jira issue via natural languageAuto-populating issue fields with code contextLinking the issue to your current branchExample promptsSearch in JIRA for a bug related to: Null pointer exception in PaymentService.processRefund().If it does not exist create it with all the context needed from the code. Find possible blockers that this bug may cause.Create a new branch called issue-gitlab-18, checkout, and link it to the issue we just created. Assign the JIRA issue to me and mark it as in-progress.Interactive walkthrough: Bug review and task automationCross-system incident investigationScenario: A production incident occurs, and you need to correlate information from Jira (incident ticket), GitLab Project Management, your codebase, and merge requests to identify the root cause.This demo demonstrates:Fetching incident details from JiraCorrelating with recent merge requests in GitLabIdentifying potentially related code changesGenerating an incident timelineDesign a remediation plan and create it as a work item in GitLabExample prompts"We have a production incident INC-1 about checkout failures. Can you help me investigate with all available context?"Create a timeline of events for incident INC-1 including related Jira issues and recent deploymentsPropose a remediation planInteractive walkthrough: Cross-system troubleshooting and remediationTroubleshootingThese are some common setup issues and quick fixes:IssueSolution"MCP server not found"Verify the mcp.json file is in the correct location and properly formatted"Authentication failed"Re-check your OAuth credentials and ensure scopes are correctly configured in Atlassian"No Jira tools available"Restart VS Code after updating mcp.json and ensure MCP is enabled in GitLab"Connection timeout"Check your network connectivity to mcp.atlassian.com For detailed troubleshooting, see the GitLab MCP clients documentation.Security considerationsWhen integrating Jira with GitLab Duo Agent Platform:OAuth tokens — Make sure credentials remain securePrinciple of least privilege — Only grant the minimum required Jira scopesToken rotation — Regularly rotate your OAuth credentials as part of security hygieneSummaryConnecting GitLab Duo Agent Platform to different tools through MCP transforms how you interact with your development lifecycle. In this article, you have learned how to:Query issues naturally — Ask questions about your backlog, sprints, and incidents in natural language.Create and update issues on all your DevSecOps environment — File bugs and update tickets without leaving your IDE.Correlate across systems — Combine Jira data with GitLab project management, merge requests, and pipelines for complete visibility.Reduce context switching — Keep your focus on code while staying connected to project management.This integration exemplifies the power of MCP: standardized, secure access to your tools through AI, enabling developers to work more efficiently without sacrificing governance or security.Read moreGitLab Duo Agent Platform adds support for Model Context ProtocolWhat is Model Context Protocol?Agentic AI guides and resourcesGitLab MCP clients documentationGet started with GitLab Duo Agent Platform: The complete guidehtml .default .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}html .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}