GitBoba is a native Gitea client for iPhone and iPad. Browse repos, pull requests, issues, Actions, and notifications from your self-hosted server — with zero data collection and credentials stored only in the iOS Keychain.
What you can do
Home — personalized feed of repos, open PRs, and issues
Notifications — Gitea notification inbox
Explore — browse organizations and repositories
Repos — branches, commits, file tree, PRs, and issues
Actions — workflow runs and job logs
Requirements
iOS 26+ (iPhone and iPad)
A self-hosted Gitea instance
A Gitea API token (Settings → Applications → Generate Token)
In this documentation
Use the sidebar to navigate between sections. Getting Started covers first-time setup. Deep Links explains how to open GitBoba from links on the web. API Compatibility tracks which Gitea API areas the app currently supports.
Getting Started
Connect GitBoba to your Gitea server in a few steps. All credentials stay on your device — nothing is sent to any third-party server.
1
Install GitBoba
Download the app from the App Store. GitBoba is free.
2
Generate an API token
On your Gitea server, go to Settings → Applications → Generate Token. Grant the scopes you need (typically read:repository at minimum).
3
Add your server
Open GitBoba and tap Add Account. Enter your server URL (e.g. https://gitea.example.com) and paste the API token. Subpath installations like https://git.example.com/gitea are supported.
4
Start browsing
Your repos, notifications, and activity appear on the Home tab. Use Explore to browse organizations, or search for repos across your instance.
GitBoba collects no data. Read the full Privacy Policy for details on credential storage and network traffic.
Deep Links
Open repos, pull requests, issues, and commits directly in GitBoba — from your website, Home Screen widgets, Shortcuts, or the iOS share sheet.
The gitboba:// URL scheme
Registered in the app as a custom URL scheme. Tapping a gitboba:// link on iOS opens GitBoba and navigates to the matching screen. The host segment names the resource type; owner, repo, and identifiers follow as path segments.
gitboba://{type}/{owner}/{repo}[/{id}]
Requires GitBoba to be installed. If the app isn't installed, the link won't resolve — use a normal HTTPS link as a fallback for web browsers.
Supported routes
These paths map directly to screens inside the app.
Note the singular hosts: issue and pull, not issues or pulls. Gitea web URLs use the plural form (/issues/42) — those work too when the user has the matching server configured.
Gitea HTTPS URLs
When a user has already added a Gitea server in GitBoba, the app can also open standard web URLs that point at that instance. GitBoba matches the host (and optional subpath prefix) against configured accounts and routes to the right screen.
Subpath installations are supported — if the server is at https://git.example.com/gitea, repo URLs include that prefix. When the link targets a different configured account than the one currently active, GitBoba switches accounts automatically.
The open wrapper
For integrations that only have a raw HTTPS link (for example, the iOS share sheet's Open in GitBoba action), wrap the web URL in a gitboba://open link. GitBoba extracts the embedded URL, matches it to a configured account, and navigates accordingly.
The url query parameter must be a fully URL-encoded HTTPS (or HTTP) Gitea link. This is the format the share extension uses when handing off from Safari or other apps.
Linking from your site
Add gitboba:// links alongside normal HTTPS links so mobile visitors with GitBoba installed can jump straight into the app. Use the custom scheme when you know owner, repo, and number; use HTTPS when you want the link to work in a browser too.
<!-- Open pull request #42 in GitBoba -->
<a href="gitboba://pull/alice/my-repo/42">Open in GitBoba</a>
<!-- Fallback-friendly: works in browser and in-app when configured -->
<a href="https://gitea.example.com/alice/my-repo/pulls/42">
View pull request
</a>
Widgets
Home Screen widgets use gitboba://repo/… and gitboba://notifications as widget URLs so tapping a widget opens the right screen.
Shortcuts & automations
Use the Open URL action with any supported gitboba:// link to deep-link into GitBoba from Shortcuts or other automations.
Share extension
From Safari or any app showing a Gitea link, tap Share → Open in GitBoba. No manual URL building required.
Multi-account
HTTPS links automatically select the matching Gitea account. Custom-scheme links don't include a host, so the active account is used.
To open a deep link on your iPhone or iPad, tap any gitboba:// link in Safari, Mail, or Messages. From a Gitea page in Safari, you can also use Share → Open in GitBoba. In Shortcuts, add an Open URL action with a supported link.
GitBoba is a work in progress. This section tracks which parts of the Gitea API are currently supported in the app, which have partial coverage, and which are on the roadmap for upcoming releases.