GitLab Orbit glossary

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This glossary provides definitions for terms related to GitLab Orbit.

Code layer
The layer of the graph that holds source code structure: files, directories, definitions, imported symbols, and the calls, imports, and inheritance between them.
Definition
A named code element, such as a class, function, method, or module. Its fully qualified name (fqn) includes the enclosing names.
GitLab Orbit
The product that builds a graph of GitLab data and code for each top-level group that has the feature turned on, and answers queries on the graph. The graph holds the code of your repositories and software development lifecycle (SDLC) data, such as merge requests, pipelines, work items, and security findings. Queries run on GitLab and return only the data your role lets you see.
GitLab Orbit API
The REST, GraphQL, and MCP endpoints of GitLab Orbit on your GitLab instance. The GitLab Orbit CLI and agents call these endpoints.
GitLab Orbit CLI
The orbit binary. glab orbit installs it and forwards every command to it. The CLI queries the GitLab Orbit API, and also builds a local graph of the code on your machine. Some commands combine results from both.
GitLab Orbit MCP endpoint
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) server of GitLab Orbit, at /api/v4/orbit/mcp, for agents that cannot run shell commands.
GitLab Orbit skill
The instructions and query recipes your agent loads to use GitLab Orbit. glab orbit setup installs it.
GQL
The GitLab Orbit query language, a read-only, openCypher-like language. Agents write GQL for you.
Indexing
The process that reads GitLab data and code and writes the graph. GitLab indexes a group when you turn on GitLab Orbit for it, and keeps the graph current.
Local graph
The graph the GitLab Orbit CLI builds from a repository on your machine. It holds code only and works offline.
Node
One entity in the graph, such as a project, a user, a merge request, a file, or a code definition. Each node type has a fixed set of properties.
Property
A named value on a node, such as full_path on a project or severity on a vulnerability.
Property graph
The data model of GitLab Orbit. Typed nodes carry properties, and typed, directed relationships connect them.
Relationship
A directed connection between two nodes, such as AUTHORED from a user to a merge request, or CALLS from one definition to another.
Software development lifecycle (SDLC) data
The part of the graph that holds GitLab objects: groups, projects, users, merge requests, pipelines, work items, packages, and security findings.
Top-level group
The group at the root of a group hierarchy. GitLab Orbit is turned on and scoped for each top-level group.
Work item
The single node type for issues, epics, tasks, incidents, and other trackable units of work. The work_item_type property tells them apart.