---
topic: labels
source_keys:
  - gitea-mcp-repo
  - gitea-mcp-slim-go
---

# Label operations

Execution detail for `label_read` and `label_write`. Both tools operate on either **repo-scoped**
or **org-scoped** labels — never both in one call. Pick the method family (`*_repo_label*` vs.
`*_org_label*`) that matches the target, and pass `owner`+`repo` or `org` accordingly.

## Verified live schemas

`label_read` — required: `method`.

| Param | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| `method` | string (enum) | `"list_repo_labels"` \| `"get_repo_label"` \| `"list_org_labels"` |
| `owner` | string | for repo methods |
| `repo` | string | for repo methods |
| `org` | string | for org methods |
| `id` | number | label ID, required for `"get_repo_label"` |
| `page` | number | default `1` |
| `per_page` | number | default `30` |

`label_write` — required: `method`.

| Param | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| `method` | string (enum) | `"create_repo_label"` \| `"edit_repo_label"` \| `"delete_repo_label"` \| `"create_org_label"` \| `"edit_org_label"` \| `"delete_org_label"` |
| `owner` | string | for repo methods |
| `repo` | string | for repo methods |
| `org` | string | for org methods |
| `id` | number | for edit/delete |
| `name` | string | required for create |
| `color` | string | hex `#RRGGBB`, required for create |
| `description` | string | optional |
| `exclusive` | boolean | org labels only |
| `is_archived` | boolean | repo labels only |

Note: unlike `milestone_read`/`milestone_write`, `owner`/`repo`/`org` are **not** schema-required on
either label tool — only `method` is. Passing none for a repo/org method still fails, just as a
runtime error from Gitea rather than a client-side validation error.

## List repo labels

```
label_read  method: "list_repo_labels"  owner: <owner>  repo: <repo>  per_page: 50
```

Paginate (`page: 1, 2, ...`) until the returned count is less than `per_page`. This is the only way
to build a complete name → ID map — there is no lookup-by-name endpoint.

## Get one label

```
label_read  method: "get_repo_label"  owner: <owner>  repo: <repo>  id: <id>
```

## Resolve a name to an ID

There is no direct name lookup. List all repo labels (paginating if needed), scan for a
case-insensitive name match, and extract `id`. Both pools can apply to one issue: if the name is
not in `list_repo_labels`, also check `list_org_labels` before reporting it unresolved. That method
takes `org`, not `owner`/`repo` — pass the repo's `owner` as `org`, which is what it means when the
owner is an organisation. If that call fails, the owner is a user account, there is no org pool, and
the miss is a real miss.

Resolution is the required first step before any label application on an issue or PR — the actual
`add_labels`/`replace_labels`/`remove_label` call lives in `gitea-issues`/`gitea-prs` via
`issue_write`/`pull_request_write`, which take numeric IDs only.

## Create a label

```
label_write  method: "create_repo_label"
  owner: <owner>  repo: <repo>
  name: "Kind/Bug"
  color: "#d73a4a"
  description: "Confirmed bug"
```

For an org label, use `method: "create_org_label"` with `org:` instead of `owner`/`repo`, and
`exclusive: true` if the label belongs to a mutually-exclusive scope group.

## Edit a label

```
label_write  method: "edit_repo_label"  owner: <owner>  repo: <repo>  id: <id>  color: "#ff0000"
```

Only pass the fields being changed — `id` plus any of `name`/`color`/`description`/`is_archived`.

## Delete a label

```
label_write  method: "delete_repo_label"  owner: <owner>  repo: <repo>  id: <id>
```

Deleting a label does not remove it from historical issue/PR timeline events — it disappears only
from current label lists.