azure-devops-cli

github/awesome-copilot

Manage Azure DevOps projects, repos, pipelines, builds, and work items from the CLI.

What is azure-devops-cli?

Azure DevOps CLI extension for the Azure CLI enables command-line management of Azure DevOps resources including repositories, pull requests, pipelines, builds, work items, and service endpoints. Use this when automating DevOps workflows, managing CI/CD infrastructure, or scripting Azure DevOps operations.

Manage repositories, branches, and pull requests with voting and reviewer controls
Create and monitor pipelines, builds, and releases with variable and artifact management
Track work items, sprints, and area paths using WIQL queries and bulk updates
Configure agent pools, queues, and pipeline variables for CI/CD automation
Manage service endpoints, security groups, permissions, and team settings
Handle long command arguments on Windows with multiple workaround strategies

How to install azure-devops-cli

npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill azure-devops-cli

Prerequisites

Azure CLI 2.81.0 or later installed
Azure DevOps extension installed via `az extension add --name azure-devops`
Personal Access Token (PAT) for authentication to Azure DevOps organization
Azure DevOps organization URL in format `https://dev.azure.com/{org}`

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How to use azure-devops-cli

1.Install Azure CLI and the Azure DevOps extension using the provided brew/curl commands
2.Authenticate with `az devops login` using your organization URL and PAT token
3.Set default organization and project with `az devops configure --defaults` to avoid repeating flags
4.Identify your task domain (repos, pipelines, boards, etc.) and read the corresponding reference file
5.Execute commands using the appropriate `az devops`, `az pipelines`, `az boards`, `az repos`, or `az artifacts` command group
6.Use `--output json` or JMESPath queries for parsing results in scripts; consult `advanced-usage.md` for formatting options

Use cases

Good for

Automate CI/CD pipeline creation and monitoring across multiple projects
Bulk create or update work items and manage sprint iterations programmatically
Set up branch policies and manage pull request workflows at scale
Configure and manage agent pools and pipeline variables for distributed builds
Script Azure DevOps administration tasks like user/team/permission management

Who it's for

DevOps engineers automating Azure DevOps infrastructure
Build and release engineers managing CI/CD pipelines
Development teams scripting work item and sprint management
Azure DevOps administrators handling organization-wide configuration
Developers integrating Azure DevOps operations into custom automation scripts

azure-devops-cli FAQ

How do I authenticate to Azure DevOps?

Use `az devops login --organization https://dev.azure.com/{org} --token YOUR_PAT_TOKEN` with a Personal Access Token. You can then set defaults with `az devops configure --defaults` to avoid repeating org/project flags.

What if my long command fails on Windows?

Windows cmd.exe has an 8191 character limit. Use one of three workarounds: the `azps.ps1` PowerShell wrapper, the native `--file-path` parameter, or `az devops invoke --in-file`. See `references/long-comments-on-windows.md` for details.

How do I query work items with complex criteria?

Use WIQL (Work Item Query Language) with `az boards work-item list --wiql` to filter by custom conditions. See `references/boards-and-iterations.md` for syntax and examples.

Can I manage multiple projects in one script?

Yes. Either pass `--organization` and `--project` flags per command, or use `az devops configure --defaults` to set them globally, then override per command as needed.

Where do I find complete command syntax and examples?

The skill includes six reference files organized by domain: repos-and-prs.md, pipelines-and-builds.md, boards-and-iterations.md, variables-and-agents.md, org-and-security.md, and advanced-usage.md. Consult the relevant file for your task.

Full instructions (SKILL.md)

Source of truth, from github/awesome-copilot.

name: azure-devops-cli description: Manage Azure DevOps resources via CLI including projects, repos, pipelines, builds, pull requests, work items, artifacts, and service endpoints. Use when working with Azure DevOps, az commands, devops automation, CI/CD, or when user mentions Azure DevOps CLI.

Azure DevOps CLI

Manage Azure DevOps resources using the Azure CLI with the Azure DevOps extension.

CLI Version: 2.81.0 (current as of 2025)

Prerequisites

# Install Azure CLI
brew install azure-cli  # macOS
curl -sL https://aka.ms/InstallAzureCLIDeb | sudo bash  # Linux

# Install Azure DevOps extension
az extension add --name azure-devops

Authentication

# Login with PAT token
az devops login --organization https://dev.azure.com/{org} --token YOUR_PAT_TOKEN

# Set default organization and project (avoids repeating --org/--project)
# Note: Legacy URL https://{org}.visualstudio.com should be replaced with https://dev.azure.com/{org}
az devops configure --defaults organization=https://dev.azure.com/{org} project={project}

# List current configuration
az devops configure --list

CLI Structure

az devops          # Main DevOps commands
├── admin          # Administration (banner)
├── extension      # Extension management
├── project        # Team projects
├── security       # Security operations
│   ├── group      # Security groups
│   └── permission # Security permissions
├── service-endpoint # Service connections
├── team           # Teams
├── user           # Users
├── wiki           # Wikis
├── configure      # Set defaults
├── invoke         # Invoke REST API
├── login          # Authenticate
└── logout         # Clear credentials

az pipelines       # Azure Pipelines
├── agent          # Agents
├── build          # Builds
├── folder         # Pipeline folders
├── pool           # Agent pools
├── queue          # Agent queues
├── release        # Releases
├── runs           # Pipeline runs
├── variable       # Pipeline variables
└── variable-group # Variable groups

az boards          # Azure Boards
├── area           # Area paths
├── iteration      # Iterations
└── work-item      # Work items

az repos           # Azure Repos
├── import         # Git imports
├── policy         # Branch policies
├── pr             # Pull requests
└── ref            # Git references

az artifacts       # Azure Artifacts
└── universal      # Universal Packages

Reference Files

Read the relevant reference file based on the user's task. Each file contains complete command syntax and examples for its domain.

File	When to read	Covers
`references/repos-and-prs.md`	Repos, branches, pull requests, branch policies	Repositories, Import, PRs (create/list/vote/reviewers/policies), Git refs, Branch policies
`references/pipelines-and-builds.md`	Pipelines, builds, releases, artifacts	Pipelines CRUD, runs, builds, releases, artifacts download/upload
`references/boards-and-iterations.md`	Work items, sprints, area paths	Work items (WIQL/create/update/relations), Area paths, Iterations, Team iterations
`references/variables-and-agents.md`	Pipeline variables, agent pools	Pipeline variables, Variable groups, Pipeline folders, Agent pools/queues
`references/org-and-security.md`	Projects, teams, users, permissions, wikis	Projects, Extensions, Teams, Users, Security groups/permissions, Service endpoints, Wikis, Admin
`references/advanced-usage.md`	Output formatting, JMESPath queries	Output formats, JMESPath queries (basic + advanced), Global args, Common params, Git aliases
`references/workflows-and-patterns.md`	Automation scripts, best practices, error handling	Common workflows, Best practices, Error handling, Scripting patterns, Real-world examples
`references/long-comments-on-windows.md`	Long `--discussion`, `--description`, or `--content` values failing on Windows	The `cmd.exe` 8191 char cap on `az.cmd`, shell detection, and three verified workarounds (`azps.ps1`, native `--file-path`, `az devops invoke --in-file`)