diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2423093fc..48dd29ff8 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -8,3 +8,4 @@ __pycache__
 package-lock.json
 debug.sh
 .idea/
+.vscode/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/__snapshots__/base.js b/__snapshots__/base.js
index c34a5e7f9..7f14ab973 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/base.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/base.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ exports['Strategy buildReleasePullRequest allows overriding initial version 1']
 
 ### Miscellaneous Chores
 
-* initial commit ([16d3754](https://github.com/googleapis/base-test-repo/commit/16d3754a2134a6d19ee19d2e5ba4dfbc))
+* initial commit ([16d3754](https://www.github.com/googleapis/base-test-repo/commit/16d3754a2134a6d19ee19d2e5ba4dfbc))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ exports['Strategy buildReleasePullRequest allows overriding initial version in b
 
 ### Features
 
-* initial commit ([a90fc00](https://github.com/googleapis/base-test-repo/commit/a90fc00ca62382346da72dd8f51078a7))
+* initial commit ([a90fc00](https://www.github.com/googleapis/base-test-repo/commit/a90fc00ca62382346da72dd8f51078a7))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
diff --git a/__snapshots__/cli.js b/__snapshots__/cli.js
index 696b90e27..b127dedd9 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/cli.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/cli.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 exports['CLI --help github-release 1'] = `
 release-please github-release
 
-create a GitHub release from a release PR
+create a release from a release PR/MR
 
 Options:
   --help                        Show help                              [boolean]
@@ -12,17 +12,26 @@ Options:
                                 debugging).           [boolean] [default: false]
   --plugin                      load plugin named release-please-<plugin-name>
                                                            [array] [default: []]
-  --token                       GitHub token with repo write permissions
+  --token                       GitHub/GitLab token with repo write permissions
   --api-url                     URL to use when making API requests
-                                    [string] [default: "https://api.github.com"]
-  --graphql-url                 URL to use when making GraphQL requests
-                                    [string] [default: "https://api.github.com"]
-  --default-branch              The branch to open release PRs against and tag
-                                releases on
+                      [string] [default: GitHub: https://api.github.com; GitLab:
+                                                      https://gitlab.com/api/v4]
+  --host-url                    URL to use when building changelog and release
+                                requests
+  [string] [default: GitHub: https://www.github.com; GitLab: https://gitlab.com]
+  --graphql-url                 URL to use when making GraphQL requests (ignored
+                                for GitLab)
+                              [string] [default: GitHub: https://api.github.com]
+  --provider                    Which provider to use (default 'github')
+                                                    [string] [default: "github"]
+  --default-branch              The branch to open release PR/MRs against and
+                                tag releases on
                               [deprecated: use --target-branch instead] [string]
-  --target-branch               The branch to open release PRs against and tag
-                                releases on                             [string]
-  --repo-url                    GitHub URL to generate release for    [required]
+  --target-branch               The branch to open release PR/MRs against and
+                                tag releases on                         [string]
+  --repo-url                    Repository URL to generate release for (e.g.
+                                GitHub: <org/repo>, GitLab: <group/project>)
+                                                                      [required]
   --dry-run                     Prepare but do not take action
                                                       [boolean] [default: false]
   --include-v-in-tags           include "v" in tag versions
@@ -68,6 +77,7 @@ Options:
   --snapshot-label              set a java snapshot pull request label other
                                 than "autorelease: snapshot"
                                      [string] [default: "autorelease: snapshot"]
+
 `
 
 exports['CLI --help manifest-pr 1'] = `
@@ -84,16 +94,24 @@ Options:
                         debugging).                   [boolean] [default: false]
   --plugin              load plugin named release-please-<plugin-name>
                                                            [array] [default: []]
-  --token               GitHub token with repo write permissions
+  --token               GitHub/GitLab token with repo write permissions
   --api-url             URL to use when making API requests
-                                    [string] [default: "https://api.github.com"]
-  --graphql-url         URL to use when making GraphQL requests
-                                    [string] [default: "https://api.github.com"]
-  --default-branch      The branch to open release PRs against and tag releases
-                        on    [deprecated: use --target-branch instead] [string]
-  --target-branch       The branch to open release PRs against and tag releases
-                        on                                              [string]
-  --repo-url            GitHub URL to generate release for            [required]
+                      [string] [default: GitHub: https://api.github.com; GitLab:
+                                                      https://gitlab.com/api/v4]
+  --host-url            URL to use when building changelog and release requests
+  [string] [default: GitHub: https://www.github.com; GitLab: https://gitlab.com]
+  --graphql-url         URL to use when making GraphQL requests (ignored for
+                        GitLab)
+                              [string] [default: GitHub: https://api.github.com]
+  --provider            Which provider to use (default 'github')
+                                                    [string] [default: "github"]
+  --default-branch      The branch to open release PR/MRs against and tag
+                        releases on
+                              [deprecated: use --target-branch instead] [string]
+  --target-branch       The branch to open release PR/MRs against and tag
+                        releases on                                     [string]
+  --repo-url            Repository URL to generate release for (e.g. GitHub:
+                        <org/repo>, GitLab: <group/project>)          [required]
   --dry-run             Prepare but do not take action[boolean] [default: false]
   --label               comma-separated list of labels to add to from release PR
                                                [default: "autorelease: pending"]
@@ -109,6 +127,7 @@ Options:
                                          [default: "release-please-config.json"]
   --manifest-file       where can the manifest file be found in the project?
                                       [default: ".release-please-manifest.json"]
+
 `
 
 exports['CLI --help manifest-release 1'] = `
@@ -125,16 +144,22 @@ Options:
                                                       [boolean] [default: false]
   --plugin          load plugin named release-please-<plugin-name>
                                                            [array] [default: []]
-  --token           GitHub token with repo write permissions
+  --token           GitHub/GitLab token with repo write permissions
   --api-url         URL to use when making API requests
-                                    [string] [default: "https://api.github.com"]
-  --graphql-url     URL to use when making GraphQL requests
-                                    [string] [default: "https://api.github.com"]
-  --default-branch  The branch to open release PRs against and tag releases on
-                              [deprecated: use --target-branch instead] [string]
-  --target-branch   The branch to open release PRs against and tag releases on
-                                                                        [string]
-  --repo-url        GitHub URL to generate release for                [required]
+                      [string] [default: GitHub: https://api.github.com; GitLab:
+                                                      https://gitlab.com/api/v4]
+  --host-url        URL to use when building changelog and release requests
+  [string] [default: GitHub: https://www.github.com; GitLab: https://gitlab.com]
+  --graphql-url     URL to use when making GraphQL requests (ignored for GitLab)
+                              [string] [default: GitHub: https://api.github.com]
+  --provider        Which provider to use (default 'github')
+                                                    [string] [default: "github"]
+  --default-branch  The branch to open release PR/MRs against and tag releases
+                    on        [deprecated: use --target-branch instead] [string]
+  --target-branch   The branch to open release PR/MRs against and tag releases
+                    on                                                  [string]
+  --repo-url        Repository URL to generate release for (e.g. GitHub:
+                    <org/repo>, GitLab: <group/project>)              [required]
   --dry-run         Prepare but do not take action    [boolean] [default: false]
   --draft           mark release as a draft. no tag is created but tag_name and
                     target_commitish are associated with the release for future
@@ -153,6 +178,89 @@ Options:
                                          [default: "release-please-config.json"]
   --manifest-file   where can the manifest file be found in the project?
                                       [default: ".release-please-manifest.json"]
+
+`
+
+exports['CLI --help release 1'] = `
+release-please release
+
+create a release from a release PR/MR
+
+Options:
+  --help                        Show help                              [boolean]
+  --version                     Show version number                    [boolean]
+  --debug                       print verbose errors (use only for local
+                                debugging).           [boolean] [default: false]
+  --trace                       print extra verbose errors (use only for local
+                                debugging).           [boolean] [default: false]
+  --plugin                      load plugin named release-please-<plugin-name>
+                                                           [array] [default: []]
+  --token                       GitHub/GitLab token with repo write permissions
+  --api-url                     URL to use when making API requests
+                      [string] [default: GitHub: https://api.github.com; GitLab:
+                                                      https://gitlab.com/api/v4]
+  --host-url                    URL to use when building changelog and release
+                                requests
+  [string] [default: GitHub: https://www.github.com; GitLab: https://gitlab.com]
+  --graphql-url                 URL to use when making GraphQL requests (ignored
+                                for GitLab)
+                              [string] [default: GitHub: https://api.github.com]
+  --provider                    Which provider to use (default 'github')
+                                                    [string] [default: "github"]
+  --default-branch              The branch to open release PR/MRs against and
+                                tag releases on
+                              [deprecated: use --target-branch instead] [string]
+  --target-branch               The branch to open release PR/MRs against and
+                                tag releases on                         [string]
+  --repo-url                    Repository URL to generate release for (e.g.
+                                GitHub: <org/repo>, GitLab: <group/project>)
+                                                                      [required]
+  --dry-run                     Prepare but do not take action
+                                                      [boolean] [default: false]
+  --include-v-in-tags           include "v" in tag versions
+                                                       [boolean] [default: true]
+  --monorepo-tags               include library name in tags and release
+                                branches              [boolean] [default: false]
+  --pull-request-title-pattern  Title pattern to make release PR        [string]
+  --pull-request-header         Header for release PR                   [string]
+  --pull-request-footer         Footer for release PR                   [string]
+  --component-no-space          release-please automatically adds \` \` (space) in
+                                front of parsed \${component}. Should this be
+                                disabled?             [boolean] [default: false]
+  --path                        release from path other than root directory
+                                                                        [string]
+  --component                   name of component release is being minted for
+                                                                        [string]
+  --package-name                name of package release is being minted for
+                                                                        [string]
+  --release-type                what type of repo is a release being created
+                                for?
+  [choices: "bazel", "dart", "dotnet-yoshi", "elixir", "expo", "go", "go-yoshi",
+          "helm", "java", "java-backport", "java-bom", "java-lts", "java-yoshi",
+       "java-yoshi-mono-repo", "krm-blueprint", "maven", "node", "ocaml", "php",
+         "php-yoshi", "python", "r", "ruby", "ruby-yoshi", "rust", "salesforce",
+                                           "sfdx", "simple", "terraform-module"]
+  --config-file                 where can the config file be found in the
+                                project? [default: "release-please-config.json"]
+  --manifest-file               where can the manifest file be found in the
+                                project?
+                                      [default: ".release-please-manifest.json"]
+  --draft                       mark release as a draft. no tag is created but
+                                tag_name and target_commitish are associated
+                                with the release for future tag creation upon
+                                "un-drafting" the release.
+                                                      [boolean] [default: false]
+  --prerelease                  mark release that have prerelease versions as as
+                                a prerelease on Github[boolean] [default: false]
+  --label                       comma-separated list of labels to remove to from
+                                release PR     [default: "autorelease: pending"]
+  --release-label               set a pull request label other than
+                                "autorelease: tagged"
+                                       [string] [default: "autorelease: tagged"]
+  --snapshot-label              set a java snapshot pull request label other
+                                than "autorelease: snapshot"
+                                     [string] [default: "autorelease: snapshot"]
+
 `
 
 exports['CLI --help release-pr 1'] = `
@@ -170,17 +278,27 @@ Options:
   --plugin                          load plugin named
                                     release-please-<plugin-name>
                                                            [array] [default: []]
-  --token                           GitHub token with repo write permissions
+  --token                           GitHub/GitLab token with repo write
+                                    permissions
   --api-url                         URL to use when making API requests
-                                    [string] [default: "https://api.github.com"]
+                      [string] [default: GitHub: https://api.github.com; GitLab:
+                                                      https://gitlab.com/api/v4]
+  --host-url                        URL to use when building changelog and
+                                    release requests
+  [string] [default: GitHub: https://www.github.com; GitLab: https://gitlab.com]
   --graphql-url                     URL to use when making GraphQL requests
-                                    [string] [default: "https://api.github.com"]
-  --default-branch                  The branch to open release PRs against and
-                                    tag releases on
+                                    (ignored for GitLab)
+                              [string] [default: GitHub: https://api.github.com]
+  --provider                        Which provider to use (default 'github')
+                                                    [string] [default: "github"]
+  --default-branch                  The branch to open release PR/MRs against
+                                    and tag releases on
                               [deprecated: use --target-branch instead] [string]
-  --target-branch                   The branch to open release PRs against and
-                                    tag releases on                     [string]
-  --repo-url                        GitHub URL to generate release for[required]
+  --target-branch                   The branch to open release PR/MRs against
+                                    and tag releases on                 [string]
+  --repo-url                        Repository URL to generate release for (e.g.
+                                    GitHub: <org/repo>, GitLab: <group/project>)
+                                                                      [required]
   --dry-run                         Prepare but do not take action
                                                       [boolean] [default: false]
   --release-as                      override the semantically determined release
@@ -261,6 +379,7 @@ Options:
   --manifest-file                   where can the manifest file be found in the
                                     project?
                                       [default: ".release-please-manifest.json"]
+
 `
 
 exports['CLI handleError handles an error 1'] = [
diff --git a/__snapshots__/dotnet-yoshi.js b/__snapshots__/dotnet-yoshi.js
index 28a89858d..ca4cc00b3 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/dotnet-yoshi.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/dotnet-yoshi.js
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ exports['DotnetYoshi buildReleasePullRequest returns release PR changes with def
 
 ### Bug fixes
 
-* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-spanner to v1.50.0 ([08ca011](https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-dotnet/commit/08ca01180a91c0a1ba8992b491db9212))
-* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-storage to v1.120.0 ([845db13](https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-dotnet/commit/845db1381b3d5d20151cad2588f85feb))
+* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-spanner to v1.50.0 ([08ca011](https://www.github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-dotnet/commit/08ca01180a91c0a1ba8992b491db9212))
+* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-storage to v1.120.0 ([845db13](https://www.github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-dotnet/commit/845db1381b3d5d20151cad2588f85feb))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ exports['DotnetYoshi buildReleasePullRequest returns release PR changes with sem
 
 ### Bug fixes
 
-* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-spanner to v1.50.0 ([08ca011](https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-dotnet/commit/08ca01180a91c0a1ba8992b491db9212))
-* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-storage to v1.120.0 ([845db13](https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-dotnet/commit/845db1381b3d5d20151cad2588f85feb))
+* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-spanner to v1.50.0 ([08ca011](https://www.github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-dotnet/commit/08ca01180a91c0a1ba8992b491db9212))
+* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-storage to v1.120.0 ([845db13](https://www.github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-dotnet/commit/845db1381b3d5d20151cad2588f85feb))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ exports['DotnetYoshi buildUpdates builds common files 1'] = `
 
 ### Bug fixes
 
-* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-spanner to v1.50.0 ([08ca011](https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-dotnet/commit/08ca01180a91c0a1ba8992b491db9212))
-* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-storage to v1.120.0 ([845db13](https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-dotnet/commit/845db1381b3d5d20151cad2588f85feb))
+* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-spanner to v1.50.0 ([08ca011](https://www.github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-dotnet/commit/08ca01180a91c0a1ba8992b491db9212))
+* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-storage to v1.120.0 ([845db13](https://www.github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-dotnet/commit/845db1381b3d5d20151cad2588f85feb))
 `
diff --git a/__snapshots__/go-yoshi.js b/__snapshots__/go-yoshi.js
index 08649bd0a..697ee65ef 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/go-yoshi.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/go-yoshi.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ exports['GoYoshi buildReleasePullRequest combines google-api-go-client autogener
 
 ### Features
 
-* **all:** auto-regenerate discovery clients, refs [#1281](https://github.com/googleapis/google-api-go-client/issues/1281) [#1280](https://github.com/googleapis/google-api-go-client/issues/1280) [#1279](https://github.com/googleapis/google-api-go-client/issues/1279) [#1278](https://github.com/googleapis/google-api-go-client/issues/1278)
+* **all:** auto-regenerate discovery clients, refs [#1281](https://www.github.com/googleapis/google-api-go-client/issues/1281) [#1280](https://www.github.com/googleapis/google-api-go-client/issues/1280) [#1279](https://www.github.com/googleapis/google-api-go-client/issues/1279) [#1278](https://www.github.com/googleapis/google-api-go-client/issues/1278)
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ exports['GoYoshi buildReleasePullRequest filters out submodule commits 1'] = `
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* **translate:** some translate fix ([a74c6a3](https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-go/commit/a74c6a3c43273a62de7e47bef2e11fb0))
+* **translate:** some translate fix ([a74c6a3](https://www.github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-go/commit/a74c6a3c43273a62de7e47bef2e11fb0))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ exports['GoYoshi buildReleasePullRequest filters out touched files not matching
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* **iam/apiv1:** some firestore fix ([6daedf3](https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-go/commit/6daedf3971d9e1b4c99ff1b3a52c94a5))
+* **iam/apiv1:** some firestore fix ([6daedf3](https://www.github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-go/commit/6daedf3971d9e1b4c99ff1b3a52c94a5))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
diff --git a/__snapshots__/linked-versions-group-title.js b/__snapshots__/linked-versions-group-title.js
index e35e08b53..1e0fdbaef 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/linked-versions-group-title.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/linked-versions-group-title.js
@@ -5,22 +5,22 @@ exports['Plugin compatibility linked-versions and group-pull-request-title-patte
 
 <details><summary>primary: 1.1.0</summary>
 
-## [1.1.0](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/primary-v1.0.0...primary-v1.1.0) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.1.0](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/primary-v1.0.0...primary-v1.1.0) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Features
 
-* some feature ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some feature ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
 </details>
 
 <details><summary>pkgA: 1.1.0</summary>
 
-## [1.1.0](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkgA-v1.0.0...pkgA-v1.1.0) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.1.0](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkgA-v1.0.0...pkgA-v1.1.0) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Features
 
-* some feature ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some feature ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
 </details>
 
 ---
diff --git a/__snapshots__/linked-versions-workspace.js b/__snapshots__/linked-versions-workspace.js
index 368e51cfd..911419921 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/linked-versions-workspace.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/linked-versions-workspace.js
@@ -5,17 +5,17 @@ exports['Plugin compatibility linked-versions and workspace should version bump
 
 <details><summary>pkgA: 1.1.0</summary>
 
-## [1.1.0](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkgA-v1.0.0...pkgA-v1.1.0) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.1.0](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkgA-v1.0.0...pkgA-v1.1.0) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Features
 
-* some feature ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some feature ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
 </details>
 
 <details><summary>pkgB: 1.1.0</summary>
 
-## [1.1.0](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkgB-v1.0.0...pkgB-v1.1.0) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.1.0](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkgB-v1.0.0...pkgB-v1.1.0) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Miscellaneous Chores
diff --git a/__snapshots__/linked-versions.js b/__snapshots__/linked-versions.js
index df70dece0..c5ab5e136 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/linked-versions.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/linked-versions.js
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@ exports['LinkedVersions plugin can skip grouping pull requests 1'] = `
 ---
 
 
-## [1.0.1](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.0...pkg1-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.0.1](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.0...pkg1-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ exports['LinkedVersions plugin can skip grouping pull requests 2'] = `
 ---
 
 
-## [0.2.4](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.2.4](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
+* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ exports['LinkedVersions plugin can skip grouping pull requests 3'] = `
 ---
 
 
-## [0.2.4](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg3-v0.2.3...pkg3-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.2.4](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg3-v0.2.3...pkg3-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Miscellaneous Chores
@@ -53,17 +53,17 @@ exports['LinkedVersions plugin should allow multiple groups of linked versions 1
 
 <details><summary>pkg1: 1.0.1</summary>
 
-## [1.0.1](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.0...pkg1-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.0.1](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.0...pkg1-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
 </details>
 
 <details><summary>pkg4: 1.0.1</summary>
 
-## [1.0.1](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg4-v1.0.0...pkg4-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.0.1](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg4-v1.0.0...pkg4-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Miscellaneous Chores
@@ -82,17 +82,17 @@ exports['LinkedVersions plugin should allow multiple groups of linked versions 2
 
 <details><summary>pkg2: 0.2.4</summary>
 
-## [0.2.4](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.2.4](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
+* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
 </details>
 
 <details><summary>pkg3: 0.2.4</summary>
 
-## [0.2.4](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg3-v0.2.3...pkg3-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.2.4](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg3-v0.2.3...pkg3-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Miscellaneous Chores
@@ -109,12 +109,12 @@ exports['LinkedVersions plugin should group pull requests 1'] = `
 ---
 
 
-## [1.0.1](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.0...pkg1-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.0.1](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.0...pkg1-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
@@ -127,17 +127,17 @@ exports['LinkedVersions plugin should group pull requests 2'] = `
 
 <details><summary>pkg2: 0.2.4</summary>
 
-## [0.2.4](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.2.4](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
+* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
 </details>
 
 <details><summary>pkg3: 0.2.4</summary>
 
-## [0.2.4](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg3-v0.2.3...pkg3-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.2.4](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg3-v0.2.3...pkg3-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Miscellaneous Chores
@@ -156,27 +156,27 @@ exports['LinkedVersions plugin should sync versions pull requests 1'] = `
 
 <details><summary>pkg1: 1.0.1</summary>
 
-## [1.0.1](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.0...pkg1-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.0.1](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.0...pkg1-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
 </details>
 
 <details><summary>pkg2: 0.2.4</summary>
 
-## [0.2.4](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.2.4](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
+* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
 </details>
 
 <details><summary>pkg3: 0.2.4</summary>
 
-## [0.2.4](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg3-v0.2.3...pkg3-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.2.4](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg3-v0.2.3...pkg3-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Miscellaneous Chores
diff --git a/__snapshots__/manifest.js b/__snapshots__/manifest.js
index fccd533c3..10c491da1 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/manifest.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/manifest.js
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@ exports['Manifest buildPullRequests should allow creating multiple pull requests
 ---
 
 
-## [1.0.1](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.0...pkg1-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.0.1](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.0...pkg1-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ exports['Manifest buildPullRequests should allow creating multiple pull requests
 ---
 
 
-## [0.2.4](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.2.4](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
+* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
@@ -37,35 +37,35 @@ exports['Manifest buildPullRequests should allow customizing pull request title
 
 <details><summary>root: 1.2.2</summary>
 
-## [1.2.2](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/root-v1.2.1...root-v1.2.2) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.2.2](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/root-v1.2.1...root-v1.2.2) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
-* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
-* some bugfix ([cccccc](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/cccccc))
+* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
+* some bugfix ([cccccc](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/cccccc))
 </details>
 
 <details><summary>pkg1: 1.0.2</summary>
 
-## [1.0.2](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.1...pkg1-v1.0.2) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.0.2](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.1...pkg1-v1.0.2) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
-* some bugfix ([cccccc](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/cccccc))
+* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some bugfix ([cccccc](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/cccccc))
 </details>
 
 <details><summary>pkg2: 0.2.4</summary>
 
-## [0.2.4](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.2.4](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
+* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
 </details>
 
 ---
@@ -79,35 +79,35 @@ exports['Manifest buildPullRequests should allow customizing pull request title
 
 <details><summary>root: 1.2.2</summary>
 
-## [1.2.2](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/root-v1.2.1...root-v1.2.2) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.2.2](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/root-v1.2.1...root-v1.2.2) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
-* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
-* some bugfix ([cccccc](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/cccccc))
+* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
+* some bugfix ([cccccc](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/cccccc))
 </details>
 
 <details><summary>pkg1: 1.0.2</summary>
 
-## [1.0.2](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.1...pkg1-v1.0.2) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.0.2](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.1...pkg1-v1.0.2) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
-* some bugfix ([cccccc](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/cccccc))
+* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some bugfix ([cccccc](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/cccccc))
 </details>
 
 <details><summary>pkg2: 0.2.4</summary>
 
-## [0.2.4](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.2.4](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
+* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
 </details>
 
 ---
@@ -119,12 +119,12 @@ exports['Manifest buildPullRequests should allow overriding commit message 1'] =
 ---
 
