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Connect GitLab to Tembo to open merge requests to improve your codebase.

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Features

  • Scan for TODO comments in your codebase
  • Scan for security issues
  • Scan for performance issues
  • Scan for technical debt
  • Scan for refactoring opportunities
  • Automatically fix failed CI/CD pipelines
  • Respond to MR comments and review feedback

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Installation

1

Install

Navigate to the Integrations page in Tembo and click the Install button next to GitLab.
2

Authorize

Authorize Tembo to access your GitLab account. You can select specific repositories or all repositories. You’ll be redirected back to the Integrations page when complete.
3

Activate Repositories

After syncing completes (may take a few minutes), select which repositories you want Tembo to scan under “Active Repositories” on the Integrations page.Only repositories you activate here will be scanned for issues and receive improvement merge requests.Tip: If repositories don’t appear after a few minutes, use the sync button on the Integrations page to manually trigger a refresh.

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Managing Your Integration

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Manual Sync

If you’ve added new repositories to your GitLab account or modified repository permissions, you can manually sync to refresh the list:
  1. Navigate to the Integrations page
  2. Find the GitLab integration card
  3. Click the sync button (circular arrow icon)
  4. Wait for the sync to complete - the button will show a loading indicator while syncing
The sync process will discover any new repositories you’ve granted access to and update existing repository metadata.

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Supported Webhooks

Tembo listens to the following GitLab events and maps them to automation triggers (reference them as gitlab.<event> in your triggerName, e.g., gitlab.merge_request.opened). Tembo subscribes only to the events listed here (not every GitLab webhook). The Integrations page in the app shows the live set enabled for your org. If you need an additional event, contact support@tembo.io.
  • merge_request.opened
  • merge_request.updated
  • merge_request.closed
  • merge_request.merged
  • note.created (for comments on merge requests)
See Automations for how to create triggers that start automations from these events.

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Usage

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Automated Scanning

Once activated, Tembo automatically scans for TODO comments, security issues, performance problems, technical debt, and code quality issues.

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Merge Requests

When Tembo finds an addressable issue, it creates a merge request with the proposed fix, detailed description, and assigns it for team review.

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Working with Merge Requests

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Reviewing Merge Requests

Review Tembo’s MRs just like any other team member’s work:
  • Examine the changes and verify they align with your requirements
  • Leave comments directly on the code if you need changes
  • Use the Feedback Loop feature to have Tembo address your review comments automatically

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Commenting on MRs

When reviewing Tembo’s merge requests, you can request changes or improvements by tagging @tembo in your comments. This ensures Tembo responds to your specific feedback while ignoring internal team discussions or comments directed at other team members. Example: 
@tembo Please update this function to include error handling
Without the @tembo tag, Tembo will not respond to the comment, allowing for cleaner team communication.

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Failed Pipeline Detection

Tembo automatically monitors your GitLab CI/CD pipelines and detects when they fail. When a pipeline fails due to broken tests, linting errors, or other issues, Tembo will analyze the failure, identify the root cause, and create an MR with a fix. This helps maintain a healthy CI/CD pipeline without manual intervention.

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Troubleshooting

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Repositories Not Appearing After Installation

If repositories don’t appear in the “Active Repositories” list after installation:
  1. Wait a few minutes - Initial sync can take 2-5 minutes depending on the number of repositories
  2. Check repository permissions - Ensure you granted Tembo access to the repositories during installation
  3. Manual sync - Click the sync button on the GitLab integration card to refresh the repository list
  4. Verify group access - If repositories belong to a GitLab group, ensure you have permission to install GitLab Apps for that group

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Tembo Not Responding to @tembo Mentions

If Tembo doesn’t respond when you mention @tembo in merge request comments:
  1. Check the mention format - Ensure you’re using @tembo (not variations like @Tembo or @TEMBO)
  2. Verify repository activation - Confirm the repository is activated in the Integrations page
  3. Check webhook status - The Integrations page shows the live set of enabled webhooks; ensure note.created is enabled
  4. Review permissions - Verify Tembo has the necessary permissions to read merge requests and comments

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Merge Requests Not Being Created

If Tembo isn’t creating MRs for detected issues:
  1. Verify repository activation - Only activated repositories receive automated scanning
  2. Check branch protection - Ensure Tembo has permission to create branches and open merge requests
  3. Review scanning settings - Confirm automated scanning is enabled for your organization
  4. Check for existing MRs - Tembo may not create duplicate MRs for issues already addressed

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Best Practices

  • Configure repository settings to match your team’s preferences
  • Use Rule Files to help Tembo understand your coding standards
  • Set up Hooks to customize Tembo’s behavior for your workflow