How to integrate Metabase with GitLab Data

Metabase is an open source data visualization tool that allows users to create interactive dashboards. When paired with CData Connect AI, users can easily create visualizations and dashboards linked to live GitLab data. This article describes how to connect to GitLab and build a simple visualization using GitLab data.

CData Connect provides a pure cloud-to-cloud interface for GitLab, allowing you to easily integrate with live GitLab data in Metabase — without replicating the data. Connect looks exactly like a SQL Server database to Metabase and uses optimized data processing out of the box to push all supported SQL operations (filters, JOINs, etc) directly to GitLab, leveraging server-side processing to quickly return GitLab data.

Configure GitLab Connectivity for Metabase

Connectivity to GitLab from Metabase is made possible through CData Connect AI. To work with GitLab data from Metabase, we start by creating and configuring a GitLab connection.

1. Log into Connect AI, click Sources, and then click Add Connection

2. Select "GitLab" from the Add Connection panel

3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to GitLab.

   To connect to GitLab, use either OAuth or a personal access token:

   Using OAuth

   Register an OAuth application in GitLab under Edit Profile > Applications (or group Settings > Applications). Set the Redirect URI to https://oauth.cdata.com/oauth/. Note the Application ID (OAuth Client Id) and Secret (shown once). Then set:

   • OAuth Client Id: The Application ID from your GitLab OAuth application.
   • OAuth Client Secret: The Secret from your GitLab OAuth application.

   Click Sign In to complete OAuth authentication.

   Using a Personal Access Token

   In GitLab, navigate to Edit Profile > Access Tokens > Add new token. Select the required scopes (such as api, read_api, read_user, read_repository) and set an expiration date. Copy the token immediately (shown only once). Then set:

   • API Key: The personal access token from your GitLab account.
   
4. Click Save & Test
5. Navigate to the Permissions tab in the Add GitLab Connection page and update the User-based permissions.

Add a Personal Access Token

When connecting to Connect AI through the REST API, the OData API, or the Virtual SQL Server, a Personal Access Token (PAT) is used to authenticate the connection to Connect AI. It is best practice to create a separate PAT for each service to maintain granularity of access.

1. Click on the Gear icon () at the top right of the Connect AI app to open the settings page.
2. On the Settings page, go to the Access Tokens section and click Create PAT.
3. Give the PAT a name and click Create.
4. The personal access token is only visible at creation, so be sure to copy it and store it securely for future use.

With the connection configured and a PAT generated, you are ready to connect to GitLab data from Metabase.

Connect to CData Connect AI from Metabase

After creating the connection in Connect AI, navigate to your Metabase instance. Use the SQL Server interface to connect to Connect AI.

1. Navigate to the administration screen (Settings -> Admin) and click "Add Database" from the "Databases" tab
2. Configure the connection to Connect AI and click "Save"
   • Database type: Select "SQL Server"
   • Name: Name the connection (e.g. "GitLab (Connect AI)")
   • Host: tds.cdata.com
   • Port: 14333
   • Database name: The name of the connection you just created (e.g. API1)
   • Username: A Connect AI username (e.g. [email protected])
   • Password: The PAT previously created
   • Click to Use a secure connection (SSL)
   

Execute GitLab Data with Metabase

Once you configure the connection to Connect AI, you can query GitLab and build visualizations.

1. Use the "Write SQL" tool to retrieve the GitLab data
2. Write a SQL query based on the GitLab connection in CData Connect AI, e.g.
   
   

   SELECT Id, Username FROM AccessRequests WHERE State = 'pending'

   
3. Navigate to the "Visualization" screen, choose a visualization, and configure the visualization

More Information & Free Trial

At this point, you have built a simple visualization from GitLab data in Metabase. You can continue to work with live GitLab data in Metabase just like you would any SQL Server database. For more information on creating a live connection to GitLab (and more than 100 other data sources), visit the Connect AI page. Sign up for a free trial and start working with live GitLab data in Metabase today.