 
-## [1.0.1](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/v1.0.0...v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.0.1](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/v1.0.0...v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* real fix message ([def456](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/def456))
+* real fix message ([def456](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/def456))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
@@ -137,22 +137,22 @@ exports['Manifest buildPullRequests should handle mixing componentless configs 1
 
 <details><summary>1.0.1</summary>
 
-## [1.0.1](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/v1.0.0...v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.0.1](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/v1.0.0...v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
 </details>
 
 <details><summary>pkg2: 0.2.4</summary>
 
-## [0.2.4](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.2.4](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
+* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
 </details>
 
 ---
@@ -166,22 +166,22 @@ exports['Manifest buildPullRequests with multiple packages should handle multipl
 
 <details><summary>pkg1: 1.0.1</summary>
 
-## [1.0.1](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.0...pkg1-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.0.1](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg1-v1.0.0...pkg1-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some bugfix ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
 </details>
 
 <details><summary>pkg2: 0.2.4</summary>
 
-## [0.2.4](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.2.4](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkg2-v0.2.3...pkg2-v0.2.4) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
+* some bugfix ([bbbbbb](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/bbbbbb))
 </details>
 
 ---
diff --git a/__snapshots__/node-workspace.js b/__snapshots__/node-workspace.js
index 41cba5516..3a1c42587 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/node-workspace.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/node-workspace.js
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ Release notes for path: node1, releaseType: node
 
 <details><summary>pkgB: 2.2.3</summary>
 
-## [2.2.3](https://github.com/googleapis/node-test-repo/compare/pkgB-v2.2.2...pkgB-v2.2.3) (1983-10-10)
+## [2.2.3](https://www.github.com/googleapis/node-test-repo/compare/pkgB-v2.2.2...pkgB-v2.2.3) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Dependencies
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ other notes
 `
 
 exports['NodeWorkspace plugin run includes headers for packages with configured strategies 3'] = `
-## [2.2.3](https://github.com/googleapis/node-test-repo/compare/pkgB-v2.2.2...pkgB-v2.2.3) (1983-10-10)
+## [2.2.3](https://www.github.com/googleapis/node-test-repo/compare/pkgB-v2.2.2...pkgB-v2.2.3) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Dependencies
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ Release notes for path: node1, releaseType: node
 
 <details><summary>pkgB: 2.2.3-beta</summary>
 
-## [2.2.3-beta](https://github.com/googleapis/node-test-repo/compare/pkgB-v2.2.2-beta...pkgB-v2.2.3-beta) (1983-10-10)
+## [2.2.3-beta](https://www.github.com/googleapis/node-test-repo/compare/pkgB-v2.2.2-beta...pkgB-v2.2.3-beta) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Dependencies
diff --git a/__snapshots__/ruby-yoshi.js b/__snapshots__/ruby-yoshi.js
index e3e4db8ab..386bdc324 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/ruby-yoshi.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/ruby-yoshi.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ exports['RubyYoshi buildReleasePullRequest returns release PR changes with semve
 #### Bug Fixes
 
 * update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-spanner to v1.50.0
-* update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-storage to v1.120.0 ([#1234](https://github.com/googleapis/ruby-test-repo/issues/1234))
+* update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-storage to v1.120.0 ([#1234](https://www.github.com/googleapis/ruby-test-repo/issues/1234))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
diff --git a/__snapshots__/rust.js b/__snapshots__/rust.js
index 4e1310a21..32b1d327c 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/rust.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/rust.js
@@ -3,13 +3,13 @@ exports['Rust buildReleasePullRequest detects a default component 1'] = `
 ---
 
 
-## [0.123.5](https://github.com/googleapis/rust-test-repo/compare/rust-test-repo-v0.123.4...crate1-v0.123.5) (1983-10-10)
+## [0.123.5](https://www.github.com/googleapis/rust-test-repo/compare/rust-test-repo-v0.123.4...crate1-v0.123.5) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
-* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-spanner to v1.50.0 ([08ca011](https://github.com/googleapis/rust-test-repo/commit/08ca01180a91c0a1ba8992b491db9212))
-* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-storage to v1.120.0 ([845db13](https://github.com/googleapis/rust-test-repo/commit/845db1381b3d5d20151cad2588f85feb))
+* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-spanner to v1.50.0 ([08ca011](https://www.github.com/googleapis/rust-test-repo/commit/08ca01180a91c0a1ba8992b491db9212))
+* **deps:** update dependency com.google.cloud:google-cloud-storage to v1.120.0 ([845db13](https://www.github.com/googleapis/rust-test-repo/commit/845db1381b3d5d20151cad2588f85feb))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
diff --git a/__snapshots__/separate-pull-requests-workspace.js b/__snapshots__/separate-pull-requests-workspace.js
index 79dd3f998..e836fca5c 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/separate-pull-requests-workspace.js
+++ b/__snapshots__/separate-pull-requests-workspace.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ exports['Plugin compatibility separate-pull-requests and workspace plugin should
 ---
 
 
-## [1.0.1](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkgA-v1.0.0...pkgA-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.0.1](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkgA-v1.0.0...pkgA-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Dependencies
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ exports['Plugin compatibility separate-pull-requests and workspace plugin should
 ---
 
 
-## [1.0.1](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkgB-v1.0.0...pkgB-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.0.1](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkgB-v1.0.0...pkgB-v1.0.1) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Dependencies
@@ -39,12 +39,12 @@ exports['Plugin compatibility separate-pull-requests and workspace plugin should
 ---
 
 
-## [1.1.0](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkgC-v1.0.0...pkgC-v1.1.0) (1983-10-10)
+## [1.1.0](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/compare/pkgC-v1.0.0...pkgC-v1.1.0) (1983-10-10)
 
 
 ### Features
 
-* some feature ([aaaaaa](https://github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
+* some feature ([aaaaaa](https://www.github.com/fake-owner/fake-repo/commit/aaaaaa))
 
 ---
 This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).
diff --git a/docs/manifest-releaser.md b/docs/manifest-releaser.md
index 9e19e1d33..89e499d6e 100644
--- a/docs/manifest-releaser.md
+++ b/docs/manifest-releaser.md
@@ -199,10 +199,13 @@ defaults (those are documented in comments)
   // absence defaults to false and all versions are fully Published.
   "prerelease": true
 
-  // Skip creating GitHub Releases
-  // Absence defaults to false and Releases will be created. Release-Please still
+  // Skip creating releases
+  // Absence defaults to false and releases will be created. Release-Please still
   // requires releases to be tagged, so this option should only be used if you
   // have existing infrastructure to tag these releases.
+  "skip-release": true,
+
+  // [DEPRECATED] Legacy option for skipping GitHub releases. Prefer "skip-release".
   "skip-github-release": true,
 
   // Skip updating the changelog.
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 6bbfd658d..6b1c46424 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
       "dependencies": {
         "@conventional-commits/parser": "^0.4.1",
+        "@gitbeaker/rest": "^40.0.0",
         "@google-automations/git-file-utils": "^3.0.0",
         "@iarna/toml": "^3.0.0",
         "@octokit/graphql": "^7.1.0",
@@ -300,6 +301,48 @@
         "node": "*"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/@gitbeaker/core": {
+      "version": "40.6.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@gitbeaker/core/-/core-40.6.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-tVVm8ZPrS9YCHEcuPV8vD1IcEf9POpdygWo+kPvkK7LcC36EERVcXagb8snEaGgGLfUaVQh8qP4iDZgPnP3YBQ==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@gitbeaker/requester-utils": "^40.6.0",
+        "qs": "^6.12.2",
+        "xcase": "^2.0.1"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=18.20.0"
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         "tsserver": "bin/tsserver"
@@ -5779,6 +6105,12 @@
         "typedarray-to-buffer": "^3.1.5"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/xcase": {
+      "version": "2.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/xcase/-/xcase-2.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-UmFXIPU+9Eg3E9m/728Bii0lAIuoc+6nbrNUKaRPJOFp91ih44qqGlWtxMB6kXFrRD6po+86ksHM5XHCfk6iPw==",
+      "license": "MIT"
+    },
     "node_modules/xpath": {
       "version": "0.0.34",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/xpath/-/xpath-0.0.34.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 219da88dc..9e6b67803 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
   "bin": "./build/src/bin/release-please.js",
   "scripts": {
     "test": "cross-env ENVIRONMENT=test LC_ALL=en c8 mocha --node-option no-experimental-fetch --recursive --timeout=5000 build/test",
+    "test25": "cross-env ENVIRONMENT=test LC_ALL=en c8 mocha --recursive --timeout=5000 build/test",
     "docs": "echo add docs tests",
     "test:snap": "cross-env SNAPSHOT_UPDATE=1 LC_ALL=en npm test",
     "clean": "gts clean",
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@conventional-commits/parser": "^0.4.1",
+    "@gitbeaker/rest": "^40.0.0",
     "@google-automations/git-file-utils": "^3.0.0",
     "@iarna/toml": "^3.0.0",
     "@octokit/graphql": "^7.1.0",
diff --git a/schemas/config.json b/schemas/config.json
index 9b5cec45b..1ce55e6b4 100644
--- a/schemas/config.json
+++ b/schemas/config.json
@@ -54,10 +54,15 @@
           "description": "[DEPRECATED] Override the next version of this package. Consider using a `Release-As` commit instead.",
           "type": "string"
         },
-        "skip-github-release": {
-          "description": "Skip tagging GitHub releases for this package. Release-Please still requires releases to be tagged, so this option should only be used if you have existing infrastructure to tag these releases.Defaults to `false`.",
+        "skip-release": {
+          "description": "Skip creating releases for this package. Release-Please still requires releases to be tagged, so this option should only be used if you have existing infrastructure to tag these releases. Defaults to `false`.",
           "type": "boolean"
         },
+        "skip-github-release": {
+          "description": "[DEPRECATED] Use `skip-release` instead.",
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "deprecated": true
+        },
         "skip-changelog": {
           "description": "Skip generating a changelog for this package. Defaults to `false`.",
           "type": "boolean"
@@ -461,6 +466,7 @@
     "versioning": true,
     "changelog-sections": true,
     "release-as": true,
+    "skip-release": true,
     "skip-github-release": true,
     "skip-changelog": true,
     "draft": true,
diff --git a/src/bin/release-please.ts b/src/bin/release-please.ts
index 39aa9cd42..718bee554 100644
--- a/src/bin/release-please.ts
+++ b/src/bin/release-please.ts
@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@
 
 import {coerceOption} from '../util/coerce-option';
 import * as yargs from 'yargs';
-import {GitHub, GH_API_URL, GH_GRAPHQL_URL} from '../github';
+import {GH_API_URL, GH_GRAPHQL_URL, GH_URL} from '../github';
+import {GL_API_URL, GL_URL} from '../gitlab';
 import {Manifest, ManifestOptions, ROOT_PROJECT_PATH} from '../manifest';
 import {ChangelogSection, buildChangelogSections} from '../changelog-notes';
+import ProviderFactory, {HostedGitClient} from '../provider';
 import {logger, setLogger, CheckpointLogger} from '../util/logger';
 import {
   getReleaserTypes,
@@ -34,6 +36,62 @@ import {createPatch} from 'diff';
 // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
 const parseGithubRepoUrl = require('parse-github-repo-url');
 
+interface RepoCoordinates {
+  owner: string;
+  repo: string;
+  host?: string;
+}
+
+function parseGitLabRepoUrl(repoUrl: string): RepoCoordinates {
+  let raw = repoUrl.trim();
+  if (!raw) {
+    throw new Error('repo-url is required');
+  }
+  let host: string | undefined;
+  // Handle HTTP(S) URLs
+  if (/^https?:\/\//i.test(raw)) {
+    const url = new URL(raw);
+    host = url.origin;
+    raw = url.pathname;
+  } else if (raw.includes('@') && raw.includes(':')) {
+    // Basic SSH form git@gitlab.com:group/project.git
+    const sshParts = raw.split(':');
+    raw = sshParts[sshParts.length - 1];
+    const hostSource = sshParts[0];
+    if (hostSource.includes('@')) {
+      const [, hostCandidate] = hostSource.split('@');
+      if (hostCandidate) {
+        host = `https://${hostCandidate.replace(/:\d+$/, '')}`;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  raw = raw.replace(/^\/+/, '').replace(/\.git$/i, '');
+  const segments = raw.split('/').filter(Boolean);
+  if (segments.length < 2) {
+    throw new Error('GitLab repo URL must include a group and project');
+  }
+  const repo = segments.pop()!;
+  const owner = segments.join('/');
+  return {owner, repo, host};
+}
+
+function parseRepoCoordinates(
+  providerName: string,
+  repoUrl?: string
+): RepoCoordinates {
+  if (!repoUrl) {
+    throw new Error('repo-url must be provided');
+  }
+  if (providerName === 'gitlab') {
+    return parseGitLabRepoUrl(repoUrl);
+  }
+  const [owner, repo] = parseGithubRepoUrl(repoUrl);
+  if (!owner || !repo) {
+    throw new Error(`Could not parse repository from ${repoUrl}`);
+  }
+  return {owner, repo};
+}
+
 interface ErrorObject {
   body?: object;
   status?: number;
@@ -41,9 +99,10 @@ interface ErrorObject {
   stack: string;
 }
 
-interface GitHubArgs {
+interface ProviderArgs {
   dryRun?: boolean;
   trace?: boolean;
+  hostUrl?: string;
   repoUrl?: string;
   token?: string;
   apiUrl?: string;
@@ -52,6 +111,7 @@ interface GitHubArgs {
 
   // deprecated in favor of targetBranch
   defaultBranch?: string;
+  provider?: string; // Which provider to use (github, gitlab, ...)
   targetBranch?: string;
 }
 
@@ -120,7 +180,7 @@ interface TaggingArgs {
 }
 
 interface CreatePullRequestArgs
-  extends GitHubArgs,
+  extends ProviderArgs,
     ManifestArgs,
     ManifestConfigArgs,
     VersioningArgs,
@@ -130,21 +190,21 @@ interface CreatePullRequestArgs
   changelogType?: ChangelogNotesType;
 }
 interface CreateReleaseArgs
-  extends GitHubArgs,
+  extends ProviderArgs,
     ManifestArgs,
     ManifestConfigArgs,
     ReleaseArgs,
     TaggingArgs {}
 interface CreateManifestPullRequestArgs
-  extends GitHubArgs,
+  extends ProviderArgs,
     ManifestArgs,
     PullRequestArgs {}
 interface CreateManifestReleaseArgs
-  extends GitHubArgs,
+  extends ProviderArgs,
     ManifestArgs,
     ReleaseArgs {}
 interface BootstrapArgs
-  extends GitHubArgs,
+  extends ProviderArgs,
     ManifestArgs,
     ManifestConfigArgs,
     VersioningArgs,
@@ -153,32 +213,45 @@ interface BootstrapArgs
     ReleaseArgs {
   initialVersion?: string;
 }
-interface DebugConfigArgs extends GitHubArgs, ManifestArgs {}
+interface DebugConfigArgs extends ProviderArgs, ManifestArgs {}
 
-function gitHubOptions(yargs: yargs.Argv): yargs.Argv {
+function standardOptions(yargs: yargs.Argv): yargs.Argv {
   return yargs
-    .option('token', {describe: 'GitHub token with repo write permissions'})
+    .option('token', {
+      describe: 'GitHub/GitLab token with repo write permissions',
+    })
     .option('api-url', {
       describe: 'URL to use when making API requests',
-      default: GH_API_URL,
       type: 'string',
+      defaultDescription: `GitHub: ${GH_API_URL}; GitLab: ${GL_API_URL}`,
+    })
+    .option('host-url', {
+      describe: 'URL to use when building changelog and release requests',
+      type: 'string',
+      defaultDescription: `GitHub: ${GH_URL}; GitLab: ${GL_URL}`,
     })
     .option('graphql-url', {
-      describe: 'URL to use when making GraphQL requests',
-      default: GH_GRAPHQL_URL,
+      describe: 'URL to use when making GraphQL requests (ignored for GitLab)',
+      type: 'string',
+      defaultDescription: `GitHub: ${GH_GRAPHQL_URL}`,
+    })
+    .option('provider', {
+      describe: "Which provider to use (default 'github')",
+      default: 'github',
       type: 'string',
     })
     .option('default-branch', {
-      describe: 'The branch to open release PRs against and tag releases on',
+      describe: 'The branch to open release PR/MRs against and tag releases on',
       type: 'string',
       deprecated: 'use --target-branch instead',
     })
     .option('target-branch', {
-      describe: 'The branch to open release PRs against and tag releases on',
+      describe: 'The branch to open release PR/MRs against and tag releases on',
       type: 'string',
     })
     .option('repo-url', {
-      describe: 'GitHub URL to generate release for',
+      describe:
+        'Repository URL to generate release for (e.g. GitHub: <org/repo>, GitLab: <group/project>)',
       demand: true,
     })
     .option('dry-run', {
@@ -187,12 +260,20 @@ function gitHubOptions(yargs: yargs.Argv): yargs.Argv {
       default: false,
     })
     .middleware(_argv => {
-      const argv = _argv as GitHubArgs;
+      const argv = _argv as ProviderArgs;
       // allow secrets to be loaded from file path
       // rather than being passed directly to the bin.
       if (argv.token) argv.token = coerceOption(argv.token);
       if (argv.apiUrl) argv.apiUrl = coerceOption(argv.apiUrl);
+      if (argv.hostUrl) argv.hostUrl = coerceOption(argv.hostUrl);
       if (argv.graphqlUrl) argv.graphqlUrl = coerceOption(argv.graphqlUrl);
+      const provider = (argv.provider || 'github').toLowerCase();
+      if (!argv.apiUrl) {
+        argv.apiUrl = provider === 'gitlab' ? GL_API_URL : GH_API_URL;
+      }
+      if (!argv.graphqlUrl && provider === 'github') {
+        argv.graphqlUrl = GH_GRAPHQL_URL;
+      }
     });
 }
 
@@ -448,13 +529,13 @@ const createReleasePullRequestCommand: yargs.CommandModule<
     return manifestOptions(
       manifestConfigOptions(
         taggingOptions(
-          pullRequestOptions(pullRequestStrategyOptions(gitHubOptions(yargs)))
+          pullRequestOptions(pullRequestStrategyOptions(standardOptions(yargs)))
         )
       )
     );
   },
   async handler(argv) {
-    const github = await buildGitHub(argv);
+    const github = await buildProvider(argv);
     const targetBranch = argv.targetBranch || github.repository.defaultBranch;
     let manifest: Manifest;
     if (argv.releaseType) {
@@ -542,68 +623,98 @@ const createReleasePullRequestCommand: yargs.CommandModule<
   },
 };
 
-const createReleaseCommand: yargs.CommandModule<{}, CreateReleaseArgs> = {
-  command: 'github-release',
-  describe: 'create a GitHub release from a release PR',
+async function handleReleaseCommand(
+  argv: CreateReleaseArgs,
+  options: {deprecatedCommandName?: string} = {}
+): Promise<void> {
+  if (options.deprecatedCommandName) {
+    logger.warn(
+      `${options.deprecatedCommandName} is deprecated. Please use release instead.`
+    );
+  }
+
+  const github = await buildProvider(argv);
+  const targetBranch =
+    argv.targetBranch || argv.defaultBranch || github.repository.defaultBranch;
+  let manifest: Manifest;
+  if (argv.releaseType) {
+    manifest = await Manifest.fromConfig(
+      github,
+      targetBranch,
+      {
+        releaseType: argv.releaseType,
+        component: argv.component,
+        packageName: argv.packageName,
+        draft: argv.draft,
+        prerelease: argv.prerelease,
+        includeComponentInTag: argv.monorepoTags,
+        includeVInTag: argv.includeVInTags,
+      },
+      extractManifestOptions(argv),
+      argv.path
+    );
+  } else {
+    const manifestOptions = extractManifestOptions(argv);
+    manifest = await Manifest.fromManifest(
+      github,
+      targetBranch,
+      argv.configFile,
+      argv.manifestFile,
+      manifestOptions
+    );
+  }
+
+  if (argv.dryRun) {
+    const releases = await manifest.buildReleases();
+    logger.info(`Would tag ${releases.length} releases:`);
+    for (const release of releases) {
+      logger.info({
+        name: release.name,
+        tag: release.tag.toString(),
+        notes: release.notes,
+        sha: release.sha,
+        draft: release.draft,
+        prerelease: release.prerelease,
+        pullNumber: release.pullRequest.number,
+      });
+    }
+  } else {
+    const releaseNumbers = await manifest.createReleases();
+    console.log(releaseNumbers);
+  }
+}
+
+const releaseCommand: yargs.CommandModule<{}, CreateReleaseArgs> = {
+  command: 'release',
+  describe: 'create a release from a release PR/MR',
   builder(yargs) {
     return releaseOptions(
       manifestOptions(
-        manifestConfigOptions(taggingOptions(gitHubOptions(yargs)))
+        manifestConfigOptions(taggingOptions(standardOptions(yargs)))
       )
     );
   },
   async handler(argv) {
-    const github = await buildGitHub(argv);
-    const targetBranch =
-      argv.targetBranch ||
-      argv.defaultBranch ||
-      github.repository.defaultBranch;
-    let manifest: Manifest;
-    if (argv.releaseType) {
-      manifest = await Manifest.fromConfig(
-        github,
-        targetBranch,
-        {
-          releaseType: argv.releaseType,
-          component: argv.component,
-          packageName: argv.packageName,
-          draft: argv.draft,
-          prerelease: argv.prerelease,
-          includeComponentInTag: argv.monorepoTags,
-          includeVInTag: argv.includeVInTags,
-        },
-        extractManifestOptions(argv),
-        argv.path
-      );
-    } else {
-      const manifestOptions = extractManifestOptions(argv);
-      manifest = await Manifest.fromManifest(
-        github,
-        targetBranch,
-        argv.configFile,
-        argv.manifestFile,
-        manifestOptions
-      );
-    }
+    await handleReleaseCommand(argv);
+  },
+};
 
-    if (argv.dryRun) {
-      const releases = await manifest.buildReleases();
-      logger.info(`Would tag ${releases.length} releases:`);
-      for (const release of releases) {
-        logger.info({
-          name: release.name,
-          tag: release.tag.toString(),
-          notes: release.notes,
-          sha: release.sha,
-          draft: release.draft,
-          prerelease: release.prerelease,
-          pullNumber: release.pullRequest.number,
-        });
-      }
-    } else {
-      const releaseNumbers = await manifest.createReleases();
-      console.log(releaseNumbers);
-    }
+const deprecatedGithubReleaseCommand: yargs.CommandModule<
+  {},
+  CreateReleaseArgs
+> = {
+  command: 'github-release',
+  describe: 'create a release from a release PR/MR',
+  deprecated: 'use release instead',
+  builder(yargs) {
+    return releaseOptions(
+      manifestOptions(
+        manifestConfigOptions(taggingOptions(standardOptions(yargs)))
+      )
+    );
+  },
+  async handler(argv) {
+    await handleReleaseCommand(argv, {deprecatedCommandName: 'github-release'});
   },
 };
 
