Azure Devops CLI

Azure DevOps CLI

Use the Azure CLI plus the Azure DevOps extension to automate projects, repos, pipelines, builds, pull requests, work items, artifacts, service endpoints, security, teams, users, wikis, variables, agents, and advanced REST calls.

When to invoke

• "Use Azure DevOps CLI to create a pull request."
• "List pipeline runs with az pipelines."
• "Create or update an Azure Boards work item."
• "Automate Azure DevOps repos, builds, or artifacts."
• "Fix this az devops command or PAT login."

Prerequisites and context

CLI Version: 2.81.0 (current as of 2025)

# Install Azure CLI on macOS
brew install azure-cli

# Install Azure CLI on Linux
curl -sL https://aka.ms/InstallAzureCLIDeb | sudo bash

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

Authenticate with a PAT only through standard CLI login; do not print or store the token in scripts.

az devops login --organization https://dev.azure.com/{org} --token YOUR_PAT_TOKEN
az devops configure --defaults organization=https://dev.azure.com/{org} project={project}
az devops configure --list

Replace legacy https://{org}.visualstudio.com URLs with https://dev.azure.com/{org}.

Command map

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 routing

Read the smallest reference that matches the user task.

Procedure

1. Identify the target organization, project, resource type, and command group.
2. Configure defaults with az devops configure --defaults when repeated commands share organization and project.
3. Read the relevant reference file for exact command syntax.
4. Use --output json or --query for scripts; avoid parsing human table output.
5. For commands that create or mutate resources, preview inputs and use explicit names, IDs, and project context.
6. For unsupported CLI gaps, use az devops invoke with the documented REST route.
7. Report the command run, output summary, and any IDs or URLs created.

Command selection patterns

Gotchas

• Do not expose YOUR_PAT_TOKEN: pass tokens through secure input or environment-controlled login, never commit them.
• Configure defaults carefully: stale defaults can mutate the wrong organization or project.
• Prefer https://dev.azure.com/{org}: legacy https://{org}.visualstudio.com URLs should be replaced.
• Windows long comments fail through az.cmd: read references/long-comments-on-windows.md before sending long --discussion, --description, or --content values.
• JMESPath is not shell-neutral: quote --query expressions differently for Bash, PowerShell, and cmd.exe when needed.

Progressive disclosure and bundled resources

This skill is a router over reference files. Read only the reference matching the task so command details stay precise without loading every Azure DevOps domain.

• references/repos-and-prs.md
• references/pipelines-and-builds.md
• references/boards-and-iterations.md
• references/variables-and-agents.md
• references/org-and-security.md
• references/advanced-usage.md
• references/workflows-and-patterns.md
• references/long-comments-on-windows.md

CLI shorthand

Defaults avoid repeating --org/--project. Boards references include WIQL/create/update/relations patterns.

Output template

## Azure DevOps CLI result

**Status:** complete | blocked | failed
**Organization:** `https://dev.azure.com/{org}`
**Project:** `<project>`
**Command group:** `az <group>`

### Commands
- `<command run or recommended>`

### Results
| Resource | ID/Name | URL/State |
| --- | --- | --- |
| <resource> | <id or name> | <url or state> |

### Validation
- Authentication/config checked: pass | fail
- Reference file used: `<references/file.md>`
- Output captured as JSON or explicit IDs: pass | fail

Quality gate

• Azure CLI and azure-devops extension prerequisites are satisfied or installation commands are provided.
• Organization uses https://dev.azure.com/{org} and the project context is explicit.
• YOUR_PAT_TOKEN or any real PAT is never printed, committed, or embedded in scripts.
• The relevant bundled reference file was used for exact syntax.
• Mutating commands identify the target resource by explicit project, repository, pipeline, work item, or descriptor.
• Scripted output uses JSON, IDs, or --query instead of fragile table parsing.
• Windows long-comment workarounds are used when command length may exceed the cmd.exe limit.

References

• Azure CLI Linux install