title: How to configure Jenkins to access Gitlab private repository without Gitlab plugin?
body: <p>I have installed latest Jenkins on ubuntu server and Jenkinsfile in my project repo on Gitlab.</p>
  
  <p>I am able to connect to private repo on Gitlab using username/password credential on Jenkins configuration for the project pipeline without using Jenkins Gitlab plugin. This does not seem safe to me. How can I use Gitlab API token instead of username/password for Jenkins to access remote private Gitlab repo without using Jenkins Gitlab plugin. Another option is to set ssh private key on Jenkins server to athenticate against Gitlab repo. Is this option possible? </p>
  
  <p>Jenkins Gitlab plugin is not officially supported and not well maintained because Gitlab wants customers to user their own CI/CD solution in order to tie customers to their platform for marketing reasons. </p>