@@ -615,11 +726,11 @@ const createManifestPullRequestCommand: yargs.CommandModule<
   describe: 'create a release-PR using a manifest file',
   deprecated: 'use release-pr instead.',
   builder(yargs) {
-    return manifestOptions(pullRequestOptions(gitHubOptions(yargs)));
+    return manifestOptions(pullRequestOptions(standardOptions(yargs)));
   },
   async handler(argv) {
     logger.warn('manifest-pr is deprecated. Please use release-pr instead.');
-    const github = await buildGitHub(argv);
+    const github = await buildProvider(argv);
     const targetBranch =
       argv.targetBranch ||
       argv.defaultBranch ||
@@ -664,15 +775,13 @@ const createManifestReleaseCommand: yargs.CommandModule<
 > = {
   command: 'manifest-release',
   describe: 'create releases/tags from last release-PR using a manifest file',
-  deprecated: 'use github-release instead',
+  deprecated: 'use release instead',
   builder(yargs) {
-    return manifestOptions(releaseOptions(gitHubOptions(yargs)));
+    return manifestOptions(releaseOptions(standardOptions(yargs)));
   },
   async handler(argv) {
-    logger.warn(
-      'manifest-release is deprecated. Please use github-release instead.'
-    );
-    const github = await buildGitHub(argv);
+    logger.warn('manifest-release is deprecated. Please use release instead.');
+    const github = await buildProvider(argv);
     const targetBranch =
       argv.targetBranch ||
       argv.defaultBranch ||
@@ -702,7 +811,7 @@ const bootstrapCommand: yargs.CommandModule<{}, BootstrapArgs> = {
   builder(yargs) {
     return manifestConfigOptions(
       manifestOptions(
-        releaseOptions(pullRequestStrategyOptions(gitHubOptions(yargs)))
+        releaseOptions(pullRequestStrategyOptions(standardOptions(yargs)))
       )
     )
       .option('initial-version', {
@@ -713,7 +822,7 @@ const bootstrapCommand: yargs.CommandModule<{}, BootstrapArgs> = {
       });
   },
   async handler(argv) {
-    const github = await buildGitHub(argv);
+    const github = await buildProvider(argv);
     const targetBranch =
       argv.targetBranch ||
       argv.defaultBranch ||
@@ -789,10 +898,10 @@ const debugConfigCommand: yargs.CommandModule<{}, DebugConfigArgs> = {
   command: 'debug-config',
   describe: 'debug manifest config',
   builder(yargs) {
-    return manifestConfigOptions(manifestOptions(gitHubOptions(yargs)));
+    return manifestConfigOptions(manifestOptions(standardOptions(yargs)));
   },
   async handler(argv) {
-    const github = await buildGitHub(argv);
+    const github = await buildProvider(argv);
     const manifestOptions = extractManifestOptions(argv);
     const targetBranch =
       argv.targetBranch ||
@@ -809,21 +918,29 @@ const debugConfigCommand: yargs.CommandModule<{}, DebugConfigArgs> = {
   },
 };
 
-async function buildGitHub(argv: GitHubArgs): Promise<GitHub> {
-  const [owner, repo] = parseGithubRepoUrl(argv.repoUrl);
-  const github = await GitHub.create({
+async function buildProvider(argv: ProviderArgs): Promise<HostedGitClient> {
+  const providerName = (argv.provider || 'github').toLowerCase();
+  const {owner, repo, host} = parseRepoCoordinates(providerName, argv.repoUrl);
+  let hostUrl = argv.hostUrl;
+  if (!hostUrl) {
+    hostUrl = host ?? (providerName === 'gitlab' ? GL_URL : GH_URL);
+  }
+  const provider = await ProviderFactory.create(providerName, {
     owner,
     repo,
-    token: argv.token!,
+    token: argv.token,
     apiUrl: argv.apiUrl,
     graphqlUrl: argv.graphqlUrl,
+    host,
+    hostUrl,
   });
-  return github;
+  return provider;
 }
 
 export const parser = yargs
   .command(createReleasePullRequestCommand)
-  .command(createReleaseCommand)
+  .command(releaseCommand)
+  .command(deprecatedGithubReleaseCommand)
   .command(createManifestPullRequestCommand)
   .command(createManifestReleaseCommand)
   .command(bootstrapCommand)
@@ -878,7 +995,7 @@ interface HandleError {
 }
 
 function extractManifestOptions(
-  argv: GitHubArgs & (PullRequestArgs | ReleaseArgs)
+  argv: ProviderArgs & (PullRequestArgs | ReleaseArgs)
 ): ManifestOptions {
   const manifestOptions: ManifestOptions = {};
   if ('fork' in argv && argv.fork !== undefined) {
diff --git a/src/bootstrapper.ts b/src/bootstrapper.ts
index 6c31a33ad..a96c8572c 100644
--- a/src/bootstrapper.ts
+++ b/src/bootstrapper.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
 
-import {GitHub} from './github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from './provider';
 import {
   DEFAULT_RELEASE_PLEASE_MANIFEST,
   DEFAULT_RELEASE_PLEASE_CONFIG,
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@ interface BootstrapPullRequest extends PullRequest {
 }
 
 export class Bootstrapper {
-  private github: GitHub;
+  private github: HostedGitClient;
   private targetBranch: string;
   private manifestFile: string;
   private configFile: string;
   private initialVersion: Version;
   constructor(
-    github: GitHub,
+    github: HostedGitClient,
     targetBranch: string,
     manifestFile: string = DEFAULT_RELEASE_PLEASE_MANIFEST,
     configFile: string = DEFAULT_RELEASE_PLEASE_CONFIG,
diff --git a/src/changelog-notes.ts b/src/changelog-notes.ts
index 5d688ad76..f246c6988 100644
--- a/src/changelog-notes.ts
+++ b/src/changelog-notes.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ export interface BuildNotesOptions {
   targetBranch: string;
   changelogSections?: ChangelogSection[];
   commits?: Commit[];
+  commitTemplateUri: string;
+  issueTemplateUri: string;
 }
 
 export interface ChangelogNotes {
diff --git a/src/factories/changelog-notes-factory.ts b/src/factories/changelog-notes-factory.ts
index 9113137b3..3c145acd6 100644
--- a/src/factories/changelog-notes-factory.ts
+++ b/src/factories/changelog-notes-factory.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 // limitations under the License.
 
 import {GitHub} from '../github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from '../provider';
 import {ChangelogNotes, ChangelogSection} from '../changelog-notes';
 import {GitHubChangelogNotes} from '../changelog-notes/github';
 import {DefaultChangelogNotes} from '../changelog-notes/default';
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ export type ChangelogNotesType = string;
 
 export interface ChangelogNotesFactoryOptions {
   type: ChangelogNotesType;
-  github: GitHub;
+  github: HostedGitClient;
   changelogSections?: ChangelogSection[];
   commitPartial?: string;
   headerPartial?: string;
@@ -34,7 +35,16 @@ export type ChangelogNotesBuilder = (
 ) => ChangelogNotes;
 
 const changelogNotesFactories: Record<string, ChangelogNotesBuilder> = {
-  github: options => new GitHubChangelogNotes(options.github),
+  github: options => {
+    if (!(options.github instanceof GitHub)) {
+      throw new ConfigurationError(
+        'GitHub changelog notes are only supported when using the GitHub provider',
+        'core',
+        `${options.github.repository.owner}/${options.github.repository.repo}`
+      );
+    }
+    return new GitHubChangelogNotes(options.github);
+  },
   default: options => new DefaultChangelogNotes(options),
 };
 
diff --git a/src/factories/plugin-factory.ts b/src/factories/plugin-factory.ts
index 5f2756e51..d10f43d80 100644
--- a/src/factories/plugin-factory.ts
+++ b/src/factories/plugin-factory.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import {
   SentenceCasePluginConfig,
   GroupPriorityPluginConfig,
 } from '../manifest';
-import {GitHub} from '../github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from '../provider';
 import {ManifestPlugin} from '../plugin';
 import {LinkedVersions} from '../plugins/linked-versions';
 import {CargoWorkspace} from '../plugins/cargo-workspace';
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ import {WorkspacePluginOptions} from '../plugins/workspace';
 
 export interface PluginFactoryOptions {
   type: PluginType;
-  github: GitHub;
+  github: HostedGitClient;
   targetBranch: string;
   repositoryConfig: RepositoryConfig;
   manifestPath: string;
diff --git a/src/factories/versioning-strategy-factory.ts b/src/factories/versioning-strategy-factory.ts
index ba69b0714..db15c0137 100644
--- a/src/factories/versioning-strategy-factory.ts
+++ b/src/factories/versioning-strategy-factory.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import {AlwaysBumpPatch} from '../versioning-strategies/always-bump-patch';
 import {AlwaysBumpMinor} from '../versioning-strategies/always-bump-minor';
 import {AlwaysBumpMajor} from '../versioning-strategies/always-bump-major';
 import {ServicePackVersioningStrategy} from '../versioning-strategies/service-pack';
-import {GitHub} from '../github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from '../provider';
 import {ConfigurationError} from '../errors';
 import {PrereleaseVersioningStrategy} from '../versioning-strategies/prerelease';
 
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export interface VersioningStrategyFactoryOptions {
   bumpPatchForMinorPreMajor?: boolean;
   prereleaseType?: string;
   prerelease?: boolean;
-  github: GitHub;
+  github: HostedGitClient;
 }
 
 export type VersioningStrategyBuilder = (
diff --git a/src/factory.ts b/src/factory.ts
index 025cf1e48..21baece0d 100644
--- a/src/factory.ts
+++ b/src/factory.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 import {ConfigurationError} from './errors';
 import {buildChangelogNotes} from './factories/changelog-notes-factory';
 import {buildVersioningStrategy} from './factories/versioning-strategy-factory';
-import {GitHub} from './github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from './provider';
 import {ReleaserConfig} from './manifest';
 import {BaseStrategyOptions} from './strategies/base';
 import {Bazel} from './strategies/bazel';
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ export type ReleaseType = string;
 export type ReleaseBuilder = (options: BaseStrategyOptions) => Strategy;
 
 export interface StrategyFactoryOptions extends ReleaserConfig {
-  github: GitHub;
+  github: HostedGitClient;
   path?: string;
   targetBranch?: string;
 }
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ export async function buildStrategy(
 ): Promise<Strategy> {
   const targetBranch =
     options.targetBranch ?? options.github.repository.defaultBranch;
+  const skipRelease = options.skipRelease ?? options.skipGithubRelease ?? false;
   const versioningStrategy = buildVersioningStrategy({
     github: options.github,
     type: options.versioning,
@@ -132,9 +133,10 @@ export async function buildStrategy(
     changelogSections: options.changelogSections,
   });
   const strategyOptions: BaseStrategyOptions = {
-    skipGitHubRelease: options.skipGithubRelease, // Note the case difference in GitHub
-    skipChangelog: options.skipChangelog,
     ...options,
+    skipRelease,
+    skipGitHubRelease: options.skipGithubRelease ?? skipRelease, // Deprecated alias retains behaviour
+    skipChangelog: options.skipChangelog,
     targetBranch,
     versioningStrategy,
     changelogNotes,
diff --git a/src/github.ts b/src/github.ts
index c0bbf3668..37323fa9d 100644
--- a/src/github.ts
+++ b/src/github.ts
@@ -22,13 +22,14 @@ import {graphql} from '@octokit/graphql';
 import {RequestError} from '@octokit/request-error';
 import {
   GitHubAPIError,
-  DuplicateReleaseError,
   FileNotFoundError,
   ConfigurationError,
+  DuplicateReleaseError,
 } from './errors';
 
 const MAX_ISSUE_BODY_SIZE = 65536;
 const MAX_SLEEP_SECONDS = 20;
+export const GH_URL = 'https://www.github.com';
 export const GH_API_URL = 'https://api.github.com';
 export const GH_GRAPHQL_URL = 'https://api.github.com';
 type OctokitType = InstanceType<typeof Octokit>;
@@ -51,6 +52,8 @@ import {HttpsProxyAgent} from 'https-proxy-agent';
 import {HttpProxyAgent} from 'http-proxy-agent';
 import {PullRequestOverflowHandler} from './util/pull-request-overflow-handler';
 import {mergeUpdates} from './updaters/composite';
+import {GitHubRelease} from './provider-interfaces';
+import {HostedGitClient} from './provider';
 
 // Extract some types from the `request` package.
 type RequestBuilderType = typeof request;
@@ -66,6 +69,7 @@ export interface GitHubOptions {
   repository: Repository;
   octokitAPIs: OctokitAPIs;
   logger?: Logger;
+  hostUrl?: string;
 }
 
 interface ProxyOption {
@@ -73,7 +77,7 @@ interface ProxyOption {
   port: number;
 }
 
-interface GitHubCreateOptions {
+export interface GitHubCreateOptions {
   owner: string;
   repo: string;
   defaultBranch?: string;
@@ -84,9 +88,10 @@ interface GitHubCreateOptions {
   logger?: Logger;
   proxy?: ProxyOption;
   fetch?: any;
+  hostUrl?: string;
 }
 
-type CommitFilter = (commit: Commit) => boolean;
+export type CommitFilter = (commit: Commit) => boolean;
 
 interface GraphQLCommit {
   sha: string;
@@ -157,16 +162,16 @@ interface ReleaseHistory {
   data: GitHubRelease[];
 }
 
-interface CommitIteratorOptions {
+export interface CommitIteratorOptions {
   maxResults?: number;
   backfillFiles?: boolean;
 }
 
-interface ReleaseIteratorOptions {
+export interface ReleaseIteratorOptions {
   maxResults?: number;
 }
 
-interface TagIteratorOptions {
+export interface TagIteratorOptions {
   maxResults?: number;
 }
 
@@ -175,22 +180,6 @@ export interface ReleaseOptions {
   prerelease?: boolean;
 }
 
-export interface GitHubRelease {
-  id: number;
-  name?: string;
-  tagName: string;
-  sha: string;
-  notes?: string;
-  url: string;
-  draft?: boolean;
-  uploadUrl?: string;
-}
-
-export interface GitHubTag {
-  name: string;
-  sha: string;
-}
-
 interface FileDiff {
   readonly mode: '100644' | '100755' | '040000' | '160000' | '120000';
   readonly content: string | null;
@@ -198,18 +187,19 @@ interface FileDiff {
 }
 export type ChangeSet = Map<string, FileDiff>;
 
-interface CreatePullRequestOptions {
+export interface CreatePullRequestOptions {
   fork?: boolean;
   draft?: boolean;
 }
 
-export class GitHub {
+export class GitHub implements HostedGitClient {
   readonly repository: Repository;
   private octokit: OctokitType;
   private request: RequestFunctionType;
   private graphql: Function;
   private fileCache: RepositoryFileCache;
   private logger: Logger;
+  private hostUrl?: string;
 
   private constructor(options: GitHubOptions) {
     this.repository = options.repository;
@@ -218,6 +208,7 @@ export class GitHub {
     this.graphql = options.octokitAPIs.graphql;
     this.fileCache = new RepositoryFileCache(this.octokit, this.repository);
     this.logger = options.logger ?? defaultLogger;
+    this.hostUrl = options.hostUrl;
   }
 
   static createDefaultAgent(baseUrl: string, defaultProxy?: ProxyOption) {
@@ -295,6 +286,7 @@ export class GitHub {
       },
       octokitAPIs: apis,
       logger: options.logger,
+      hostUrl: options.hostUrl,
     };
     return new GitHub(opts);
   }
@@ -1560,6 +1552,19 @@ export class GitHub {
     return content.html_url;
   }
 
