Clone from a Gitlab community private repo using a private token in Python script

Question

I'd like to be able to clone a private git repository hosted on a Gitlab community edition providing my private token. I tried using gitpython library and i can do the following :

from os.path import abspath
from git import Repo
to_path = abspath("C:\mypath\test")
Repo.clone_from("http://gitlab-ci-token:my_CI_token@myurl/testgroup/test.git", to_path)

This is working and clones the repo nicely. The problem is that I want to use my private token and not the CI token of the repository. And this is not working :

Repo.clone_from("http://my_login:my_private_token@myurl/testgroup/test.git", to_path)

I even tried to use my password but couldn't get it to work neither.

If i want to use my private token it's because my script tries to clone all the repositories stored in a Gitalb group (here testgroup) and I don't know beforehand repositories that will be there so I can't get their CI token in the script.

I'll take any solution that let me clone a repository with a Login/private_token or a login/password without interactive authentication.

Answer 1

I'm not sure what you mean by:

I even tried to use my password but couldn't get it to work neither.

Setting your username and password in the URL should work:

Repo.clone_from("https://myself%40example.net:password@gitlab.example.com/username/repo.git", to_path)

Also, instead of having passwords stored in your source code, you should consider cloning your repos using SSH, or using the credential helper system.