7 GitKraken Tips to Boost Your Git Workflow

How to Integrate GitKraken with GitHub and GitLab

1) Install GitKraken

• Download and install GitKraken for your OS from gitkraken.com.
• Sign in or create a GitKraken account.

2) Connect GitKraken to GitHub

1. In GitKraken, open the left sidebar and click the profile icon → Preferences → Integrations (or use the Integrations tab).
2. Find GitHub and click Connect to GitHub.
3. Choose GitHub.com or GitHub Enterprise as applicable.
4. Authorize GitKraken in the GitHub OAuth page (sign in to GitHub if needed). Grant repo and account access when prompted.
5. After authorization, GitKraken will list your GitHub repos and organizations. You can clone, open, or create repos directly from the Clone/Create dialog.

3) Connect GitKraken to GitLab

1. In GitKraken, go to profile → Preferences → Integrations.
2. Find GitLab and click Connect to GitLab.
3. Choose GitLab.com or enter your self-hosted GitLab URL for GitLab CE/EE.
4. For GitLab.com use OAuth to authorize; for self-hosted GitLab you may need to provide a Personal Access Token (PAT). If prompted, generate a PAT in GitLab with scopes: api, read_user, read_repository (and write_repository if you need push).
5. Enter the token in GitKraken and complete connection.
6. GitLab repos will then be available for cloning and management inside GitKraken.

4) Clone, Open, or Create Repositories

• Click File → Clone Repo or the Clone icon. Select the connected GitHub/GitLab account, choose a repo, set a local path, and click Clone.
• To create a new repo: File → Init to create locally, then use Publish repo to push to GitHub/GitLab and set visibility.
• To create remotely first: use Create in the Clone dialog and choose GitHub/GitLab as the remote host.

5) Authentication and Push/Pull

• GitKraken handles authentication via OAuth or stored PATs. For CLI Git operations outside GitKraken, consider generating SSH keys:
  • Generate an SSH key (ssh-keygen), add the public key to GitHub/GitLab account settings.
  • In GitKraken, enable SSH (Preferences → Authentication) and link your private key if needed.
• For HTTPS remotes, GitKraken will manage tokens; ensure tokens have necessary scopes.

6) Working with Issues, PRs/MRs, and CI (optional)

• Enable repository integrations to view and manage GitHub Issues/PRs or GitLab Issues/MRs inside GitKraken (Integrations → enable issue/PR features).
• Link CI pipelines by configuring webhooks or using GitLab/GitHub integration features for build status display.

7) Troubleshooting (common fixes)

• Authorization failed: Revoke GitKraken access in GitHub/GitLab and reconnect.
• Repo not listed: Ensure correct account/org selected and token scopes include repo access.
• Push rejected: Pull remote changes first, resolve conflicts in the visual merge tool, then push.
• SSH issues: Confirm the correct SSH key is added to your account and GitKraken is configured to use it.

Quick checklist

• Install GitKraken and sign in
• Connect GitHub/GitLab via Integrations (OAuth or PAT)
• Add SSH key to GitHub/GitLab for CLI/SSH workflows (optional)
• Clone/create repos and set remotes
• Enable issues/PRs/MRs integration if desired

If you want, I can generate step-by-step commands for SSH key setup or a short walkthrough for creating a PAT in GitLab/GitHub.