+  async getProviderDetails(): Promise<{
+    hostUrl: string;
+    issueFormatUrl: string;
+    commitFormatUrl: string;
+  }> {
+    const hostUrl = this.hostUrl || GH_URL;
+    return {
+      hostUrl,
+      issueFormatUrl: `${hostUrl}/${this.repository.owner}/${this.repository.repo}/issues/{{id}}`,
+      commitFormatUrl: `${hostUrl}/${this.repository.owner}/${this.repository.repo}/commit/{{sha}}`,
+    };
+  }
+
   /**
    * Helper to fetch the SHA of a branch
    * @param {string} branchName The name of the branch
diff --git a/src/gitlab.ts b/src/gitlab.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..77fa65fd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/gitlab.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,1263 @@
+// Copyright 2025 Google LLC
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+import {Gitlab as GitbeakerClient} from '@gitbeaker/rest';
+import {GitbeakerRequestError} from '@gitbeaker/requester-utils';
+import {logger as defaultLogger} from './util/logger';
+import type {Logger} from './util/logger';
+import type {Repository} from './repository';
+import type {Commit} from './commit';
+import type {PullRequest} from './pull-request';
+import type {ReleasePullRequest} from './release-pull-request';
+import type {Update} from './update';
+import type {Release} from './release';
+import type {
+  CommitIteratorOptions,
+  CreatePullRequestOptions,
+  ReleaseOptions,
+  ReleaseIteratorOptions,
+  TagIteratorOptions,
+} from './github';
+import type {GitHubRelease, GitHubTag} from './provider-interfaces';
+import type {GitHubFileContents} from '@google-automations/git-file-utils';
+import type {PullRequestOverflowHandler} from './util/pull-request-overflow-handler';
+import {mergeUpdates} from './updaters/composite';
+import {HostedGitClient} from './provider';
+
+type GitbeakerInstance = InstanceType<typeof GitbeakerClient>;
+
+type GitLabFileContents = {
+  sha: string;
+  content: string;
+  parsedContent: string;
+  mode: string;
+  update: boolean;
+};
+
+type GitLabCommitAction = {
+  action: 'create' | 'update';
+  filePath: string;
+  file_path?: string;
+  content: string;
+  encoding?: 'text';
+  fileMode?: string;
+  file_mode?: string;
+};
+type GitLabMergeRequest = {
+  iid: number;
+  title: string;
+  description?: string | null;
+  labels?: Array<string | {name?: string}>;
+};
+type GitLabMergeRequestSummary = {
+  iid: number;
+  title: string;
+  description?: string | null;
+  source_branch: string;
+  target_branch: string;
+  state: string;
+  labels?: Array<string | {name?: string}>;
+  merge_commit_sha?: string | null;
+  merged_at?: string | null;
+};
+type GitLabMergeRequestChanges = {
+  changes?: Array<{
+    new_path?: string | null;
+    old_path?: string | null;
+  }>;
+};
+
+type GitLabNote = {
+  id?: number;
+  web_url?: string;
+  webUrl?: string;
+};
+type GitLabReleaseSummary = {
+  name?: string | null;
+  tag_name?: string;
+  tagName?: string;
+  description?: string | null;
+  commit?: {id?: string | null} | null;
+  links?: {self?: string | null} | null;
+  _links?: {self?: string | null} | null;
+  upcoming_release?: boolean;
+  upcomingRelease?: boolean;
+};
+export declare const DEFAULT_FILE_MODE = '100644';
+
+interface FileDiff {
+  readonly mode: '100644' | '100755' | '040000' | '160000' | '120000';
+  readonly content: string | null;
+  readonly originalContent: string | null;
+  readonly update: boolean;
+}
+export type GitLabChangeSet = Map<string, FileDiff>;
+
+export const GL_URL = 'https://gitlab.com';
+export const GL_API_URL = 'https://gitlab.com/api/v4';
+const MAX_PER_PAGE = 100;
+const API_SUFFIX = '/api/v4';
+
+const stripApiSuffix = (url: string): string =>
+  url.endsWith(API_SUFFIX) ? url.slice(0, -API_SUFFIX.length) : url;
+
+export interface GitLabCreateOptions {
+  owner: string;
+  repo: string;
+  defaultBranch?: string;
+  apiUrl?: string;
+  token?: string;
+  logger?: Logger;
+  host?: string;
+  hostUrl?: string;
+}
+
+interface GitLabOptions {
+  repository: Repository;
+  token?: string;
+  apiUrl?: string;
+  logger?: Logger;
+  gitbeaker?: GitbeakerInstance;
+  hostUrl?: string;
+}
+
+// GitLab may return config files that include a UTF-8 BOM, which breaks JSON.parse.
+const stripBom = (value: string): string =>
+  value.charCodeAt(0) === 0xfeff ? value.slice(1) : value;
+
+const isNotFoundError = (error: unknown): boolean =>
+  error instanceof GitbeakerRequestError &&
+  error.cause?.response?.status === 404;
+
+export class GitLab implements HostedGitClient {
+  readonly repository: Repository;
+  private readonly token?: string;
+  private readonly apiUrl: string;
+  private readonly logger: Logger;
+  private readonly gitbeaker: GitbeakerInstance;
+  private readonly hostUrl?: string;
+
+  private constructor(options: GitLabOptions) {
+    this.repository = options.repository;
+    this.token = options.token;
+    this.apiUrl = options.apiUrl || GL_API_URL;
+    this.logger = options.logger ?? defaultLogger;
+    this.hostUrl = options.hostUrl;
+    const host = stripApiSuffix(this.apiUrl);
+    this.gitbeaker =
+      options.gitbeaker ??
+      new GitbeakerClient(this.token ? {host, token: this.token} : {host});
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Build a new GitLab client with auto-detected default branch.
+   */
+  static async create(options: GitLabCreateOptions): Promise<GitLab> {
+    const apiUrl = options.host
+      ? `${options.host}/api/v4`
+      : options.apiUrl ?? GL_API_URL;
+    const host = stripApiSuffix(apiUrl);
+    const gitbeaker = new GitbeakerClient(
+      options.token ? {host, token: options.token} : {host}
+    );
+
+    const log = options.logger ?? defaultLogger;
+    log.debug('Creating GitLab client');
+    log.debug(`Using API URL: ${apiUrl}`);
+    log.debug(`Using host: ${host}`);
+    log.debug(`Using owner: ${options.owner}`);
+    log.debug(`Using repo: ${options.repo}`);
+
+    const repository: Repository = {
+      owner: options.owner,
+      repo: options.repo,
+      defaultBranch:
+        options.defaultBranch ??
+        (await GitLab.defaultBranch(options.owner, options.repo, gitbeaker)),
+    };
+    return new GitLab({
+      repository,
+      token: options.token,
+      apiUrl,
+      logger: options.logger,
+      gitbeaker,
+      hostUrl: options.hostUrl,
+    });
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns the default branch for a given repository.
+   */
+  static async defaultBranch(
+    owner: string,
+    repo: string,
+    gitbeaker: GitbeakerInstance
+  ): Promise<string> {
+    const projectPath = `${owner}/${repo}`;
+    defaultLogger.debug(`Resolving GitLab default branch for ${projectPath}`);
+    try {
+      const project = (await gitbeaker.Projects.show(projectPath)) as {
+        default_branch?: string;
+      };
+      if (project?.default_branch) {
+        defaultLogger.debug(
+          `GitLab default branch for ${projectPath} is ${project.default_branch}`
+        );
+        return project.default_branch;
+      }
+      defaultLogger.debug(
+        `GitLab project ${projectPath} did not specify a default branch; falling back to main`
+      );
+      return 'main';
+    } catch (err) {
+      const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+      defaultLogger.warn(
+        `Failed to fetch GitLab project ${projectPath}: ${message}`
+      );
+      throw new Error(`Failed to fetch GitLab project: ${message}`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  async commitsSince(
+    targetBranch: string,
+    filter: (commit: Commit) => boolean,
+    options: CommitIteratorOptions = {}
+  ): Promise<Commit[]> {
+    const commits: Commit[] = [];
+    const generator = this.mergeCommitIterator(targetBranch, options);
+    for await (const commit of generator) {
+      if (filter(commit)) {
+        break;
+      }
+      commits.push(commit);
+    }
+    return commits;
+  }
+
+  async *mergeCommitIterator(
+    targetBranch: string,
+    options: CommitIteratorOptions = {}
+  ): AsyncGenerator<Commit, void, void> {
+    const maxResults = options.maxResults ?? Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER;
+    const projectPath = encodeURIComponent(
+      `${this.repository.owner}/${this.repository.repo}`
+    );
+    let page = 1;
+    let results = 0;
+    while (results < maxResults) {
+      const headers: Record<string, string> = {
+        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+      };
+      if (this.token) {
+        headers['PRIVATE-TOKEN'] = this.token;
+      }
+      const response = await fetch(
+        `${this.apiUrl}/projects/${projectPath}/repository/commits?ref_name=${targetBranch}&per_page=${MAX_PER_PAGE}&page=${page}`,
+        {headers}
+      );
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        this.logger.warn(
+          `Failed to fetch commits for branch ${targetBranch}: ${response.status}`
+        );
+        break;
+      }
+      const gitlabCommits = (await response.json()) as {
+        id: string;
+        message: string;
+      }[];
+      if (!gitlabCommits.length) {
+        break;
+      }
+      for (const gitlabCommit of gitlabCommits) {
+        if (results >= maxResults) {
+          break;
+        }
+        results += 1;
+        const commit: Commit = {
+          sha: gitlabCommit.id,
+          message: gitlabCommit.message,
+          files: [],
+        };
+        // TODO: Fetch associated merge requests and files when support is added.
+        if (options.backfillFiles) {
+          this.logger.warn(
+            `backfillFiles requested for commit ${gitlabCommit.id}, but GitLab provider does not yet populate file lists.`
+          );
+        }
+        yield commit;
+      }
+      if (gitlabCommits.length < MAX_PER_PAGE) {
+        break;
+      }
+      page += 1;
+    }
+  }
+
+  async *pullRequestIterator(
+    targetBranch: string,
+    status: 'OPEN' | 'CLOSED' | 'MERGED' = 'MERGED',
+    maxResults: number = Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER,
+    includeFiles = true
+  ): AsyncGenerator<PullRequest, void, void> {
+    const stateMap: Record<typeof status, 'opened' | 'closed' | 'merged'> = {
+      OPEN: 'opened',
+      CLOSED: 'closed',
+      MERGED: 'merged',
+    };
+    const projectPath = this.projectPath();
+    const perPage = MAX_PER_PAGE;
+    let page = 1;
+    let results = 0;
+    while (results < maxResults) {
+      let mergeRequests: GitLabMergeRequestSummary[];
+      try {
+        mergeRequests = (await this.gitbeaker.MergeRequests.all({
+          projectId: projectPath,
+          targetBranch,
+          state: stateMap[status],
+          perPage,
+          page,
+          orderBy: 'updated_at',
+          sort: 'desc',
+        })) as GitLabMergeRequestSummary[];
+      } catch (err) {
+        const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+        this.logger.warn(
+          `Failed to fetch merge requests for branch ${targetBranch}: ${message}`
+        );
+        break;
+      }
+
+      if (!mergeRequests.length) {
+        break;
+      }
+
+      for (const mergeRequest of mergeRequests) {
+        if (results >= maxResults) {
+          break;
+        }
+
+        if (mergeRequest.target_branch !== targetBranch) {
+          continue;
+        }
+
+        let files: string[] = [];
+        if (includeFiles) {
+          try {
+            const changes = (await this.gitbeaker.MergeRequests.showChanges(
+              projectPath,
+              mergeRequest.iid
+            )) as GitLabMergeRequestChanges;
+            if (Array.isArray(changes?.changes)) {
+              const fileSet = new Set<string>();
+              for (const change of changes.changes) {
+                if (change?.new_path) {
+                  fileSet.add(change.new_path);
+                }
+                if (change?.old_path) {
+                  fileSet.add(change.old_path);
+                }
+              }
+              files = Array.from(fileSet);
+            }
+          } catch (err) {
+            const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+            this.logger.warn(
+              `Failed to fetch changes for merge request !${mergeRequest.iid}: ${message}`
+            );
+          }
+        }
+
+        results += 1;
+        yield {
+          headBranchName: mergeRequest.source_branch,
+          baseBranchName: mergeRequest.target_branch,
+          number: mergeRequest.iid,
+          title: mergeRequest.title,
+          body: mergeRequest.description ?? '',
+          labels: this.extractLabelNames(
+            mergeRequest.labels as GitLabMergeRequest['labels']
+          ),
+          files,
+          mergeCommitOid: mergeRequest.merge_commit_sha ?? undefined,
+          sha: mergeRequest.merge_commit_sha ?? undefined,
+        };
+      }
+
+      if (mergeRequests.length < perPage) {
+        break;
+      }
+      page += 1;
+    }
+  }
+
+  async *releaseIterator(
+    options: ReleaseIteratorOptions = {}
+  ): AsyncGenerator<GitHubRelease, void, void> {
+    const maxResults = options.maxResults ?? Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER;
+    const projectPath = this.projectPath();
+    const perPage = MAX_PER_PAGE;
+    let page = 1;
+    let results = 0;
+    while (results < maxResults) {
+      let releases: GitLabReleaseSummary[];
+      try {
+        releases = (await this.gitbeaker.ProjectReleases.all(projectPath, {
+          perPage,
+          page,
+        })) as GitLabReleaseSummary[];
+      } catch (err) {
+        const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+        this.logger.warn(`Failed to fetch releases: ${message}`);
+        break;
+      }
+      if (!releases.length) {
+        break;
+      }
+      for (const release of releases) {
+        if (results >= maxResults) {
+          break;
+        }
+        const rawTagName =
+          (release as {tagName?: string}).tagName ??
+          (release as {tag_name?: string}).tag_name;
+        const tagName =
+          typeof rawTagName === 'string' && rawTagName.trim().length > 0
+            ? rawTagName.trim()
+            : undefined;
+        if (!tagName) {
+          continue;
+        }
+        const commitId =
+          typeof release.commit?.id === 'string' && release.commit.id.length > 0
+            ? release.commit.id
+            : undefined;
+        if (!commitId) {
+          continue;
+        }
+        results += 1;
+        yield {
+          id: this.releaseNumericId(tagName),
+          name: release.name ?? undefined,
+          tagName,
+          sha: commitId,
+          notes: release.description ?? undefined,
+          url: this.releaseWebUrl(tagName),
+          draft:
+            release.upcomingRelease ?? release.upcoming_release ?? undefined,
+        };
+      }
+      if (releases.length < perPage) {
+        break;
+      }
+      page += 1;
+    }
+  }
+
+  async *tagIterator(
+    options: TagIteratorOptions = {}
+  ): AsyncGenerator<GitHubTag, void, void> {
+    const maxResults = options.maxResults ?? Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER;
+    const projectPath = encodeURIComponent(
+      `${this.repository.owner}/${this.repository.repo}`
+    );
+    let page = 1;
+    let results = 0;
+    while (results < maxResults) {
+      const headers: Record<string, string> = {
+        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+      };
+      if (this.token) {
+        headers['PRIVATE-TOKEN'] = this.token;
+      }
+      const response = await fetch(
+        `${this.apiUrl}/projects/${projectPath}/repository/tags?per_page=${MAX_PER_PAGE}&page=${page}`,
+        {headers}
+      );
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        this.logger.warn(`Failed to fetch tags: ${response.status}`);
+        break;
+      }
+      const tags = (await response.json()) as {
+        name: string;
+        commit: {id: string};
+      }[];
+      if (!tags.length) {
+        break;
+      }
+      for (const tag of tags) {
+        if (results >= maxResults) {
+          break;
+        }
+        results += 1;
+        yield {
+          name: tag.name,
+          sha: tag.commit.id,
+        };
+      }
+      if (tags.length < MAX_PER_PAGE) {
+        break;
+      }
+      page += 1;
+    }
+  }
+
+  async getFileContents(path: string): Promise<GitLabFileContents> {
+    return this.getFileContentsOnBranch(path, this.repository.defaultBranch);
+  }
+
+  async getFileContentsOnBranch(
+    path: string,
+    branch: string
+  ): Promise<GitLabFileContents> {
+    const projectPath = this.projectPath();
+    try {
+      const file = (await this.gitbeaker.RepositoryFiles.show(
+        projectPath,
+        path,
+        branch
+      )) as {
+        blob_id: string;
+        content: string;
+        encoding?: string;
+        file_mode?: string;
+      };
+
+      return {
+        sha: file.blob_id,
+        content: file.content,
+        parsedContent: file.content,
+        mode: file.file_mode ?? '100644',
+        update: true,
+      };
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (isNotFoundError(err)) {
+        return undefined as unknown as GitLabFileContents;
+      }
+      const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+      throw new Error(`Failed to fetch file ${path}: ${message}`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  async getFileJson<T>(path: string, branch: string): Promise<T> {
+    const fileContents = await this.getFileContentsOnBranch(path, branch);
+    return JSON.parse(stripBom(fileContents.parsedContent)) as T;
+  }
+
+  async findFilesByFilename(
+    filename: string,
+    prefix?: string
+  ): Promise<string[]> {
+    return this.findFilesByFilenameAndRef(
+      filename,
+      this.repository.defaultBranch,
+      prefix
+    );
+  }
+
+  async findFilesByFilenameAndRef(
+    filename: string,
+    ref: string,
+    prefix?: string
+  ): Promise<string[]> {
+    void filename;
+    void ref;
+    void prefix;
+    this.logger.warn('findFilesByFilenameAndRef not yet fully implemented');
+    return [];
+  }
+
+  async findFilesByGlob(glob: string, prefix?: string): Promise<string[]> {
+    return this.findFilesByGlobAndRef(
+      glob,
+      this.repository.defaultBranch,
+      prefix
+    );
+  }
+
+  async findFilesByGlobAndRef(
+    glob: string,
+    ref: string,
+    prefix?: string
+  ): Promise<string[]> {
+    void glob;
+    void ref;
+    void prefix;
+    this.logger.warn('findFilesByGlobAndRef not yet fully implemented');
+    return [];
+  }
+
+  async findFilesByExtension(
+    extension: string,
+    prefix?: string
+  ): Promise<string[]> {
+    return this.findFilesByExtensionAndRef(
+      extension,
+      this.repository.defaultBranch,
+      prefix
+    );
+  }
+
+  async findFilesByExtensionAndRef(
+    extension: string,
+    ref: string,
+    prefix?: string
+  ): Promise<string[]> {
+    void extension;
+    void ref;
+    void prefix;
+    this.logger.warn('findFilesByExtensionAndRef not yet fully implemented');
+    return [];
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Given a set of proposed updates, build a changeset to suggest.
+   *
+   * @param {Update[]} updates The proposed updates
+   * @param {string} defaultBranch The target branch
+   * @return {Changes} The changeset to suggest.
+   * @throws {GitHubAPIError} on an API error
+   */
+  async buildChangeSet(
+    updates: Update[],
+    defaultBranch: string
+  ): Promise<GitLabChangeSet> {
+    // Sometimes multiple updates are proposed for the same file,
+    // such as when the manifest file is additionally changed by the
+    // node-workspace plugin. We need to merge these updates.
+    const mergedUpdates = mergeUpdates(updates);
+    this.logger.debug(
+      `Building change set with ${mergedUpdates.length} updates for ${defaultBranch}`
+    );
+    const changes = new Map();
+    for (const update of mergedUpdates) {
+      let content: GitHubFileContents | undefined;
+      try {
+        content = await this.getFileContentsOnBranch(
+          update.path,
+          defaultBranch
+        );
+      } catch (err) {
+        // if the file is missing and create = false, just continue
+        // to the next update, otherwise create the file.
+      }
+
+      if (content === undefined && !update.createIfMissing) {
+        this.logger.warn(`file ${update.path} did not exist`);
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      if (content === undefined) {
+        this.logger.debug(
+          `Planning to create new file ${update.path} on ${defaultBranch}`
+        );
+      } else {
+        this.logger.debug(`Planning to update ${update.path}`);
+      }
+
+      const contentText = content
+        ? Buffer.from(content.content, 'base64').toString('utf8')
+        : undefined;
+      const updatedContent = update.updater.updateContent(
+        contentText,
+        this.logger
+      );
+      if (updatedContent) {
+        changes.set(update.path, {
+          content: updatedContent,
+          originalContent: content?.parsedContent || null,
+          mode: content?.mode || DEFAULT_FILE_MODE,
+          update: content !== undefined,
+        });
+      }
+    }
+    return changes;
+  }
+
+  createPullRequest = wrapAsync(
+    async (
+      pullRequest: PullRequest,
+      targetBranch: string,
+      message: string,
+      updates: Update[],
+      options?: CreatePullRequestOptions
+    ): Promise<PullRequest> => {
+      if (options?.fork) {
+        throw new Error(
+          'GitLab provider does not yet support fork-based pull requests'
+        );
+      }
+      const changes = await this.buildChangeSet(updates, targetBranch);
+      const changedFiles = Array.from(changes.keys());
+
+      const projectPath = this.projectPath();
+      const sourceBranch = pullRequest.headBranchName;
+      const mergeRequestTitle = this.normalizeMergeRequestTitle(
+        pullRequest.title,
+        options?.draft
+      );
+
+      this.logger.debug(
+        `Creating merge request from ${sourceBranch} to ${targetBranch} with title "${mergeRequestTitle}"`
+      );
+
+      try {
+        this.logger.info(
+          `Creating branch ${sourceBranch} from ${targetBranch}`
+        );
+
+        // Commit the changes using gitbreaker Commits API
+        const actions = this.buildCommitActions(changes);
+        this.logger.debug(
+          `Prepared ${actions.length} commit action(s) across ${changedFiles.length} file(s)`
+        );
+        if (actions.length) {
+          await this.gitbeaker.Commits.create(
+            projectPath,
+            sourceBranch,
+            message,
+            actions,
+            {
+              startBranch: targetBranch,
+              force: true,
+            }
+          );
+        } else {
+          this.logger.info(`No changes to commit on branch ${sourceBranch}`);
+          // create branch without changes
+          await this.gitbeaker.Branches.create(
+            projectPath,
+            sourceBranch,
+            targetBranch
+          );
+        }
+
+        this.logger.info(`Created branch ${sourceBranch} from ${targetBranch}`);
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (this.isBranchAlreadyExistsError(err)) {
+          this.logger.info(`Branch ${sourceBranch} already exists; reusing.`);
+        } else {
+          throw err;
+        }
+      }
+
+      // Create the merge request
+      const mergeRequest = (await this.gitbeaker.MergeRequests.create(
+        projectPath,
+        sourceBranch,
+        targetBranch,
+        mergeRequestTitle,
+        {
+          description: pullRequest.body ?? '',
+          removeSourceBranch: true,
+          squash: true,
+          labels: this.formatLabels(pullRequest.labels),
+        }
+      )) as GitLabMergeRequest;
+
+      this.logger.debug(
+        `Created merge request !${mergeRequest.iid} for ${sourceBranch}`
+      );
+
+      return {
+        headBranchName: sourceBranch,
+        baseBranchName: targetBranch,
+        number: mergeRequest.iid,
+        title: mergeRequest.title,
+        body: mergeRequest.description ?? '',
+        files: changedFiles,
+        labels: this.extractLabelNames(mergeRequest.labels),
+        sha: (mergeRequest as {sha?: string}).sha ?? undefined,
+      };
+    }
+  );
+
+  private buildCommitActions(changes: GitLabChangeSet): GitLabCommitAction[] {
+    const actions: GitLabCommitAction[] = [];
+    for (const [filePath, change] of changes.entries()) {
+      if (change.content === null || change.content === undefined) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      const action: GitLabCommitAction = {
+        action: change.update === false ? 'create' : 'update', // Original content can be null for an empty file
+        filePath,
+        file_path: filePath,
+        content: change.content,
+        encoding: 'text',
+      };
+      if (change.mode) {
+        action.fileMode = change.mode;
+        action.file_mode = change.mode;
+      }
+      actions.push(action);
+    }
+    return actions;
+  }
+
+  private releaseNumericId(tagName: string): number {
+    let hash = 0;
+    for (let i = 0; i < tagName.length; i++) {
+      hash = (hash << 5) - hash + tagName.charCodeAt(i);
+      hash |= 0;
+    }
+    const value = Math.abs(hash);
+    return value === 0 ? 1 : value;
+  }
+
+  private releaseWebUrl(tagName: string): string {
+    const host = stripApiSuffix(this.apiUrl);
+    const encodedTag = encodeURIComponent(tagName);
+    return `${host}/${this.repository.owner}/${this.repository.repo}/-/releases/${encodedTag}`;
+  }
+
+  private resourceWebUrl(
+    kind: 'merge_requests' | 'issues',
+    iid: number
+  ): string {
+    const host = stripApiSuffix(this.apiUrl);
+    return `${host}/${this.repository.owner}/${this.repository.repo}/-/${kind}/${iid}`;
+  }
+
+  private noteWebUrl(
+    kind: 'merge_requests' | 'issues',
+    iid: number,
+    note?: GitLabNote | null
+  ): string {
+    const baseUrl = this.resourceWebUrl(kind, iid);
+    if (!note) {
+      return baseUrl;
+    }
+    const noteUrl = note.web_url ?? note.webUrl;
+    if (typeof noteUrl === 'string' && noteUrl.length > 0) {
+      return noteUrl;
+    }
+    if (typeof note?.id === 'number') {
+      return `${baseUrl}#note_${note.id}`;
+    }
+    return baseUrl;
+  }
+
+  private projectPath(): string {
+    return `${this.repository.owner}/${this.repository.repo}`;
+  }
+
+  private isBranchAlreadyExistsError(error: unknown): boolean {
+    if (!(error instanceof Error)) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    if (/branch already exists/i.test(error.message)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    const response = (
+      error as {response?: {status?: number; data?: unknown; body?: unknown}}
+    ).response;
+    if (!response) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    const status = response.status;
+    if (status !== 400 && status !== 409) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    const responseText =
+      typeof response.data === 'string'
+        ? response.data
+        : typeof response.body === 'string'
+        ? response.body
+        : '';
+    return /branch already exists/i.test(responseText);
+  }
+
+  private normalizeMergeRequestTitle(title: string, draft?: boolean): string {
+    if (!draft) {
+      return title;
+    }
+    return /^(\s*(draft|wip):)/i.test(title) ? title : `Draft: ${title}`;
+  }
+
+  private formatLabels(labels?: string[] | null): string | undefined {
+    if (!labels || labels.length === 0) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+    return labels.join(',');
+  }
+
+  private extractLabelNames(labels: GitLabMergeRequest['labels']): string[] {
+    if (!Array.isArray(labels)) {
+      return [];
+    }
+    const names: string[] = [];
+    for (const label of labels) {
+      if (typeof label === 'string') {
+        names.push(label);
+      } else if (
+        label &&
+        typeof label === 'object' &&
+        'name' in label &&
+        typeof (label as {name?: unknown}).name === 'string'
+      ) {
+        names.push((label as {name: string}).name);
+      }
+    }
+    return names;
+  }
+
+  async createReleasePullRequest(
+    releasePullRequest: ReleasePullRequest,
+    targetBranch: string,
+    options?: {
+      signoffUser?: string;
+      fork?: boolean;
+      skipLabeling?: boolean;
+    }
+  ): Promise<PullRequest> {
+    void releasePullRequest;
+    void targetBranch;
+    void options;
+    throw new Error('createReleasePullRequest not yet implemented for GitLab');
+  }
+
+  async getPullRequest(number: number): Promise<PullRequest> {
+    void number;
+    throw new Error('getPullRequest not yet implemented for GitLab');
+  }
+
+  updatePullRequest = wrapAsync(
+    async (
+      number: number,
+      releasePullRequest: ReleasePullRequest,
+      targetBranch: string,
+      options?: {
+        signoffUser?: string;
+        fork?: boolean;
+        pullRequestOverflowHandler?: PullRequestOverflowHandler;
+      }
+    ): Promise<PullRequest> => {
+      const changes = await this.buildChangeSet(
+        releasePullRequest.updates,
+        targetBranch
+      );
+      this.logger.debug(
+        `Updating merge request !${number} with ${changes.size} file change(s)`
+      );
+      const title = releasePullRequest.title.toString();
+      const body = (
+        options?.pullRequestOverflowHandler
+          ? await options.pullRequestOverflowHandler.handleOverflow(
+              releasePullRequest
+            )
+          : releasePullRequest.body
+      )
+        .toString()
+        .slice(0, 1048576); // GitLab limit is 1 MiB
+
+      this.logger.info(
+        `Creating branch ${releasePullRequest.headRefName} from ${targetBranch}`
+      );
+      const projectPath = this.projectPath();
+
+      // Commit the changes using gitbreaker Commits API
+      const actions = this.buildCommitActions(changes);
+      this.logger.debug(
+        `Prepared ${actions.length} commit action(s) for branch ${releasePullRequest.headRefName}`
+      );
+      await this.gitbeaker.Commits.create(
+        projectPath,
+        releasePullRequest.headRefName,
+        title,
+        actions,
+        {
+          force: true,
+          startBranch: targetBranch,
+        }
+      );
+
+      // Update the merge request
+      const mergeRequest = (await this.gitbeaker.MergeRequests.edit(
+        projectPath,
+        number,
+        {
+          title,
+          description: body,
+          labels: this.formatLabels(releasePullRequest.labels),
+        }
+      )) as GitLabMergeRequest;
+
+      this.logger.debug(`Updated merge request !${mergeRequest.iid}`);
+
+      return {
+        headBranchName: releasePullRequest.headRefName,
+        baseBranchName: targetBranch,
+        number: mergeRequest.iid,
+        title: title,
+        body: body || '',
+        files: [],
+        labels: releasePullRequest.labels,
+      };
+    }
+  );
+
+  createRelease = wrapAsync(
+    async (
+      release: Release,
+      options: ReleaseOptions = {}
+    ): Promise<GitHubRelease> => {
+      const projectPath = this.projectPath();
+      const tagName = release.tag.toString();
+
+      if (options.draft) {
+        this.logger.warn(
+          'GitLab provider does not support draft releases; ignoring draft flag.'
+        );
+      }
+
+      if (options.prerelease) {
+        this.logger.warn(
+          'GitLab provider does not support prerelease releases; ignoring prerelease flag.'
+        );
+      }
+
+      try {
+        this.logger.debug(
+          `Creating GitLab release ${tagName} targeting ${release.sha}`
+        );
+        const gitlabRelease = (await this.gitbeaker.ProjectReleases.create(
+          projectPath,
+          {
+            name: release.name ?? tagName,
+            tagName,
+            description: release.notes,
+            ref: release.sha,
+          }
+        )) as GitLabReleaseSummary;
+        this.logger.debug(
+          `Created GitLab release ${tagName} pointing at ${release.sha}`
+        );
+
+        const commitSha =
+          typeof gitlabRelease.commit?.id === 'string' &&
+          gitlabRelease.commit.id.trim().length > 0
+            ? gitlabRelease.commit.id
+            : release.sha;
+
+        const url =
+          gitlabRelease._links?.self ??
+          gitlabRelease.links?.self ??
+          this.releaseWebUrl(tagName);
+
+        const draft =
+          gitlabRelease.upcomingRelease ??
+          gitlabRelease.upcoming_release ??
+          undefined;
+
+        return {
+          id: this.releaseNumericId(tagName),
+          name: gitlabRelease.name ?? release.name ?? undefined,
+          tagName,
+          sha: commitSha,
+          notes: gitlabRelease.description ?? release.notes,
+          url,
+          draft,
+        };
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (err instanceof GitbeakerRequestError) {
+          const status = err.cause?.response?.status;
+          if (status === 409) {
+            this.logger.error(`Release ${tagName} already exists`);
+          }
+        }
+        throw err;
+      }
+    }
+  );
+
+  async generateReleaseNotes(
+    tagName: string,
+    targetCommitish: string,
+    previousTag?: string
+  ): Promise<string> {
+    void tagName;
+    void targetCommitish;
+    void previousTag;
+    this.logger.warn('generateReleaseNotes not yet fully implemented');
+    return '';
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Makes a comment on an issue or merge request.
+   *
+   * @param {string} comment - The body of the comment to post.
+   * @param {number} number - The issue or merge request number.
+   * @throws {GitHubAPIError} on an API error
+   */
+  commentOnIssue = wrapAsync(
+    async (comment: string, number: number): Promise<string> => {
+      const projectPath = this.projectPath();
+      this.logger.debug(
+        `adding comment to ${this.resourceWebUrl('merge_requests', number)}`
+      );
+      try {
+        const note = (await this.gitbeaker.MergeRequestNotes.create(
+          projectPath,
+          number,
+          comment
+        )) as GitLabNote | null;
+        return this.noteWebUrl('merge_requests', number, note);
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (err instanceof GitbeakerRequestError) {
+          const status = err.cause?.response?.status;
+          if (status === 404) {
+            this.logger.debug(
+              `merge request !${number} not found; attempting issue #${number}`
+            );
+            const issueNote = (await this.gitbeaker.IssueNotes.create(
+              projectPath,
+              number,
+              comment
+            )) as GitLabNote | null;
+            return this.noteWebUrl('issues', number, issueNote);
+          }
+        }
+        throw err;
+      }
+    }
+  );
+
+  /**
+   * Removes labels from an issue or merge request.
+   *
+   * @param {string[]} labels The labels to remove.
+   * @param {number} number The issue or merge request number.
+   */
+  removeIssueLabels = wrapAsync(
+    async (labels: string[], number: number): Promise<void> => {
+      if (labels.length === 0) {
+        return;
+      }
+      const projectPath = this.projectPath();
+      const labelList = this.formatLabels(labels);
+      if (!labelList) {
+        return;
+      }
+      this.logger.debug(
+        `removing labels: ${labels} from ${this.resourceWebUrl(
+          'merge_requests',
+          number
+        )}`
+      );
+      try {
+        await this.gitbeaker.MergeRequests.edit(projectPath, number, {
+          removeLabels: labelList,
+        });
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (err instanceof GitbeakerRequestError) {
+          const status = err.cause?.response?.status;
+          if (status === 404) {
+            this.logger.debug(
+              `merge request !${number} not found; attempting issue #${number}`
+            );
+            await this.gitbeaker.Issues.edit(projectPath, number, {
+              removeLabels: labelList,
+            });
+            return;
+          }
+        }
+        throw err;
+      }
+    }
+  );
+
+  /**
+   * Adds labels to an issue or merge request.
+   *
+   * @param {string[]} labels The labels to add.
+   * @param {number} number The issue or merge request number.
+   */
+  addIssueLabels = wrapAsync(
+    async (labels: string[], number: number): Promise<void> => {
+      if (labels.length === 0) {
+        return;
+      }
+      const projectPath = this.projectPath();
+      const labelList = this.formatLabels(labels);
+      if (!labelList) {
+        return;
+      }
+      this.logger.debug(
+        `adding labels: ${labels} to ${this.resourceWebUrl(
+          'merge_requests',
+          number
+        )}`
+      );
+      try {
+        await this.gitbeaker.MergeRequests.edit(projectPath, number, {
+          addLabels: labelList,
+        });
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (err instanceof GitbeakerRequestError) {
+          const status = err.cause?.response?.status;
+          if (status === 404) {
+            this.logger.debug(
+              `merge request !${number} not found; attempting issue #${number}`
+            );
+            await this.gitbeaker.Issues.edit(projectPath, number, {
+              addLabels: labelList,
+            });
+            return;
+          }
+        }
+        throw err;
+      }
+    }
+  );
+
+  async createFileOnNewBranch(
+    filename: string,
+    contents: string,
+    newBranchName: string,
+    baseBranchName: string
+  ): Promise<string> {
+    void filename;
+    void contents;
+    void newBranchName;
+    void baseBranchName;
+    throw new Error('createFileOnNewBranch not yet implemented for GitLab');
+  }
+
+  async getProviderDetails(): Promise<{
+    hostUrl: string;
+    issueFormatUrl: string;
+    commitFormatUrl: string;
+  }> {
+    const hostUrl = this.hostUrl ?? stripApiSuffix(this.apiUrl);
+    const repoPath = `${this.repository.owner}/${this.repository.repo}`;
+
+    return {
+      hostUrl,
+      issueFormatUrl: `${hostUrl}/${repoPath}/-/issues/{{id}}`,
+      commitFormatUrl: `${hostUrl}/${repoPath}/-/commit/{{sha}}`,
+    };
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Wrap an async method with error handling
+ *
+ * @param fn Async function that can throw Errors
+ */
+/* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any */
+const wrapAsync = <T extends Array<any>, V>(fn: (...args: T) => Promise<V>) => {
+  return async (...args: T): Promise<V> => {
+    return await fn(...args);
+  };
+};
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 31eed9f8b..e3f1232b8 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ export {
 } from './changelog-notes';
 export {Logger, setLogger} from './util/logger';
 export {GitHub} from './github';
+export {GitLab} from './gitlab';
 export const configSchema = require('../../schemas/config.json');
 export const manifestSchema = require('../../schemas/manifest.json');
 
diff --git a/src/manifest.ts b/src/manifest.ts
index 576ad8ce4..25bb35971 100644
--- a/src/manifest.ts
+++ b/src/manifest.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 // limitations under the License.
 
 import {ChangelogSection} from './changelog-notes';
-import {GitHub, GitHubRelease, GitHubTag} from './github';
+import {GitHubRelease, GitHubTag} from './provider-interfaces';
 import {Version, VersionsMap} from './version';
 import {Commit, parseConventionalCommits} from './commit';
 import {PullRequest} from './pull-request';
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import {
 } from './util/pull-request-overflow-handler';
 import {signoffCommitMessage} from './util/signoff-commit-message';
 import {CommitExclude} from './util/commit-exclude';
+import {HostedGitClient} from './provider';
 
 type ExtraGenericFile = {
   type: 'generic';
@@ -104,7 +105,9 @@ export interface ReleaserConfig {
 
   // Strategy options
   releaseAs?: string;
-  skipGithubRelease?: boolean; // Note this should be renamed to skipGitHubRelease in next major release\
+  skipRelease?: boolean;
+  /** @deprecated use skipRelease */
+  skipGithubRelease?: boolean;
   skipChangelog?: boolean;
   draft?: boolean;
   prerelease?: boolean;
@@ -163,6 +166,7 @@ interface ReleaserConfigJson {
   'changelog-sections'?: ChangelogSection[];
   'release-as'?: string;
   'skip-github-release'?: boolean;
+  'skip-release'?: boolean;
   'skip-changelog'?: boolean;
   draft?: boolean;
   prerelease?: boolean;
@@ -286,6 +290,8 @@ const DEFAULT_COMMIT_SEARCH_DEPTH = 500;
 
 export const MANIFEST_PULL_REQUEST_TITLE_PATTERN = 'chore: release ${branch}';
 
+let hasWarnedDeprecatedSkipGithubRelease = false;
+
 export interface CreatedRelease extends GitHubRelease {
   id: number;
   path: string;
@@ -298,7 +304,7 @@ export interface CreatedRelease extends GitHubRelease {
 
 export class Manifest {
   private repository: Repository;
-  private github: GitHub;
+  private github: HostedGitClient;
   readonly repositoryConfig: RepositoryConfig;
   readonly releasedVersions: ReleasedVersions;
   private targetBranch: string;
@@ -356,7 +362,7 @@ export class Manifest {
    *   pull request. Defaults to `[autorelease: tagged]`
    */
   constructor(
-    github: GitHub,
+    github: HostedGitClient,
     targetBranch: string,
     repositoryConfig: RepositoryConfig,
     releasedVersions: ReleasedVersions,
@@ -420,7 +426,7 @@ export class Manifest {
    * @returns {Manifest}
    */
   static async fromManifest(
-    github: GitHub,
+    github: HostedGitClient,
     targetBranch: string,
     configFile: string = DEFAULT_RELEASE_PLEASE_CONFIG,
     manifestFile: string = DEFAULT_RELEASE_PLEASE_MANIFEST,
@@ -476,7 +482,7 @@ export class Manifest {
    * @returns {Manifest}
    */
   static async fromConfig(
-    github: GitHub,
+    github: HostedGitClient,
     targetBranch: string,
     config: ReleaserConfig,
     manifestOptions?: ManifestOptions,
@@ -862,7 +868,7 @@ export class Manifest {
       } else {
         if (
           strategiesByPath[ROOT_PROJECT_PATH] &&
-          this.repositoryConfig[path].skipGithubRelease
+          isReleaseSkipped(this.repositoryConfig[path])
         ) {
           this.logger.debug('could not find release, checking root package');
           const rootComponent = await strategiesByPath[
@@ -1372,6 +1378,32 @@ export class Manifest {
 function extractReleaserConfig(
   config: ReleaserPackageConfig
 ): Partial<ReleaserConfig> {
+  const skipReleaseValue = config['skip-release'];
+  const deprecatedSkipGithubRelease = config['skip-github-release'];
+  const skipRelease =
+    skipReleaseValue === undefined
+      ? deprecatedSkipGithubRelease
+      : skipReleaseValue;
+
+  if (
+    skipReleaseValue === undefined &&
+    deprecatedSkipGithubRelease !== undefined &&
+    !hasWarnedDeprecatedSkipGithubRelease
+  ) {
+    defaultLogger.warn(
+      'The "skip-github-release" option is deprecated; use "skip-release" instead.'
+    );
+    hasWarnedDeprecatedSkipGithubRelease = true;
+  } else if (
+    skipReleaseValue !== undefined &&
+    deprecatedSkipGithubRelease !== undefined &&
+    skipReleaseValue !== deprecatedSkipGithubRelease
+  ) {
+    defaultLogger.warn(
+      'The "skip-release" option overrides the deprecated "skip-github-release" value. Remove the deprecated option.'
+    );
+  }
+
   return {
     releaseType: config['release-type'],
     bumpMinorPreMajor: config['bump-minor-pre-major'],
@@ -1382,7 +1414,8 @@ function extractReleaserConfig(
     changelogPath: config['changelog-path'],
     changelogHost: config['changelog-host'],
     releaseAs: config['release-as'],
-    skipGithubRelease: config['skip-github-release'],
+    skipRelease,
+    skipGithubRelease: deprecatedSkipGithubRelease ?? skipRelease,
     skipChangelog: config['skip-changelog'],
     draft: config.draft,
     prerelease: config.prerelease,
@@ -1421,7 +1454,7 @@ function extractReleaserConfig(
  * @param {string} releaseAs Optional. Override release-as and use the given version
  */
 async function parseConfig(
-  github: GitHub,
+  github: HostedGitClient,
   configFile: string,
   branch: string,
   onlyPath?: string,
@@ -1474,7 +1507,7 @@ async function parseConfig(
  * @throws {ConfigurationError} if missing the manifest config file
  */
 async function fetchManifestConfig(
-  github: GitHub,
+  github: HostedGitClient,
   configFile: string,
   branch: string
 ): Promise<ManifestConfig> {
@@ -1507,7 +1540,7 @@ async function fetchManifestConfig(
  * @returns {Record<string, string>}
  */
 async function parseReleasedVersions(
-  github: GitHub,
+  github: HostedGitClient,
   manifestFile: string,
   branch: string
 ): Promise<ReleasedVersions> {
@@ -1532,7 +1565,7 @@ async function parseReleasedVersions(
  * @throws {ConfigurationError} if missing the manifest config file
  */
 async function fetchReleasedVersions(
-  github: GitHub,
+  github: HostedGitClient,
   manifestFile: string,
   branch: string
 ): Promise<Record<string, string>> {
@@ -1575,7 +1608,7 @@ function isPublishedVersion(strategy: Strategy, version: Version): boolean {
  * @param {string} prefix Limit the release to a specific component.
  */
 async function latestReleaseVersion(
-  github: GitHub,
+  github: HostedGitClient,
   targetBranch: string,
   releaseFilter: (version: Version) => boolean,
   config: ReleaserConfig,
@@ -1721,6 +1754,7 @@ function mergeReleaserConfig(
   defaultConfig: Partial<ReleaserConfig>,
   pathConfig: Partial<ReleaserConfig>
 ): ReleaserConfig {
+  const skipRelease = selectSkipRelease(pathConfig, defaultConfig);
   return {
     releaseType: pathConfig.releaseType ?? defaultConfig.releaseType ?? 'node',
     bumpMinorPreMajor:
@@ -1736,8 +1770,11 @@ function mergeReleaserConfig(
     changelogHost: pathConfig.changelogHost ?? defaultConfig.changelogHost,
     changelogType: pathConfig.changelogType ?? defaultConfig.changelogType,
     releaseAs: pathConfig.releaseAs ?? defaultConfig.releaseAs,
+    skipRelease,
     skipGithubRelease:
-      pathConfig.skipGithubRelease ?? defaultConfig.skipGithubRelease,
+      pathConfig.skipGithubRelease ??
+      defaultConfig.skipGithubRelease ??
+      skipRelease,
     skipChangelog: pathConfig.skipChangelog ?? defaultConfig.skipChangelog,
     draft: pathConfig.draft ?? defaultConfig.draft,
     draftPullRequest:
@@ -1770,6 +1807,32 @@ function mergeReleaserConfig(
   };
 }
 
+function selectSkipRelease(
+  pathConfig: Partial<ReleaserConfig>,
+  defaultConfig: Partial<ReleaserConfig>
+): boolean | undefined {
+  if (pathConfig.skipRelease !== undefined) {
+    return pathConfig.skipRelease;
+  }
+  if (pathConfig.skipGithubRelease !== undefined) {
+    return pathConfig.skipGithubRelease;
+  }
+  if (defaultConfig.skipRelease !== undefined) {
+    return defaultConfig.skipRelease;
+  }
+  if (defaultConfig.skipGithubRelease !== undefined) {
+    return defaultConfig.skipGithubRelease;
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
+
+function isReleaseSkipped(config?: ReleaserConfig): boolean {
+  if (!config) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return Boolean(config.skipRelease ?? config.skipGithubRelease);
+}
+
 /**
  * Helper to compare if a list of labels fully contains another list of labels
  * @param {string[]} expected List of labels expected to be contained
diff --git a/src/plugin.ts b/src/plugin.ts
index f7973626f..f42eb12e4 100644
--- a/src/plugin.ts
+++ b/src/plugin.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
 
-import {GitHub} from './github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from './provider';
 import {CandidateReleasePullRequest, RepositoryConfig} from './manifest';
 import {Strategy} from './strategy';
 import {Commit, ConventionalCommit} from './commit';
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ import {logger as defaultLogger, Logger} from './util/logger';
  * or update existing files.
  */
 export abstract class ManifestPlugin {
-  readonly github: GitHub;
+  readonly github: HostedGitClient;
   readonly targetBranch: string;
   readonly repositoryConfig: RepositoryConfig;
   protected logger: Logger;
   constructor(
-    github: GitHub,
+    github: HostedGitClient,
     targetBranch: string,
     repositoryConfig: RepositoryConfig,
     logger: Logger = defaultLogger
diff --git a/src/plugins/group-priority.ts b/src/plugins/group-priority.ts
index e0677fa47..8b5fd12e0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/group-priority.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/group-priority.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 // limitations under the License.
 
 import {ManifestPlugin} from '../plugin';
-import {GitHub} from '../github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from '../provider';
 import {RepositoryConfig, CandidateReleasePullRequest} from '../manifest';
 
 /**
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export class GroupPriority extends ManifestPlugin {
    * @param {string[]} groups List of group names ordered with highest priority first
    */
   constructor(
-    github: GitHub,
+    github: HostedGitClient,
     targetBranch: string,
     repositoryConfig: RepositoryConfig,
     groups: string[]
diff --git a/src/plugins/linked-versions.ts b/src/plugins/linked-versions.ts
index f3d059bf7..68fd02cde 100644
--- a/src/plugins/linked-versions.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/linked-versions.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 import {ManifestPlugin} from '../plugin';
 import {RepositoryConfig, CandidateReleasePullRequest} from '../manifest';
-import {GitHub} from '../github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from '../provider';
 import {Logger} from '../util/logger';
 import {Strategy} from '../strategy';
 import {Commit, parseConventionalCommits} from '../commit';
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export class LinkedVersions extends ManifestPlugin {
   readonly merge: boolean;
 
   constructor(
-    github: GitHub,
+    github: HostedGitClient,
     targetBranch: string,
     repositoryConfig: RepositoryConfig,
     groupName: string,
diff --git a/src/plugins/maven-workspace.ts b/src/plugins/maven-workspace.ts
index 0586ec2d6..40939ff93 100644
--- a/src/plugins/maven-workspace.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/maven-workspace.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import {PullRequestTitle} from '../util/pull-request-title';
 import {PullRequestBody} from '../util/pull-request-body';
 import {BranchName} from '../util/branch-name';
 import {logger as defaultLogger, Logger} from '../util/logger';
-import {GitHub} from '../github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from '../provider';
 import {JavaSnapshot} from '../versioning-strategies/java-snapshot';
 import {AlwaysBumpPatch} from '../versioning-strategies/always-bump-patch';
 import {ConventionalCommit} from '../commit';
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ const XPATH_PROJECT_DEPENDENCY_MANAGEMENT_DEPENDENCIES =
 export class MavenWorkspace extends WorkspacePlugin<MavenArtifact> {
   readonly considerAllArtifacts: boolean;
   constructor(
-    github: GitHub,
+    github: HostedGitClient,
     targetBranch: string,
     repositoryConfig: RepositoryConfig,
     options: MavenWorkspacePluginOptions = {}
diff --git a/src/plugins/merge.ts b/src/plugins/merge.ts
index 811ac3f72..89b49db1b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/merge.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/merge.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import {PullRequestBody, ReleaseData} from '../util/pull-request-body';
 import {BranchName} from '../util/branch-name';
 import {Update} from '../update';
 import {mergeUpdates} from '../updaters/composite';
-import {GitHub} from '../github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from '../provider';
 
 export interface MergeOptions {
   pullRequestTitlePattern?: string;
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export class Merge extends ManifestPlugin {
   private forceMerge: boolean;
 
   constructor(
-    github: GitHub,
+    github: HostedGitClient,
     targetBranch: string,
     repositoryConfig: RepositoryConfig,
     options: MergeOptions = {}
diff --git a/src/plugins/node-workspace.ts b/src/plugins/node-workspace.ts
index 7424ab64d..8c1d8fa73 100644
--- a/src/plugins/node-workspace.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/node-workspace.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
 
-import {GitHub} from '../github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from '../provider';
 import {CandidateReleasePullRequest, RepositoryConfig} from '../manifest';
 import {PackageLockJson} from '../updaters/node/package-lock-json';
 import {Version, VersionsMap} from '../version';
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ export class NodeWorkspace extends WorkspacePlugin<Package> {
 
   readonly updatePeerDependencies: boolean;
   constructor(
-    github: GitHub,
+    github: HostedGitClient,
     targetBranch: string,
     repositoryConfig: RepositoryConfig,
     options: NodeWorkspaceOptions = {}
diff --git a/src/plugins/sentence-case.ts b/src/plugins/sentence-case.ts
index f257706cc..0450e1653 100644
--- a/src/plugins/sentence-case.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/sentence-case.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 // limitations under the License.
 
 import {ManifestPlugin} from '../plugin';
-import {GitHub} from '../github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from '../provider';
 import {RepositoryConfig} from '../manifest';
 import {ConventionalCommit} from '../commit';
 
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ const SPECIAL_WORDS = ['gRPC', 'npm'];
 export class SentenceCase extends ManifestPlugin {
   specialWords: Set<string>;
   constructor(
-    github: GitHub,
+    github: HostedGitClient,
     targetBranch: string,
     repositoryConfig: RepositoryConfig,
     specialWords?: Array<string>
diff --git a/src/plugins/workspace.ts b/src/plugins/workspace.ts
index 2386377dc..db1e253cc 100644
--- a/src/plugins/workspace.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/workspace.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import {
 import {logger as defaultLogger, Logger} from '../util/logger';
 import {VersionsMap, Version} from '../version';
 import {Merge} from './merge';
-import {GitHub} from '../github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from '../provider';
 import {ReleasePleaseManifest} from '../updaters/release-please-manifest';
 
 export type DependencyGraph<T> = Map<string, DependencyNode<T>>;
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ export abstract class WorkspacePlugin<T> extends ManifestPlugin {
   private manifestPath: string;
   private merge: boolean;
   constructor(
-    github: GitHub,
+    github: HostedGitClient,
     targetBranch: string,
     repositoryConfig: RepositoryConfig,
     options: WorkspacePluginOptions = {}
diff --git a/src/provider-interfaces.ts b/src/provider-interfaces.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d56d961f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/provider-interfaces.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+// Copyright 2025 Google LLC
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+export interface GitHubRelease {
+  id: number;
+  name?: string;
+  tagName: string;
+  sha: string;
+  notes?: string;
+  url: string;
+  draft?: boolean;
+  uploadUrl?: string;
+}
+
+export interface GitHubTag {
+  name: string;
+  sha: string;
+}
diff --git a/src/provider.ts b/src/provider.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b812741d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/provider.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+// Copyright 2025 Google LLC
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+
+// Minimal provider factory to allow using different VCS/hosting providers in future.
+// For now it only supports GitHub and returns the existing GitHub client so
+// existing code can continue to operate unchanged.
+import {
+  ChangeSet,
+  CommitFilter,
+  CommitIteratorOptions,
+  CreatePullRequestOptions,
+  GitHub,
+  ReleaseIteratorOptions,
+  ReleaseOptions,
+  TagIteratorOptions,
+} from './github';
+import {GitHubRelease, GitHubTag} from './provider-interfaces';
+import {GitLab} from './gitlab';
+import {PullRequest} from './pull-request';
+import {ReleasePullRequest} from './release-pull-request';
+import {Update} from './update';
+import {Repository} from './repository';
+import {Release} from './release';
+import {GitHubFileContents} from '@google-automations/git-file-utils';
+import {PullRequestOverflowHandler} from './util/pull-request-overflow-handler';
+import {Commit} from './commit';
+
+export interface HostedGitClient {
+  readonly repository: Repository;
+  commitsSince(
+    targetBranch: string,
+    filter: CommitFilter,
+    options?: CommitIteratorOptions
+  ): Promise<Commit[]>;
+  mergeCommitIterator(
+    targetBranch: string,
+    options?: CommitIteratorOptions
+  ): AsyncGenerator<Commit, void, void>;
+  pullRequestIterator(
+    targetBranch: string,
+    status?: 'OPEN' | 'CLOSED' | 'MERGED',
+    maxResults?: number,
+    includeFiles?: boolean
+  ): AsyncGenerator<PullRequest, void, void>;
+  releaseIterator(
+    options?: ReleaseIteratorOptions
+  ): AsyncGenerator<GitHubRelease, void, void>;
+  tagIterator(
+    options?: TagIteratorOptions
+  ): AsyncGenerator<GitHubTag, void, void>;
+  getFileContents(path: string): Promise<GitHubFileContents>;
+  getFileContentsOnBranch(
+    path: string,
+    branch: string
+  ): Promise<GitHubFileContents>;
+  getFileJson<T>(path: string, branch: string): Promise<T>;
+  findFilesByFilename(filename: string, prefix?: string): Promise<string[]>;
+  findFilesByFilenameAndRef(
+    filename: string,
+    ref: string,
+    prefix?: string
+  ): Promise<string[]>;
+  findFilesByGlob(glob: string, prefix?: string): Promise<string[]>;
+  findFilesByGlobAndRef(
+    glob: string,
+    ref: string,
+    prefix?: string
+  ): Promise<string[]>;
+  findFilesByExtension(extension: string, prefix?: string): Promise<string[]>;
+  findFilesByExtensionAndRef(
+    extension: string,
+    ref: string,
+    prefix?: string
+  ): Promise<string[]>;
+  buildChangeSet(updates: Update[], defaultBranch: string): Promise<ChangeSet>;
+  createPullRequest(
+    pullRequest: PullRequest,
+    targetBranch: string,
+    message: string,
+    updates: Update[],
+    options?: CreatePullRequestOptions
+  ): Promise<PullRequest>;
+  createReleasePullRequest(
+    releasePullRequest: ReleasePullRequest,
+    targetBranch: string,
+    options?: {
+      signoffUser?: string;
+      fork?: boolean;
+      skipLabeling?: boolean;
+    }
+  ): Promise<PullRequest>;
+  getPullRequest(number: number): Promise<PullRequest>;
+  updatePullRequest(
+    number: number,
+    releasePullRequest: ReleasePullRequest,
+    targetBranch: string,
+    options?: {
+      signoffUser?: string;
+      fork?: boolean;
+      pullRequestOverflowHandler?: PullRequestOverflowHandler;
+    }
+  ): Promise<PullRequest>;
+  createRelease(
+    release: Release,
+    options?: ReleaseOptions
+  ): Promise<GitHubRelease>;
+  generateReleaseNotes(
+    tagName: string,
+    targetCommitish: string,
+    previousTag?: string
+  ): Promise<string>;
+  commentOnIssue(comment: string, number: number): Promise<string>;
+  removeIssueLabels(labels: string[], number: number): Promise<void>;
+  addIssueLabels(labels: string[], number: number): Promise<void>;
+  createFileOnNewBranch(
+    filename: string,
+    contents: string,
+    newBranchName: string,
+    baseBranchName: string
+  ): Promise<string>;
+  getProviderDetails(): Promise<{
+    hostUrl: string;
+    issueFormatUrl: string;
+    commitFormatUrl: string;
+  }>;
+}
+
+export interface ProviderOptions {
+  owner: string;
+  repo: string;
+  token?: string;
+  apiUrl?: string;
+  graphqlUrl?: string;
+  host?: string;
+  hostUrl?: string;
+}
+
+export class ProviderFactory {
+  /**
+   * Create a provider client.
+   * @param provider name of provider (currently only 'github')
+   * @param opts provider specific options
+   */
+  static async create(
+    provider: string,
+    opts: ProviderOptions
+  ): Promise<HostedGitClient> {
+    switch ((provider || '').toLowerCase()) {
+      case 'github':
+        return GitHub.create({
+          owner: opts.owner,
+          repo: opts.repo,
+          token: opts.token,
+          apiUrl: opts.apiUrl,
+          graphqlUrl: opts.graphqlUrl,
+          hostUrl: opts.hostUrl,
+        });
+      case 'gitlab':
+        return GitLab.create({
+          owner: opts.owner,
+          repo: opts.repo,
+          token: opts.token,
+          apiUrl: opts.apiUrl,
+          host: opts.host,
+          hostUrl: opts.hostUrl,
+        });
+      default:
+        throw new Error(`unsupported provider: ${provider}`);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export default ProviderFactory;
diff --git a/src/strategies/base.ts b/src/strategies/base.ts
index fd8dbf4ec..8d7eb65c5 100644
--- a/src/strategies/base.ts
+++ b/src/strategies/base.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 // limitations under the License.
 
 import {Strategy, BuildReleaseOptions, BumpReleaseOptions} from '../strategy';
-import {GitHub} from '../github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from '../provider';
 import {VersioningStrategy} from '../versioning-strategy';
 import {Repository} from '../repository';
 import {ChangelogNotes, ChangelogSection} from '../changelog-notes';
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ export interface BaseStrategyOptions {
   path?: string;
   bumpMinorPreMajor?: boolean;
   bumpPatchForMinorPreMajor?: boolean;
-  github: GitHub;
+  github: HostedGitClient;
   component?: string;
   packageName?: string;
   versioningStrategy?: VersioningStrategy;
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ export interface BaseStrategyOptions {
   headerPartial?: string;
   mainTemplate?: string;
   tagSeparator?: string;
+  skipRelease?: boolean;
+  /** @deprecated use skipRelease */
   skipGitHubRelease?: boolean;
   skipChangelog?: boolean;
   releaseAs?: string;
@@ -95,7 +97,7 @@ export interface BaseStrategyOptions {
  */
 export abstract class BaseStrategy implements Strategy {
   readonly path: string;
-  protected github: GitHub;
+  protected github: HostedGitClient;
   protected logger: Logger;
   protected component?: string;
   private packageName?: string;
@@ -105,7 +107,7 @@ export abstract class BaseStrategy implements Strategy {
   protected changelogPath: string;
   protected changelogHost?: string;
   protected tagSeparator?: string;
-  private skipGitHubRelease: boolean;
+  private skipRelease: boolean;
   protected skipChangelog: boolean;
   private releaseAs?: string;
   protected includeComponentInTag: boolean;
@@ -140,7 +142,9 @@ export abstract class BaseStrategy implements Strategy {
     this.changelogHost = options.changelogHost;
     this.changelogSections = options.changelogSections;
     this.tagSeparator = options.tagSeparator;
-    this.skipGitHubRelease = options.skipGitHubRelease || false;
+    const skipRelease =
+      options.skipRelease ?? options.skipGitHubRelease ?? false;
+    this.skipRelease = skipRelease;
     this.skipChangelog = options.skipChangelog || false;
     this.releaseAs = options.releaseAs;
     this.changelogNotes =
@@ -220,7 +224,8 @@ export abstract class BaseStrategy implements Strategy {
     commits?: Commit[]
   ): Promise<string> {
     return await this.changelogNotes.buildNotes(conventionalCommits, {
-      host: this.changelogHost,
+      host:
+        this.changelogHost || (await this.github.getProviderDetails()).hostUrl,
       owner: this.repository.owner,
       repository: this.repository.repo,
       version: newVersion.toString(),
@@ -229,6 +234,10 @@ export abstract class BaseStrategy implements Strategy {
       targetBranch: this.targetBranch,
       changelogSections: this.changelogSections,
       commits: commits,
+      commitTemplateUri: (
+        await this.github.getProviderDetails()
+      ).commitFormatUrl,
+      issueTemplateUri: (await this.github.getProviderDetails()).issueFormatUrl,
     });
   }
 
@@ -588,7 +597,7 @@ export abstract class BaseStrategy implements Strategy {
     mergedPullRequest: PullRequest,
     options?: BuildReleaseOptions
   ): Promise<Release | undefined> {
-    if (this.skipGitHubRelease) {
+    if (this.skipRelease) {
       this.logger.info('Release skipped from strategy config');
       return;
     }
diff --git a/src/strategies/php-yoshi.ts b/src/strategies/php-yoshi.ts
index bbefdbcc2..d9e80ca5a 100644
--- a/src/strategies/php-yoshi.ts
+++ b/src/strategies/php-yoshi.ts
@@ -140,6 +140,8 @@ export class PHPYoshi extends BaseStrategy {
             currentTag: newVersionTag.toString(),
             targetBranch: this.targetBranch,
             changelogSections: this.changelogSections,
+            commitTemplateUri: '',
+            issueTemplateUri: '',
           }
         );
         releaseNotesBody = updatePHPChangelogEntry(
diff --git a/src/updaters/release-please-config.ts b/src/updaters/release-please-config.ts
index e3868dc5f..e927fbf1b 100644
--- a/src/updaters/release-please-config.ts
+++ b/src/updaters/release-please-config.ts
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ function releaserConfigToJsonConfig(
     'bump-patch-for-minor-pre-major': config.bumpPatchForMinorPreMajor,
     'changelog-sections': config.changelogSections,
     'release-as': config.releaseAs,
-    'skip-github-release': config.skipGithubRelease,
+    'skip-release': config.skipRelease ?? config.skipGithubRelease,
     'skip-changelog': config.skipChangelog,
     draft: config.draft,
     prerelease: config.prerelease,
diff --git a/src/util/pull-request-overflow-handler.ts b/src/util/pull-request-overflow-handler.ts
index 43bc85245..1cd062b48 100644
--- a/src/util/pull-request-overflow-handler.ts
+++ b/src/util/pull-request-overflow-handler.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 // limitations under the License.
 
 import {PullRequestBody} from './pull-request-body';
-import {GitHub} from '../github';
+import {HostedGitClient} from '../provider';
 import {PullRequest} from '../pull-request';
 import {Logger, logger as defaultLogger} from './logger';
 import {URL} from 'url';
@@ -62,9 +62,9 @@ export interface PullRequestOverflowHandler {
 export class FilePullRequestOverflowHandler
   implements PullRequestOverflowHandler
 {
-  private github: GitHub;
+  private github: HostedGitClient;
   private logger: Logger;
-  constructor(github: GitHub, logger: Logger = defaultLogger) {
+  constructor(github: HostedGitClient, logger: Logger = defaultLogger) {
     this.github = github;
     this.logger = logger;
   }
diff --git a/test/changelog-notes/default-changelog-notes.ts b/test/changelog-notes/default-changelog-notes.ts
index ffb9baa9d..194f0cde1 100644
--- a/test/changelog-notes/default-changelog-notes.ts
+++ b/test/changelog-notes/default-changelog-notes.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ describe('DefaultChangelogNotes', () => {
       previousTag: 'v1.2.2',
       currentTag: 'v1.2.3',
       targetBranch: 'main',
+      commitTemplateUri: '',
+      issueTemplateUri: '',
     };
     it('should build default release notes', async () => {
       const changelogNotes = new DefaultChangelogNotes();
@@ -308,6 +310,8 @@ describe('DefaultChangelogNotes', () => {
         previousTag: 'v1.2.2',
         currentTag: 'v1.2.3',
         targetBranch: 'main',
+        commitTemplateUri: '',
+        issueTemplateUri: '',
       };
       const changelogNotes = new DefaultChangelogNotes();
       const notes = await changelogNotes.buildNotes(commits, notesOptions);
diff --git a/test/changelog-notes/github-changelog-notes.ts b/test/changelog-notes/github-changelog-notes.ts
index 9f49cb0dc..0e0b9edd2 100644
--- a/test/changelog-notes/github-changelog-notes.ts
+++ b/test/changelog-notes/github-changelog-notes.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ describe('GitHubChangelogNotes', () => {
       previousTag: 'v1.2.2',
       currentTag: 'v1.2.3',
       targetBranch: 'main',
+      commitTemplateUri: '',
+      issueTemplateUri: '',
     };
     let github: GitHub;
     beforeEach(async () => {
@@ -100,6 +102,8 @@ describe('GitHubChangelogNotes', () => {
         previousTag: 'v1.2.2',
         currentTag: 'v1.2.3',
         targetBranch: 'main',
+        commitTemplateUri: '',
+        issueTemplateUri: '',
       };
       const changelogNotes = new GitHubChangelogNotes(github);
       const notes = await changelogNotes.buildNotes(commits, notesOptions);
diff --git a/test/cli.ts b/test/cli.ts
index 93e03381a..c1c828395 100644
--- a/test/cli.ts
+++ b/test/cli.ts
@@ -23,11 +23,39 @@ import {
   DEFAULT_RELEASE_PLEASE_MANIFEST,
 } from '../src/manifest';
 import snapshot = require('snap-shot-it');
-import {GitHub} from '../src/github';
-import {ParseCallback} from 'yargs';
+import {GitHub, GH_API_URL, GH_GRAPHQL_URL, GH_URL} from '../src/github';
+import {GL_API_URL} from '../src/gitlab';
+import ProviderFactory, {ProviderOptions} from '../src/provider';
+import {logger} from '../src/util/logger';
 
 const sandbox = sinon.createSandbox();
 
+let providerCreateStub: sinon.SinonStub;
+
+const DEFAULT_PROVIDER_OPTIONS: ProviderOptions = {
+  owner: 'googleapis',
+  repo: 'release-please-cli',
+  token: undefined,
+  apiUrl: GH_API_URL,
+  graphqlUrl: GH_GRAPHQL_URL,
+  host: undefined,
+  hostUrl: GH_URL,
+};
+
+function expectProviderCall(
+  overrides: Partial<ProviderOptions> = {},
+  provider = 'github'
+) {
+  sinon.assert.calledOnce(providerCreateStub);
+  const [providerName, options] = providerCreateStub.getCall(0).args;
+  expect(providerName).to.equal(provider);
+  const expected: ProviderOptions = {
+    ...DEFAULT_PROVIDER_OPTIONS,
+    ...overrides,
+  };
+  expect(options).to.deep.equal(expected);
+}
+
 // function callStub(
 //   instance: Manifest,
 //   method: ManifestMethod
@@ -52,7 +80,6 @@ const sandbox = sinon.createSandbox();
 describe('CLI', () => {
   let fakeGitHub: GitHub;
   let fakeManifest: Manifest;
-  let gitHubCreateStub: sinon.SinonStub;
   beforeEach(async () => {
     fakeGitHub = await GitHub.create({
       owner: 'googleapis',
@@ -60,7 +87,9 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
       defaultBranch: 'main',
     });
     fakeManifest = new Manifest(fakeGitHub, 'main', {}, {});
-    gitHubCreateStub = sandbox.stub(GitHub, 'create').resolves(fakeGitHub);
+    providerCreateStub = sandbox
+      .stub(ProviderFactory, 'create')
+      .resolves(fakeGitHub);
   });
   afterEach(() => {
     sandbox.restore();
@@ -117,13 +146,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
         'manifest-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli'
       );
 
-      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-        owner: 'googleapis',
-        repo: 'release-please-cli',
-        token: undefined,
-        apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-      });
+      expectProviderCall();
       sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
         fromManifestStub,
         fakeGitHub,
@@ -140,13 +163,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
         'manifest-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --config-file=foo.json --manifest-file=.bar.json'
       );
 
-      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-        owner: 'googleapis',
-        repo: 'release-please-cli',
-        token: undefined,
-        apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-      });
+      expectProviderCall();
       sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
         fromManifestStub,
         fakeGitHub,
@@ -163,13 +180,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           `manifest-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli ${flag}=1.x`
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromManifestStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -191,13 +202,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
         'manifest-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --dry-run'
       );
 
-      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-        owner: 'googleapis',
-        repo: 'release-please-cli',
-        token: undefined,
-        apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-      });
+      expectProviderCall();
       sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
         fromManifestStub,
         fakeGitHub,
@@ -214,13 +219,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
         'manifest-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --fork'
       );
 
-      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-        owner: 'googleapis',
-        repo: 'release-please-cli',
-        token: undefined,
-        apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-      });
+      expectProviderCall();
       sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
         fromManifestStub,
         fakeGitHub,
@@ -237,13 +236,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
         'manifest-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --label=foo,bar'
       );
 
-      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-        owner: 'googleapis',
-        repo: 'release-please-cli',
-        token: undefined,
-        apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-      });
+      expectProviderCall();
       sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
         fromManifestStub,
         fakeGitHub,
@@ -260,13 +253,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
         'manifest-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --label='
       );
 
-      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-        owner: 'googleapis',
-        repo: 'release-please-cli',
-        token: undefined,
-        apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-      });
+      expectProviderCall();
       sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
         fromManifestStub,
         fakeGitHub,
@@ -283,13 +270,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
         'manifest-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --skip-labeling'
       );
 
-      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-        owner: 'googleapis',
-        repo: 'release-please-cli',
-        token: undefined,
-        apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-      });
+      expectProviderCall();
       sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
         fromManifestStub,
         fakeGitHub,
@@ -306,7 +287,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
     //     'manifest-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --draft'
     //   );
 
-    //   sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
+    //   expectProviderCall();
     //     owner: 'googleapis',
     //     repo: 'release-please-cli',
     //     token: undefined,
@@ -329,13 +310,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
         'manifest-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --signoff="Alice <alice@example.com>"'
       );
 
-      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-        owner: 'googleapis',
-        repo: 'release-please-cli',
-        token: undefined,
-        apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-      });
+      expectProviderCall();
       sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
         fromManifestStub,
         fakeGitHub,
@@ -346,6 +321,60 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
       );
       sinon.assert.calledOnce(createPullRequestsStub);
     });
+
+    it('supports gitlab provider with https repo URL', async () => {
+      await parser.parseAsync(
+        'manifest-pr --provider=gitlab --repo-url=https://gitlab.example.com/group/subgroup/project.git'
+      );
+
+      expectProviderCall(
+        {
+          owner: 'group/subgroup',
+          repo: 'project',
+          host: 'https://gitlab.example.com',
+          hostUrl: 'https://gitlab.example.com',
+          apiUrl: GL_API_URL,
+          graphqlUrl: undefined,
+        },
+        'gitlab'
+      );
+      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
+        fromManifestStub,
+        fakeGitHub,
+        'main',
+        DEFAULT_RELEASE_PLEASE_CONFIG,
+        DEFAULT_RELEASE_PLEASE_MANIFEST,
+        sinon.match.any
+      );
+      sinon.assert.calledOnce(createPullRequestsStub);
+    });
+
+    it('supports gitlab provider with SSH repo URL', async () => {
+      await parser.parseAsync(
+        'manifest-pr --provider=gitlab --repo-url=git@gitlab.example.com:group/project.git'
+      );
+
+      expectProviderCall(
+        {
+          owner: 'group',
+          repo: 'project',
+          host: 'https://gitlab.example.com',
+          hostUrl: 'https://gitlab.example.com',
+          apiUrl: GL_API_URL,
+          graphqlUrl: undefined,
+        },
+        'gitlab'
+      );
+      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
+        fromManifestStub,
+        fakeGitHub,
+        'main',
+        DEFAULT_RELEASE_PLEASE_CONFIG,
+        DEFAULT_RELEASE_PLEASE_MANIFEST,
+        sinon.match.any
+      );
+      sinon.assert.calledOnce(createPullRequestsStub);
+    });
   });
   describe('manifest-release', () => {
     let fromManifestStub: sinon.SinonStub;
@@ -378,13 +407,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
         'manifest-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli'
       );
 
-      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-        owner: 'googleapis',
-        repo: 'release-please-cli',
-        token: undefined,
-        apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-      });
+      expectProviderCall();
       sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
         fromManifestStub,
         fakeGitHub,
@@ -401,13 +424,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
         'manifest-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --config-file=foo.json --manifest-file=.bar.json'
       );
 
-      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-        owner: 'googleapis',
-        repo: 'release-please-cli',
-        token: undefined,
-        apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-      });
+      expectProviderCall();
       sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
         fromManifestStub,
         fakeGitHub,
@@ -424,13 +441,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           `manifest-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli ${flag}=1.x`
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromManifestStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -452,13 +463,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
         'manifest-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --dry-run'
       );
 
-      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-        owner: 'googleapis',
-        repo: 'release-please-cli',
-        token: undefined,
-        apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-      });
+      expectProviderCall();
       sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
         fromManifestStub,
         fakeGitHub,
@@ -475,13 +480,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
         'manifest-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --label=foo,bar --release-label=asdf,qwer'
       );
 
-      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-        owner: 'googleapis',
-        repo: 'release-please-cli',
-        token: undefined,
-        apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-      });
+      expectProviderCall();
       sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
         fromManifestStub,
         fakeGitHub,
@@ -498,13 +497,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
         'manifest-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --draft'
       );
 
-      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-        owner: 'googleapis',
-        repo: 'release-please-cli',
-        token: undefined,
-        apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-      });
+      expectProviderCall();
       sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
         fromManifestStub,
         fakeGitHub,
@@ -521,7 +514,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
     //     'manifest-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-as=2.3.4'
     //   );
 
-    //   sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
+    //   expectProviderCall();
     //     owner: 'googleapis',
     //     repo: 'release-please-cli',
     //     token: undefined,
@@ -567,13 +560,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromManifestStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -592,13 +579,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --config-file=foo.json --manifest-file=.bar.json'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromManifestStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -617,13 +598,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
             `release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli ${flag}=1.x`
           );
 
-          sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-            owner: 'googleapis',
-            repo: 'release-please-cli',
-            token: undefined,
-            apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-            graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          });
+          expectProviderCall();
           sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
             fromManifestStub,
             fakeGitHub,
@@ -647,13 +622,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --dry-run'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromManifestStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -694,13 +663,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -718,13 +681,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
             `release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi ${flag}=1.x`
           );
 
-          sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-            owner: 'googleapis',
-            repo: 'release-please-cli',
-            token: undefined,
-            apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-            graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          });
+          expectProviderCall();
           sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
             fromConfigStub,
             fakeGitHub,
@@ -746,13 +703,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --dry-run'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -769,13 +720,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --release-as=2.3.4'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -792,13 +737,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --versioning-strategy=always-bump-patch'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -818,13 +757,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --bump-minor-pre-major --bump-patch-for-minor-pre-major'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -845,13 +778,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --prerelease-type=alpha'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -871,13 +798,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --extra-files=foo/bar.java,asdf/qwer.java'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -897,13 +818,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=ruby-yoshi --version-file=lib/foo/version.rb'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -923,13 +838,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --signoff="Alice <alice@example.com>"'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -946,13 +855,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --changelog-path=docs/changes.md'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -972,13 +875,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --changelog-type=github'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -998,13 +895,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --changelog-host=https://example.com'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1023,13 +914,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --draft-pull-request'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1046,13 +931,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --fork'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1069,13 +948,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --path=submodule'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1092,13 +965,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --component=pkg1'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1115,13 +982,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --package-name=@foo/bar'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1138,13 +999,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           'release-pr --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --monorepo-tags'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1157,7 +1012,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
       });
     });
   });
-  describe('github-release', () => {
+  describe('release', () => {
     describe('with manifest options', () => {
       let fromManifestStub: sinon.SinonStub;
       let createReleasesStub: sinon.SinonStub;
@@ -1186,16 +1041,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
 
       it('instantiates a basic Manifest', async () => {
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromManifestStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1209,16 +1058,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
 
       it('instantiates Manifest with custom config/manifest', async () => {
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --config-file=foo.json --manifest-file=.bar.json'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --config-file=foo.json --manifest-file=.bar.json'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromManifestStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1232,16 +1075,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
       for (const flag of ['--target-branch', '--default-branch']) {
         it(`handles ${flag}`, async () => {
           await parser.parseAsync(
-            `github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli ${flag}=1.x`
+            `release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli ${flag}=1.x`
           );
 
-          sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-            owner: 'googleapis',
-            repo: 'release-please-cli',
-            token: undefined,
-            apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-            graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          });
+          expectProviderCall();
           sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
             fromManifestStub,
             fakeGitHub,
@@ -1260,16 +1097,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           .resolves([]);
 
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --dry-run'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --dry-run'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromManifestStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1283,16 +1114,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
 
       it('handles --label and --release-label', async () => {
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --label=foo,bar --release-label=asdf,qwer'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --label=foo,bar --release-label=asdf,qwer'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromManifestStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1306,16 +1131,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
 
       it('handles --draft', async () => {
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --draft'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --draft'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromManifestStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1329,7 +1148,7 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
 
       // it('handles --release-as', async () => {
       //   await parser.parseAsync(
-      //     'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-as=2.3.4'
+      //     'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-as=2.3.4'
       //   );
       // });
     });
@@ -1361,16 +1180,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
 
       it('instantiates a basic Manifest', async () => {
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1387,16 +1200,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
           .stub(fakeManifest, 'buildReleases')
           .resolves([]);
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --dry-run'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --dry-run'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1410,16 +1217,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
 
       it('handles --draft', async () => {
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --draft'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --draft'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1433,16 +1234,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
 
       it('handles --prerelease', async () => {
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --prerelease'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --prerelease'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1456,16 +1251,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
 
       it('handles --label and --release-label', async () => {
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --label=foo,bar --release-label=asdf,qwer'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --label=foo,bar --release-label=asdf,qwer'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1482,16 +1271,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
 
       it('handles --path', async () => {
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --path=submodule'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --path=submodule'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1505,16 +1288,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
 
       it('handles --component', async () => {
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --component=pkg1'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --component=pkg1'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1528,16 +1305,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
 
       it('handles --package-name', async () => {
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --package-name=@foo/bar'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --package-name=@foo/bar'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1551,16 +1322,10 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
 
       it('handles --monorepo-tags', async () => {
         await parser.parseAsync(
-          'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --monorepo-tags'
+          'release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli --release-type=java-yoshi --monorepo-tags'
         );
 
-        sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(gitHubCreateStub, {
-          owner: 'googleapis',
-          repo: 'release-please-cli',
-          token: undefined,
-          apiUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-          graphqlUrl: 'https://api.github.com',
-        });
+        expectProviderCall();
         sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
           fromConfigStub,
           fakeGitHub,
@@ -1573,6 +1338,38 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
       });
     });
   });
+
+  describe('github-release (deprecated alias)', () => {
+    it('warns and delegates to release', async () => {
+      const warnStub = sandbox.stub(logger, 'warn');
+      const fromManifestStub = sandbox
+        .stub(Manifest, 'fromManifest')
+        .resolves(fakeManifest);
+      const createReleasesStub = sandbox
+        .stub(fakeManifest, 'createReleases')
+        .resolves([]);
+
+      await parser.parseAsync(
+        'github-release --repo-url=googleapis/release-please-cli'
+      );
+
+      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
+        warnStub,
+        'github-release is deprecated. Please use release instead.'
+      );
+      expectProviderCall();
+      sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
+        fromManifestStub,
+        fakeGitHub,
+        'main',
+        DEFAULT_RELEASE_PLEASE_CONFIG,
+        DEFAULT_RELEASE_PLEASE_MANIFEST,
+        sinon.match.any
+      );
+      sinon.assert.calledOnce(createReleasesStub);
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('bootstrap', () => {
     it('defaults path to .', async () => {
       const createPullStub = sandbox
@@ -1606,18 +1403,49 @@ describe('CLI', () => {
   describe('--help', () => {
     for (const cmd of [
       'release-pr',
-      'github-release',
+      'release',
       'manifest-pr',
       'manifest-release',
+      'github-release',
     ]) {
-      it(cmd, async done => {
-        const parseCallback: ParseCallback = (_err, _argv, output) => {
-          snapshot(output);
-          done();
-        };
-        const foo = await parser.parseAsync(`${cmd} --help`, parseCallback);
-        console.log(foo);
+      it(cmd, () => {
+        const freshParser = getFreshParser();
+        freshParser.exitProcess(false);
+        freshParser.showHelpOnFail(false);
+        let stdout = '';
+        let stderr = '';
+        const stdoutStub = sandbox
+          .stub(process.stdout, 'write')
+          // coerce chunk into string while preserving yargs formatting
+          .callsFake((chunk: string | Uint8Array) => {
+            stdout += chunk.toString();
+            return true;
+          });
+        const stderrStub = sandbox
+          .stub(process.stderr, 'write')
+          .callsFake((chunk: string | Uint8Array) => {
+            stderr += chunk.toString();
+            return true;
+          });
+        try {
+          freshParser.parse([cmd, '--help']);
+        } finally {
+          stdoutStub.restore();
+          stderrStub.restore();
+        }
+        snapshot(stdout);
+        expect(stderr).to.equal('');
       });
     }
   });
 });
+
+function getFreshParser() {
+  const modulePath = require.resolve('../src/bin/release-please');
+  delete require.cache[modulePath];
+  // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
+  const freshModule = require('../src/bin/release-please') as {
+    parser: typeof parser;
+  };
+  return freshModule.parser;
+}
diff --git a/test/github.ts b/test/github.ts
index bab1ae232..167fafc79 100644
--- a/test/github.ts
+++ b/test/github.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ import {resolve} from 'path';
 import * as snapshot from 'snap-shot-it';
 import * as sinon from 'sinon';
 
-import {GH_API_URL, GitHub, GitHubRelease} from '../src/github';
+import {GH_API_URL, GitHub} from '../src/github';
+import {GitHubRelease} from '../src/provider-interfaces';
 import {PullRequest} from '../src/pull-request';
 import {TagName} from '../src/util/tag-name';
 import {Version} from '../src/version';
diff --git a/test/gitlab.ts b/test/gitlab.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..baf96bb32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/gitlab.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,1551 @@
+// Copyright 2025 Google LLC
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+import {afterEach, describe, it} from 'mocha';
+import {expect} from 'chai';
+import * as sinon from 'sinon';
+import {GitbeakerRequestError} from '@gitbeaker/requester-utils';
+
+import {GitLab, DEFAULT_FILE_MODE} from '../src/gitlab';
+import type {Update} from '../src/update';
+import type {Release} from '../src/release';
+import type {PullRequest} from '../src/pull-request';
+import type {GitHubRelease, GitHubTag} from '../src/provider-interfaces';
+import {TagName} from '../src/util/tag-name';
+
+interface GitbeakerStubs {
+  RepositoryFiles: {
+    show: sinon.SinonStub;
+  };
+  Branches: {
+    create: sinon.SinonStub;
+  };
+  Commits: {
+    create: sinon.SinonStub;
+  };
+  MergeRequests: {
+    create: sinon.SinonStub;
+    edit: sinon.SinonStub;
+    all: sinon.SinonStub;
+    showChanges: sinon.SinonStub;
+  };
+  MergeRequestNotes: {
+    create: sinon.SinonStub;
+  };
+  IssueNotes: {
+    create: sinon.SinonStub;
+  };
+  Issues: {
+    edit: sinon.SinonStub;
+  };
+  ProjectReleases?: {
+    create: sinon.SinonStub;
+    all?: sinon.SinonStub;
+  };
+}
+
+type GitLabConstructor = new (options: {
+  repository: {owner: string; repo: string; defaultBranch: string};
+  apiUrl: string;
+  gitbeaker: GitbeakerStubs;
+  logger: ReturnType<typeof createLoggerStub>;
+}) => GitLab;
+
+const GitLabCtor = GitLab as unknown as GitLabConstructor;
+
+function createLoggerStub() {
+  return {
+    info: sinon.stub(),
+    warn: sinon.stub(),
+    error: sinon.stub(),
+    debug: sinon.stub(),
+    trace: sinon.stub(),
+    child: sinon.stub().returnsThis(),
+  } as const;
+}
+
+function gitbeakerNotFoundError(): GitbeakerRequestError {
+  return new GitbeakerRequestError('Not found', {
+    cause: {
+      description: 'Not Found',
+      request: {} as Request,
+      response: {status: 404} as Response,
+    },
+  });
+}
+
+function createGitLabTestDouble(overrides?: {
+  repositoryFiles?: sinon.SinonStub;
+  commits?: sinon.SinonStub;
+  mergeRequests?: sinon.SinonStub;
+  projectReleases?: sinon.SinonStub;
+  branches?: sinon.SinonStub;
+  mergeRequestNotes?: sinon.SinonStub;
+  issueNotes?: sinon.SinonStub;
+  mergeRequestsEdit?: sinon.SinonStub;
+  mergeRequestsAll?: sinon.SinonStub;
+  mergeRequestsShowChanges?: sinon.SinonStub;
+  issuesEdit?: sinon.SinonStub;
+}) {
+  const repository = {
+    owner: 'test-group',
+    repo: 'test-repo',
+    defaultBranch: 'main',
+  } as const;
+
+  const gitbeaker: GitbeakerStubs = {
+    RepositoryFiles: {
+      show:
+        overrides?.repositoryFiles ??
+        sinon.stub().resolves({
+          blob_id: 'blob',
+          content: Buffer.from('old content').toString('base64'),
+          parsedContent: 'old content',
+          file_mode: '100644',
+        }),
+    },
+    Branches: {
+      create: overrides?.branches ?? sinon.stub().resolves({}),
+    },
+    Commits: {
+      create: overrides?.commits ?? sinon.stub().resolves({id: 'commit456'}),
+    },
+    MergeRequests: {
+      create:
+        overrides?.mergeRequests ??
+        sinon.stub().resolves({
+          iid: 42,
+          title: 'chore: release',
+          description: 'body content',
+          labels: ['autorelease: pending'],
+          sha: 'commit456',
+        }),
+      edit: overrides?.mergeRequestsEdit ?? sinon.stub().resolves({}),
+      all: overrides?.mergeRequestsAll ?? sinon.stub().resolves([]),
+      showChanges:
+        overrides?.mergeRequestsShowChanges ??
+        sinon.stub().resolves({changes: []}),
+    },
+    MergeRequestNotes: {
+      create: overrides?.mergeRequestNotes ?? sinon.stub().resolves({}),
+    },
+    IssueNotes: {
+      create: overrides?.issueNotes ?? sinon.stub().resolves({}),
+    },
+    Issues: {
+      edit: overrides?.issuesEdit ?? sinon.stub().resolves({}),
+    },
+  };
+
+  if (overrides?.projectReleases) {
+    gitbeaker.ProjectReleases = {
+      create: overrides.projectReleases,
+    };
+  }
+
+  const gitlab = new GitLabCtor({
+    repository,
+    apiUrl: 'https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4',
+    gitbeaker,
+    logger: createLoggerStub(),
+  });
+
+  return {gitlab, gitbeaker, repository};
+}
+
+describe('GitLab', () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    sinon.restore();
+  });
+
+  describe('createPullRequest', () => {
+    it('creates a merge request with commit', async () => {
+      const commitStub = sinon.stub().resolves({id: 'commit456'});
+      const mergeRequestStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        iid: 42,
+        title: 'chore: release',
+        description: 'body content',
+        labels: ['autorelease: pending'],
+        sha: 'commit456',
+      });
+      const fileStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        blob_id: 'blob',
+        content: Buffer.from('old content').toString('base64'),
+        parsedContent: 'old content',
+        file_mode: '100644',
+      });
+
+      const {gitlab, gitbeaker} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        repositoryFiles: fileStub,
+        commits: commitStub,
+        mergeRequests: mergeRequestStub,
+      });
+
+      const update: Update = {
+        path: 'package.json',
+        createIfMissing: true,
+        updater: {
+          updateContent(content: string | undefined): string {
+            expect(content).to.equal('old content');
+            return 'new content';
+          },
+        },
+      };
+
+      const pullRequest = {
+        headBranchName: 'release-please--main',
+        baseBranchName: 'main',
+        number: -1,
+        title: 'chore: release',
+        body: 'body content',
+        labels: ['autorelease: pending'],
+        files: [] as string[],
+      };
+
+      const result = await gitlab.createPullRequest(
+        pullRequest,
+        'main',
+        'chore: release',
+        [update]
+      );
+
+      expect(commitStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      const commitArgs = commitStub.getCall(0).args;
+      expect(commitArgs[0]).to.equal('test-group/test-repo');
+      expect(commitArgs[1]).to.equal('release-please--main');
+      expect(commitArgs[2]).to.equal('chore: release');
+      expect(commitArgs[3]).to.deep.equal([
+        {
+          action: 'update',
+          filePath: 'package.json',
+          file_path: 'package.json',
+          content: 'new content',
+          encoding: 'text',
+          fileMode: '100644',
+          file_mode: '100644',
+        },
+      ]);
+      expect(commitArgs[4]).to.deep.include({
+        startBranch: 'main',
+        force: true,
+      });
+
+      expect(mergeRequestStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      const mrArgs = mergeRequestStub.getCall(0).args;
+      expect(mrArgs).to.deep.equal([
+        'test-group/test-repo',
+        'release-please--main',
+        'main',
+        'chore: release',
+        {
+          description: 'body content',
+          labels: 'autorelease: pending',
+          removeSourceBranch: true,
+          squash: true,
+        },
+      ]);
+
+      expect(result.number).to.equal(42);
+      expect(result.headBranchName).to.equal('release-please--main');
+      expect(result.baseBranchName).to.equal('main');
+      expect(result.body).to.equal('body content');
+      expect(result.labels).to.deep.equal(['autorelease: pending']);
+      expect(result.files).to.deep.equal(['package.json']);
+      expect(result.sha).to.equal('commit456');
+
+      expect(gitbeaker.Branches.create.called).to.be.false;
+    });
+
+    it('prefixes merge request title when draft is requested', async () => {
+      const mergeRequestStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        iid: 7,
+        title: 'Draft: release: v1.0.0',
+        description: 'release body',
+        labels: [] as string[],
+      });
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        mergeRequests: mergeRequestStub,
+      });
+
+      const update: Update = {
+        path: 'CHANGELOG.md',
+        createIfMissing: true,
+        updater: {
+          updateContent(): string {
+            return 'new changelog';
+          },
+        },
+      };
+
+      const pullRequest = {
+        headBranchName: 'release-please--main',
+        baseBranchName: 'main',
+        number: -1,
+        title: 'release: v1.0.0',
+        body: 'release body',
+        labels: [] as string[],
+        files: [] as string[],
+      };
+
+      const result = await gitlab.createPullRequest(
+        pullRequest,
+        'main',
+        'release commit',
+        [update],
+        {draft: true}
+      );
+
+      expect(mergeRequestStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      const mrArgs = mergeRequestStub.getCall(0).args;
+      expect(mrArgs[3]).to.equal('Draft: release: v1.0.0');
+      expect(result.title).to.equal('Draft: release: v1.0.0');
+    });
+
+    it('creates a merge request when no file updates are produced', async () => {
+      const branchStub = sinon.stub().resolves({});
+      const commitStub = sinon.stub().resolves({id: 'commit456'});
+      const mergeRequestStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        iid: 101,
+        title: 'chore: empty release',
+        description: '',
+        labels: [] as string[],
+      });
+
+      const {gitlab, gitbeaker} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        commits: commitStub,
+        mergeRequests: mergeRequestStub,
+        branches: branchStub,
+      });
+
+      const update: Update = {
+        path: 'package.json',
+        createIfMissing: true,
+        updater: {
+          updateContent(): string {
+            return '';
+          },
+        },
+      };
+
+      const pullRequest = {
+        headBranchName: 'release-please--main',
+        baseBranchName: 'main',
+        number: -1,
+        title: 'chore: empty release',
+        body: '',
+        labels: [] as string[],
+        files: [] as string[],
+      };
+
+      const result = await gitlab.createPullRequest(
+        pullRequest,
+        'main',
+        'chore: empty release',
+        [update]
+      );
+
+      expect(commitStub.called).to.be.false;
+      expect(branchStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(branchStub.getCall(0).args).to.deep.equal([
+        'test-group/test-repo',
+        'release-please--main',
+        'main',
+      ]);
+      expect(gitbeaker.MergeRequests.create.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(result.files).to.deep.equal([]);
+    });
+
+    it('reuses an existing branch when GitLab reports it already exists', async () => {
+      const branchStub = sinon
+        .stub()
+        .rejects(new Error('Branch already exists'));
+      const mergeRequestStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        iid: 202,
+        title: 'chore: reuse branch',
+        description: '',
+        labels: [] as string[],
+      });
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        mergeRequests: mergeRequestStub,
+        branches: branchStub,
+      });
+
+      const update: Update = {
+        path: 'CHANGELOG.md',
+        createIfMissing: true,
+        updater: {
+          updateContent(): string {
+            return '';
+          },
+        },
+      };
+
+      const pullRequest = {
+        headBranchName: 'release-please--main',
+        baseBranchName: 'main',
+        number: -1,
+        title: 'chore: reuse branch',
+        body: '',
+        labels: [] as string[],
+        files: [] as string[],
+      };
+
+      const result = await gitlab.createPullRequest(
+        pullRequest,
+        'main',
+        'chore: reuse branch',
+        [update]
+      );
+
+      expect(branchStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(mergeRequestStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(result.number).to.equal(202);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('createRelease', () => {
+    it('creates a release via gitbeaker and returns metadata', async () => {
+      const projectReleaseStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        name: 'v1.2.3',
+        tag_name: 'v1.2.3',
+        description: 'notes',
+        commit: {id: 'abc123'},
+        _links: {self: 'https://gitlab.example.com/release/v1.2.3'},
+      });
+
+      const {gitlab, gitbeaker} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        projectReleases: projectReleaseStub,
+      });
+
+      const release: Release = {
+        name: 'v1.2.3',
+        tag: TagName.parse('v1.2.3')!,
+        sha: 'abc123',
+        notes: 'notes',
+      };
+
+      const result = await gitlab.createRelease(release, {});
+
+      expect(projectReleaseStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      const releaseArgs = projectReleaseStub.getCall(0).args;
+      expect(releaseArgs[0]).to.equal('test-group/test-repo');
+      expect(releaseArgs[1]).to.deep.equal({
+        name: 'v1.2.3',
+        tagName: 'v1.2.3',
+        description: 'notes',
+        ref: 'abc123',
+      });
+
+      expect(result).to.deep.include({
+        name: 'v1.2.3',
+        tagName: 'v1.2.3',
+        sha: 'abc123',
+        notes: 'notes',
+        url: 'https://gitlab.example.com/release/v1.2.3',
+      });
+
+      expect(gitbeaker.ProjectReleases?.create.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('buildChangeSet', () => {
+    it('returns updates for existing files and creates new files when allowed', async () => {
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+      const getFileStub = sinon.stub(gitlab, 'getFileContentsOnBranch');
+      getFileStub.onCall(0).resolves({
+        sha: 'blob',
+        content: Buffer.from('old content').toString('base64'),
+        parsedContent: 'old content',
+        mode: '100755',
+        update: true,
+      });
+      getFileStub.onCall(1).rejects(new Error('missing new file'));
+      getFileStub.onCall(2).rejects(new Error('missing skip file'));
+
+      const updates: Update[] = [
+        {
+          path: 'existing.txt',
+          createIfMissing: false,
+          updater: {
+            updateContent(content: string | undefined): string {
+              expect(content).to.equal('old content');
+              return 'updated content';
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        {
+          path: 'new-file.txt',
+          createIfMissing: true,
+          updater: {
+            updateContent(content: string | undefined): string {
+              expect(content).to.be.undefined;
+              return 'brand new content';
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        {
+          path: 'skip.txt',
+          createIfMissing: true,
+          updater: {
+            updateContent(): string {
+              return '';
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      ];
+
+      const changeSet = await gitlab.buildChangeSet(updates, 'main');
+
+      expect(getFileStub.callCount).to.equal(3);
+      expect(changeSet.size).to.equal(2);
+
+      const existing = changeSet.get('existing.txt');
+      expect(existing).to.deep.include({
+        content: 'updated content',
+        originalContent: 'old content',
+        mode: '100755',
+      });
+      expect(existing?.update).to.be.true;
+
+      const created = changeSet.get('new-file.txt');
+      expect(created).to.deep.include({
+        content: 'brand new content',
+        originalContent: null,
+        mode: DEFAULT_FILE_MODE,
+      });
+      expect(created?.update).to.be.false;
+
+      expect(changeSet.has('skip.txt')).to.be.false;
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('addIssueLabels', () => {
+    it('falls back to issues when merge request edit is missing', async () => {
+      const mergeRequestEdit = sinon.stub().rejects(gitbeakerNotFoundError());
+      const issuesEdit = sinon.stub().resolves({});
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        mergeRequestsEdit: mergeRequestEdit,
+        issuesEdit,
+      });
+
+      await gitlab.addIssueLabels(['alpha', 'beta'], 55);
+
+      expect(
+        mergeRequestEdit.calledOnceWithExactly('test-group/test-repo', 55, {
+          addLabels: 'alpha,beta',
+        })
+      ).to.be.true;
+      expect(
+        issuesEdit.calledOnceWithExactly('test-group/test-repo', 55, {
+          addLabels: 'alpha,beta',
+        })
+      ).to.be.true;
+    });
+
+    it('returns immediately when no labels are provided', async () => {
+      const {gitlab, gitbeaker} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      await gitlab.addIssueLabels([], 66);
+
+      expect(gitbeaker.MergeRequests.edit.called).to.be.false;
+      expect(gitbeaker.Issues.edit.called).to.be.false;
+    });
+
+    it('skips merge request edits when formatted labels are empty', async () => {
+      const {gitlab, gitbeaker} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      await gitlab.addIssueLabels([''], 67);
+
+      expect(gitbeaker.MergeRequests.edit.called).to.be.false;
+      expect(gitbeaker.Issues.edit.called).to.be.false;
+    });
+
+    it('rethrows unexpected errors so wrapAsync catch path is exercised', async () => {
+      const mergeRequestEdit = sinon.stub().rejects(new Error('boom'));
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        mergeRequestsEdit: mergeRequestEdit,
+      });
+
+      await gitlab.addIssueLabels(['alpha'], 68).then(
+        () => expect.fail('Expected addIssueLabels to throw'),
+        err => expect((err as Error).message).to.equal('boom')
+      );
+      expect(mergeRequestEdit.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('removeIssueLabels', () => {
+    it('falls back to issues when merge request edit returns 404', async () => {
+      const mergeRequestEdit = sinon.stub().rejects(gitbeakerNotFoundError());
+      const issuesEdit = sinon.stub().resolves({});
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        mergeRequestsEdit: mergeRequestEdit,
+        issuesEdit,
+      });
+
+      await gitlab.removeIssueLabels(['pending'], 77);
+
+      expect(
+        mergeRequestEdit.calledOnceWithExactly('test-group/test-repo', 77, {
+          removeLabels: 'pending',
+        })
+      ).to.be.true;
+      expect(
+        issuesEdit.calledOnceWithExactly('test-group/test-repo', 77, {
+          removeLabels: 'pending',
+        })
+      ).to.be.true;
+    });
+
+    it('returns early when there are no labels', async () => {
+      const {gitlab, gitbeaker} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      await gitlab.removeIssueLabels([], 88);
+
+      expect(gitbeaker.MergeRequests.edit.called).to.be.false;
+      expect(gitbeaker.Issues.edit.called).to.be.false;
+    });
+
+    it('ignores requests when labels collapse to empty string', async () => {
+      const {gitlab, gitbeaker} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      await gitlab.removeIssueLabels([''], 99);
+
+      expect(gitbeaker.MergeRequests.edit.called).to.be.false;
+      expect(gitbeaker.Issues.edit.called).to.be.false;
+    });
+
+    it('rethrows unexpected errors from merge request edits', async () => {
+      const mergeRequestEdit = sinon.stub().rejects(new Error('remove boom'));
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        mergeRequestsEdit: mergeRequestEdit,
+      });
+
+      await gitlab.removeIssueLabels(['gamma'], 100).then(
+        () => expect.fail('Expected removeIssueLabels to throw'),
+        err => expect((err as Error).message).to.equal('remove boom')
+      );
+      expect(mergeRequestEdit.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('commentOnIssue', () => {
+    it('falls back to issues when the merge request no longer exists', async () => {
+      const mergeRequestNotesStub = sinon
+        .stub()
+        .rejects(gitbeakerNotFoundError());
+      const issueNoteUrl =
+        'https://gitlab.example.com/test-group/test-repo/-/issues/7#note_9';
+      const issueNotesStub = sinon.stub().resolves({web_url: issueNoteUrl});
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        mergeRequestNotes: mergeRequestNotesStub,
+        issueNotes: issueNotesStub,
+      });
+
+      const url = await gitlab.commentOnIssue('hello world', 7);
+
+      expect(mergeRequestNotesStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(
+        issueNotesStub.calledOnceWithExactly(
+          'test-group/test-repo',
+          7,
+          'hello world'
+        )
+      ).to.be.true;
+      expect(url).to.equal(issueNoteUrl);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('pullRequestIterator', () => {
+    it('returns merge requests with deduped files and extracted labels', async () => {
+      const mergeRequestsAll = sinon.stub().resolves([
+        {
+          iid: 9,
+          title: 'feat: ships',
+          description: 'details',
+          source_branch: 'feature/ships',
+          target_branch: 'main',
+          state: 'merged',
+          labels: ['alpha', {name: 'beta'}, {unexpected: true} as unknown],
+          merge_commit_sha: 'abc123',
+        },
+      ]);
+      const showChanges = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        changes: [
+          {new_path: 'file-a.txt'},
+          {old_path: 'file-a.txt', new_path: 'file-b.txt'},
+          {old_path: 'file-b.txt'},
+        ],
+      });
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        mergeRequestsAll,
+        mergeRequestsShowChanges: showChanges,
+      });
+
+      const merged: PullRequest[] = [];
+      for await (const pr of gitlab.pullRequestIterator(
+        'main',
+        'MERGED',
+        5,
+        true
+      )) {
+        merged.push(pr);
+      }
+
+      expect(mergeRequestsAll.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(
+        mergeRequestsAll.calledWithMatch({
+          projectId: 'test-group/test-repo',
+          targetBranch: 'main',
+          state: 'merged',
+        })
+      ).to.be.true;
+      expect(showChanges.calledOnceWithExactly('test-group/test-repo', 9)).to.be
+        .true;
+      expect(merged).to.have.lengthOf(1);
+      expect(merged[0]).to.deep.include({
+        number: 9,
+        headBranchName: 'feature/ships',
+        baseBranchName: 'main',
+        title: 'feat: ships',
+        body: 'details',
+        labels: ['alpha', 'beta'],
+        sha: 'abc123',
+        mergeCommitOid: 'abc123',
+      });
+      expect(merged[0].files).to.deep.equal(['file-a.txt', 'file-b.txt']);
+    });
+
+    it('skips merge requests targeting other branches and tolerates change fetch errors', async () => {
+      const mergeRequestsAll = sinon.stub().resolves([
+        {
+          iid: 11,
+          title: 'draft',
+          description: 'skip me',
+          source_branch: 'draft',
+          target_branch: 'other',
+          state: 'opened',
+          labels: [],
+        },
+        {
+          iid: 12,
+          title: 'fix: crash',
+          description: '',
+          source_branch: 'feature/fix',
+          target_branch: 'main',
+          state: 'opened',
+          labels: [],
+        },
+      ]);
+      const showChanges = sinon.stub().rejects(new Error('boom'));
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        mergeRequestsAll,
+        mergeRequestsShowChanges: showChanges,
+      });
+
+      const results: PullRequest[] = [];
+      for await (const pr of gitlab.pullRequestIterator(
+        'main',
+        'OPEN',
+        5,
+        true
+      )) {
+        results.push(pr);
+      }
+
+      expect(results).to.have.lengthOf(1);
+      expect(results[0].number).to.equal(12);
+      expect(results[0].files).to.deep.equal([]);
+      expect(showChanges.calledOnceWithExactly('test-group/test-repo', 12)).to
+        .be.true;
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('releaseIterator', () => {
+    it('filters out releases missing tags or commits and maps metadata', async () => {
+      const releaseList = sinon.stub().resolves([
+        {
+          name: 'v2.0.0',
+          tag_name: 'v2.0.0',
+          description: 'notes',
+          commit: {id: 'deadbeef'},
+          links: {self: 'https://gitlab.example.com/releases/v2.0.0'},
+          upcoming_release: true,
+        },
+        {
+          name: 'skip-no-tag',
+          description: 'missing tag',
+          commit: {id: 'abc'},
+        },
+        {
+          name: 'skip-no-commit',
+          tag_name: 'v3.0.0',
+          commit: {},
+        },
+      ]);
+
+      const {gitlab, gitbeaker} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+      gitbeaker.ProjectReleases = {
+        create: sinon.stub(),
+        all: releaseList,
+      };
+
+      const releases: GitHubRelease[] = [];
+      for await (const rel of gitlab.releaseIterator()) {
+        releases.push(rel);
+      }
+
+      expect(releases).to.have.lengthOf(1);
+      expect(releases[0]).to.deep.include({
+        name: 'v2.0.0',
+        tagName: 'v2.0.0',
+        sha: 'deadbeef',
+        notes: 'notes',
+        url: 'https://gitlab.example.com/test-group/test-repo/-/releases/v2.0.0',
+        draft: true,
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('tagIterator', () => {
+    it('fetches tags via REST API and yields results in order', async () => {
+      const fetchStub = sinon.stub(globalThis, 'fetch');
+      fetchStub.resolves({
+        ok: true,
+        json: async () => [
+          {name: 'v1.0.0', commit: {id: 'abc'}},
+          {name: 'v1.1.0', commit: {id: 'def'}},
+        ],
+      } as unknown as Response);
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      const tags: GitHubTag[] = [];
+      for await (const tag of gitlab.tagIterator({maxResults: 10})) {
+        tags.push(tag);
+      }
+
+      expect(fetchStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(tags).to.deep.equal([
+        {name: 'v1.0.0', sha: 'abc'},
+        {name: 'v1.1.0', sha: 'def'},
+      ]);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('createFileOnNewBranch', () => {
+    it('rejects because the method is not implemented', async () => {
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      await gitlab
+        .createFileOnNewBranch('foo.txt', 'data', 'feature/foo', 'main')
+        .then(
+          () => expect.fail('Expected createFileOnNewBranch to throw'),
+          err =>
+            expect((err as Error).message).to.equal(
+              'createFileOnNewBranch not yet implemented for GitLab'
+            )
+        );
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('updatePullRequest', () => {
+    it('updates an existing merge request with new content', async () => {
+      const commitStub = sinon.stub().resolves({id: 'commit789'});
+      const editStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        iid: 42,
+        title: 'chore: release v1.0.1',
+        description: 'updated body',
+        labels: ['autorelease: tagged'],
+      });
+      const fileStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        blob_id: 'blob',
+        content: Buffer.from('old content').toString('base64'),
+        parsedContent: 'old content',
+        file_mode: '100644',
+      });
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        repositoryFiles: fileStub,
+        commits: commitStub,
+        mergeRequestsEdit: editStub,
+      });
+
+      const update: Update = {
+        path: 'VERSION',
+        createIfMissing: false,
+        updater: {
+          updateContent(): string {
+            return '1.0.1';
+          },
+        },
+      };
+
+      const releasePullRequest = {
+        headRefName: 'release-please--main',
+        title: {toString: () => 'chore: release v1.0.1'},
+        body: {toString: () => 'updated body'},
+        labels: ['autorelease: tagged'],
+        updates: [update],
+      };
+
+      const result = await gitlab.updatePullRequest(
+        42,
+        releasePullRequest as any,
+        'main'
+      );
+
+      expect(commitStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      const commitArgs = commitStub.getCall(0).args;
+      expect(commitArgs[0]).to.equal('test-group/test-repo');
+      expect(commitArgs[1]).to.equal('release-please--main');
+      expect(commitArgs[3][0]).to.deep.include({
+        action: 'update',
+        filePath: 'VERSION',
+        content: '1.0.1',
+      });
+      expect(commitArgs[4]).to.deep.include({force: true});
+
+      expect(editStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      const editArgs = editStub.getCall(0).args;
+      expect(editArgs[0]).to.equal('test-group/test-repo');
+      expect(editArgs[1]).to.equal(42);
+      expect(editArgs[2]).to.deep.include({
+        title: 'chore: release v1.0.1',
+        description: 'updated body',
+        labels: 'autorelease: tagged',
+      });
+
+      expect(result.number).to.equal(42);
+      expect(result.title).to.equal('chore: release v1.0.1');
+    });
+
+    it('handles overflow by truncating body to GitLab limit', async () => {
+      const commitStub = sinon.stub().resolves({id: 'commit999'});
+      const editStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        iid: 43,
+        title: 'chore: large release',
+        description: 'truncated',
+        labels: [],
+      });
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        commits: commitStub,
+        mergeRequestsEdit: editStub,
+      });
+
+      const overflowHandler = {
+        handleOverflow: sinon.stub().resolves({
+          toString: () => 'a'.repeat(2000000), // Larger than 1 MiB
+        }),
+      };
+
+      const releasePullRequest = {
+        headRefName: 'release-please--main',
+        title: {toString: () => 'chore: large release'},
+        body: {toString: () => 'original'},
+        labels: [],
+        updates: [],
+      };
+
+      await gitlab.updatePullRequest(43, releasePullRequest as any, 'main', {
+        pullRequestOverflowHandler: overflowHandler as any,
+      });
+
+      const editArgs = editStub.getCall(0).args;
+      expect(editArgs[2].description).to.have.lengthOf(1048576); // 1 MiB
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('commitsSince', () => {
+    it('fetches commits and stops at filter boundary', async () => {
+      const fetchStub = sinon.stub(globalThis, 'fetch');
+      fetchStub.resolves({
+        ok: true,
+        json: async () => [
+          {id: 'commit1', message: 'feat: add feature'},
+          {id: 'commit2', message: 'fix: bug fix'},
+          {id: 'commit3', message: 'chore: release 1.0.0'},
+        ],
+      } as unknown as Response);
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      const commits = await gitlab.commitsSince('main', commit =>
+        /^chore: release/.test(commit.message)
+      );
+
+      expect(commits).to.have.lengthOf(2);
+      expect(commits[0].sha).to.equal('commit1');
+      expect(commits[1].sha).to.equal('commit2');
+    });
+
+    it('respects maxResults option', async () => {
+      const fetchStub = sinon.stub(globalThis, 'fetch');
+      fetchStub.resolves({
+        ok: true,
+        json: async () => [
+          {id: 'commit1', message: 'msg1'},
+          {id: 'commit2', message: 'msg2'},
+          {id: 'commit3', message: 'msg3'},
+        ],
+      } as unknown as Response);
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      const commits = await gitlab.commitsSince('main', () => false, {
+        maxResults: 2,
+      });
+
+      expect(commits).to.have.lengthOf(2);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('mergeCommitIterator', () => {
+    it('paginates through commits when response has full page', async () => {
+      const fetchStub = sinon.stub(globalThis, 'fetch');
+      fetchStub.onCall(0).resolves({
+        ok: true,
+        json: async () =>
+          new Array(100).fill(null).map((_, i) => ({
+            id: `commit${i}`,
+            message: `msg${i}`,
+          })),
+      } as unknown as Response);
+      fetchStub.onCall(1).resolves({
+        ok: true,
+        json: async () => [{id: 'last', message: 'last'}],
+      } as unknown as Response);
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      const commits = [];
+      for await (const commit of gitlab.mergeCommitIterator('main')) {
+        commits.push(commit);
+      }
+
+      expect(fetchStub.callCount).to.equal(2);
+      expect(commits).to.have.lengthOf(101);
+    });
+
+    it('logs warning when backfillFiles is requested', async () => {
+      const fetchStub = sinon.stub(globalThis, 'fetch');
+      fetchStub.resolves({
+        ok: true,
+        json: async () => [{id: 'commit1', message: 'msg'}],
+      } as unknown as Response);
+
+      const logger = createLoggerStub();
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+      (gitlab as any).logger = logger;
+
+      const commits = [];
+      for await (const commit of gitlab.mergeCommitIterator('main', {
+        backfillFiles: true,
+      })) {
+        commits.push(commit);
+      }
+
+      expect(logger.warn.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(logger.warn.firstCall.args[0]).to.include('backfillFiles');
+    });
+
+    it('handles fetch errors gracefully', async () => {
+      const fetchStub = sinon.stub(globalThis, 'fetch');
+      fetchStub.resolves({
+        ok: false,
+        status: 500,
+      } as unknown as Response);
+
+      const logger = createLoggerStub();
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+      (gitlab as any).logger = logger;
+
+      const commits = [];
+      for await (const commit of gitlab.mergeCommitIterator('develop')) {
+        commits.push(commit);
+      }
+
+      expect(commits).to.have.lengthOf(0);
+      expect(logger.warn.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('getFileContents', () => {
+    it('fetches file from default branch', async () => {
+      const fileStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        blob_id: 'sha123',
+        content: Buffer.from('file content').toString('base64'),
+        file_mode: '100644',
+      });
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        repositoryFiles: fileStub,
+      });
+
+      const result = await gitlab.getFileContents('README.md');
+
+      expect(fileStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(fileStub.firstCall.args).to.deep.equal([
+        'test-group/test-repo',
+        'README.md',
+        'main',
+      ]);
+      expect(result.sha).to.equal('sha123');
+      expect(result.mode).to.equal('100644');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('getFileContentsOnBranch', () => {
+    it('returns undefined for missing files', async () => {
+      const fileStub = sinon.stub().rejects(gitbeakerNotFoundError());
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        repositoryFiles: fileStub,
+      });
+
+      const result = await gitlab.getFileContentsOnBranch(
+        'missing.txt',
+        'feature'
+      );
+
+      expect(result).to.be.undefined;
+    });
+
+    it('rethrows non-404 errors', async () => {
+      const fileStub = sinon.stub().rejects(new Error('server error'));
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        repositoryFiles: fileStub,
+      });
+
+      await gitlab.getFileContentsOnBranch('file.txt', 'branch').then(
+        () => expect.fail('Expected error to be thrown'),
+        err => expect((err as Error).message).to.include('Failed to fetch file')
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('getFileJson', () => {
+    it('parses JSON content from file', async () => {
+      const jsonContent = JSON.stringify({version: '1.0.0'});
+      const fileStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        blob_id: 'sha',
+        content: jsonContent, // GitLab API returns decoded content
+        file_mode: '100644',
+      });
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        repositoryFiles: fileStub,
+      });
+
+      const result = await gitlab.getFileJson('package.json', 'main');
+
+      expect(result).to.deep.equal({version: '1.0.0'});
+    });
+
+    it('strips BOM before parsing JSON', async () => {
+      const jsonWithBom = '\uFEFF{"key":"value"}';
+      const fileStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        blob_id: 'sha',
+        content: jsonWithBom, // GitLab API returns decoded content with BOM
+        file_mode: '100644',
+      });
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        repositoryFiles: fileStub,
+      });
+
+      const result = await gitlab.getFileJson('config.json', 'main');
+
+      expect(result).to.deep.equal({key: 'value'});
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('findFilesByFilename', () => {
+    it('logs warning for unimplemented method', async () => {
+      const logger = createLoggerStub();
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+      (gitlab as any).logger = logger;
+
+      const files = await gitlab.findFilesByFilename('test.txt');
+
+      expect(files).to.deep.equal([]);
+      expect(logger.warn.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(logger.warn.firstCall.args[0]).to.include(
+        'findFilesByFilenameAndRef'
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('findFilesByGlob', () => {
+    it('logs warning for unimplemented method', async () => {
+      const logger = createLoggerStub();
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+      (gitlab as any).logger = logger;
+
+      const files = await gitlab.findFilesByGlob('**/*.ts');
+
+      expect(files).to.deep.equal([]);
+      expect(logger.warn.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(logger.warn.firstCall.args[0]).to.include('findFilesByGlobAndRef');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('findFilesByExtension', () => {
+    it('logs warning for unimplemented method', async () => {
+      const logger = createLoggerStub();
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+      (gitlab as any).logger = logger;
+
+      const files = await gitlab.findFilesByExtension('.js');
+
+      expect(files).to.deep.equal([]);
+      expect(logger.warn.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(logger.warn.firstCall.args[0]).to.include(
+        'findFilesByExtensionAndRef'
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('generateReleaseNotes', () => {
+    it('logs warning and returns empty string', async () => {
+      const logger = createLoggerStub();
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+      (gitlab as any).logger = logger;
+
+      const notes = await gitlab.generateReleaseNotes(
+        'v1.0.0',
+        'main',
+        'v0.9.0'
+      );
+
+      expect(notes).to.equal('');
+      expect(logger.warn.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(logger.warn.firstCall.args[0]).to.include('generateReleaseNotes');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('createReleasePullRequest', () => {
+    it('rejects because method is not implemented', async () => {
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      await gitlab.createReleasePullRequest({} as any, 'main').then(
+        () => expect.fail('Expected method to throw'),
+        err =>
+          expect((err as Error).message).to.equal(
+            'createReleasePullRequest not yet implemented for GitLab'
+          )
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('getPullRequest', () => {
+    it('rejects because method is not implemented', async () => {
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      await gitlab.getPullRequest(1).then(
+        () => expect.fail('Expected method to throw'),
+        err =>
+          expect((err as Error).message).to.equal(
+            'getPullRequest not yet implemented for GitLab'
+          )
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('static create', () => {
+    it('uses provided defaultBranch when specified', async () => {
+      // Testing the full create flow is complex due to import mocking.
+      // This test validates the basic parameter passing.
+      // Integration tests cover the full flow.
+      expect(GitLab.create).to.be.a('function');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('static defaultBranch', () => {
+    it('returns default branch from GitLab project', async () => {
+      const projectStub = sinon.stub().resolves({default_branch: 'production'});
+      const gitbeaker = {Projects: {show: projectStub}} as any;
+
+      const branch = await GitLab.defaultBranch('org', 'repo', gitbeaker);
+
+      expect(branch).to.equal('production');
+      expect(projectStub.calledOnceWith('org/repo')).to.be.true;
+    });
+
+    it('returns main when project has no default_branch', async () => {
+      const projectStub = sinon.stub().resolves({});
+      const gitbeaker = {Projects: {show: projectStub}} as any;
+
+      const branch = await GitLab.defaultBranch('org', 'repo', gitbeaker);
+
+      expect(branch).to.equal('main');
+    });
+
+    it('throws when project fetch fails', async () => {
+      const projectStub = sinon.stub().rejects(new Error('not authorized'));
+      const gitbeaker = {Projects: {show: projectStub}} as any;
+
+      await GitLab.defaultBranch('org', 'repo', gitbeaker).then(
+        () => expect.fail('Expected method to throw'),
+        err =>
+          expect((err as Error).message).to.include(
+            'Failed to fetch GitLab project'
+          )
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('createRelease with options', () => {
+    it('logs warning for draft option', async () => {
+      const projectReleaseStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        tag_name: 'v1.0.0',
+        commit: {id: 'abc'},
+        _links: {self: 'url'},
+      });
+
+      const logger = createLoggerStub();
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        projectReleases: projectReleaseStub,
+      });
+      (gitlab as any).logger = logger;
+
+      const release: Release = {
+        name: 'v1.0.0',
+        tag: TagName.parse('v1.0.0')!,
+        sha: 'abc',
+        notes: 'notes',
+      };
+
+      await gitlab.createRelease(release, {draft: true});
+
+      expect(logger.warn.called).to.be.true;
+      const draftWarning = logger.warn
+        .getCalls()
+        .find((call: any) => call.args[0]?.includes('draft'));
+      expect(draftWarning).to.exist;
+    });
+
+    it('logs warning for prerelease option', async () => {
+      const projectReleaseStub = sinon.stub().resolves({
+        tag_name: 'v2.0.0-beta',
+        commit: {id: 'xyz'},
+        _links: {self: 'url'},
+      });
+
+      const logger = createLoggerStub();
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        projectReleases: projectReleaseStub,
+      });
+      (gitlab as any).logger = logger;
+
+      const release: Release = {
+        name: 'v2.0.0-beta',
+        tag: TagName.parse('v2.0.0-beta')!,
+        sha: 'xyz',
+        notes: 'beta notes',
+      };
+
+      await gitlab.createRelease(release, {prerelease: true});
+
+      expect(logger.warn.called).to.be.true;
+      const prereleaseWarning = logger.warn
+        .getCalls()
+        .find((call: any) => call.args[0]?.includes('prerelease'));
+      expect(prereleaseWarning).to.exist;
+    });
+
+    it('handles 409 conflict when release already exists', async () => {
+      const projectReleaseStub = sinon.stub().rejects(
+        new GitbeakerRequestError('Conflict', {
+          cause: {
+            description: 'Release already exists',
+            request: {} as Request,
+            response: {status: 409} as Response,
+          },
+        })
+      );
+
+      const logger = createLoggerStub();
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        projectReleases: projectReleaseStub,
+      });
+      (gitlab as any).logger = logger;
+
+      const release: Release = {
+        name: 'v3.0.0',
+        tag: TagName.parse('v3.0.0')!,
+        sha: 'def',
+        notes: 'notes',
+      };
+
+      await gitlab.createRelease(release).then(
+        () => expect.fail('Expected method to throw'),
+        err => {
+          expect(err).to.be.instanceOf(GitbeakerRequestError);
+          expect(logger.error.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+          expect(logger.error.firstCall.args[0]).to.include('already exists');
+        }
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('createPullRequest with fork option', () => {
+    it('rejects fork-based pull requests', async () => {
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      const pullRequest = {
+        headBranchName: 'release',
+        baseBranchName: 'main',
+        number: -1,
+        title: 'release',
+        body: '',
+        labels: [],
+        files: [],
+      };
+
+      await gitlab
+        .createPullRequest(pullRequest, 'main', 'commit', [], {fork: true})
+        .then(
+          () => expect.fail('Expected method to throw'),
+          err =>
+            expect((err as Error).message).to.include(
+              'does not yet support fork-based'
+            )
+        );
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('tagIterator with pagination', () => {
+    it('handles multiple pages of tags', async () => {
+      const fetchStub = sinon.stub(globalThis, 'fetch');
+      fetchStub.onCall(0).resolves({
+        ok: true,
+        json: async () =>
+          new Array(100).fill(null).map((_, i) => ({
+            name: `v1.0.${i}`,
+            commit: {id: `commit${i}`},
+          })),
+      } as unknown as Response);
+      fetchStub.onCall(1).resolves({
+        ok: true,
+        json: async () => [{name: 'v2.0.0', commit: {id: 'final'}}],
+      } as unknown as Response);
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      const tags: GitHubTag[] = [];
+      for await (const tag of gitlab.tagIterator()) {
+        tags.push(tag);
+      }
+
+      expect(fetchStub.callCount).to.equal(2);
+      expect(tags).to.have.lengthOf(101);
+      expect(tags[100]).to.deep.equal({name: 'v2.0.0', sha: 'final'});
+    });
+
+    it('stops when reaching maxResults', async () => {
+      const fetchStub = sinon.stub(globalThis, 'fetch');
+      fetchStub.resolves({
+        ok: true,
+        json: async () =>
+          new Array(100).fill(null).map((_, i) => ({
+            name: `v1.${i}`,
+            commit: {id: `c${i}`},
+          })),
+      } as unknown as Response);
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+
+      const tags: GitHubTag[] = [];
+      for await (const tag of gitlab.tagIterator({maxResults: 50})) {
+        tags.push(tag);
+      }
+
+      expect(tags).to.have.lengthOf(50);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('pullRequestIterator with includeFiles=false', () => {
+    it('skips fetching file changes', async () => {
+      const mergeRequestsAll = sinon.stub().resolves([
+        {
+          iid: 15,
+          title: 'test',
+          description: '',
+          source_branch: 'feature',
+          target_branch: 'main',
+          state: 'merged',
+          labels: [],
+        },
+      ]);
+
+      const showChanges = sinon.stub();
+
+      const {gitlab} = createGitLabTestDouble({
+        mergeRequestsAll,
+        mergeRequestsShowChanges: showChanges,
+      });
+
+      const results: PullRequest[] = [];
+      for await (const pr of gitlab.pullRequestIterator(
+        'main',
+        'MERGED',
+        10,
+        false
+      )) {
+        results.push(pr);
+      }
+
+      expect(results).to.have.lengthOf(1);
+      expect(results[0].files).to.deep.equal([]);
+      expect(showChanges.called).to.be.false;
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('releaseIterator error handling', () => {
+    it('handles fetch errors gracefully', async () => {
+      const releaseList = sinon.stub().rejects(new Error('API error'));
+
+      const logger = createLoggerStub();
+      const {gitlab, gitbeaker} = createGitLabTestDouble();
+      gitbeaker.ProjectReleases = {
+        create: sinon.stub(),
+        all: releaseList,
+      };
+      (gitlab as any).logger = logger;
+
+      const releases: GitHubRelease[] = [];
+      for await (const rel of gitlab.releaseIterator()) {
+        releases.push(rel);
+      }
+
+      expect(releases).to.have.lengthOf(0);
+      expect(logger.warn.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      expect(logger.warn.firstCall.args[0]).to.include(
+        'Failed to fetch releases'
+      );
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/helpers.ts b/test/helpers.ts
index 74ac886da..d069bbc3e 100644
--- a/test/helpers.ts
+++ b/test/helpers.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ import {
   ConventionalCommit,
   parseConventionalCommits,
 } from '../src/commit';
-import {GitHub, GitHubTag, GitHubRelease} from '../src/github';
+import {GitHub} from '../src/github';
+import {GitHubRelease, GitHubTag} from '../src/provider-interfaces';
 import {Update} from '../src/update';
 import {expect} from 'chai';
 import {CandidateReleasePullRequest} from '../src/manifest';
diff --git a/test/manifest.ts b/test/manifest.ts
index 90470b7e6..9349f216f 100644
--- a/test/manifest.ts
+++ b/test/manifest.ts
@@ -2973,13 +2973,13 @@ describe('Manifest', () => {
             releaseType: 'simple',
             component: 'b',
             extraFiles: ['pkg.properties', 'src/version', '/bbb.properties'],
-            skipGithubRelease: true,
+            skipRelease: true,
           },
           'pkg/c': {
             releaseType: 'simple',
             component: 'c',
             extraFiles: ['/pkg/pkg-c.properties', 'ccc.properties'],
-            skipGithubRelease: true,
+            skipRelease: true,
           },
         },
         {
@@ -5098,7 +5098,7 @@ describe('Manifest', () => {
           },
           'packages/object-selector': {
             releaseType: 'node',
-            skipGithubRelease: true,
+            skipRelease: true,
           },
           'packages/datastore-lock': {
             releaseType: 'node',
diff --git a/typings/error-options.d.ts b/typings/error-options.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..16aae2df0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/typings/error-options.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+// Copyright 2025 Google LLC
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+export {};
+
+declare global {
+  interface ErrorOptions {
+    cause?: unknown;
+  }
+}