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) |
Source: github/awesome-copilot → skills/azure-devops-cli/SKILL.md
1---2name: azure-devops-cli3description: 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.4---5# Azure DevOps CLI
6
7Manage Azure DevOps resources using the Azure CLI with the Azure DevOps extension.
8
9**CLI Version:** 2.81.0 (current as of 2025)
10
11## Prerequisites
12
13```bash
14# Install Azure CLI
15brew install azure-cli # macOS
16curl -sL https://aka.ms/InstallAzureCLIDeb | sudo bash # Linux
17
18# Install Azure DevOps extension
19az extension add --name azure-devops
20```
21
22## Authentication
23
24```bash
25# Login with PAT token
26az devops login --organization https://dev.azure.com/{org} --token YOUR_PAT_TOKEN
27
28# Set default organization and project (avoids repeating --org/--project)
29# Note: Legacy URL https://{org}.visualstudio.com should be replaced with https://dev.azure.com/{org}
30az devops configure --defaults organization=https://dev.azure.com/{org} project={project}
31
32# List current configuration
33az devops configure --list
34```
35
36## CLI Structure
37
38```
39az devops # Main DevOps commands
40├── admin # Administration (banner)
41├── extension # Extension management
42├── project # Team projects
43├── security # Security operations
44│ ├── group # Security groups
45│ └── permission # Security permissions
46├── service-endpoint # Service connections
47├── team # Teams
48├── user # Users
49├── wiki # Wikis
50├── configure # Set defaults
51├── invoke # Invoke REST API
52├── login # Authenticate
53└── logout # Clear credentials
54
55az pipelines # Azure Pipelines
56├── agent # Agents
57├── build # Builds
58├── folder # Pipeline folders
59├── pool # Agent pools
60├── queue # Agent queues
61├── release # Releases
62├── runs # Pipeline runs
63├── variable # Pipeline variables
64└── variable-group # Variable groups
65
66az boards # Azure Boards
67├── area # Area paths
68├── iteration # Iterations
69└── work-item # Work items
70
71az repos # Azure Repos
72├── import # Git imports
73├── policy # Branch policies
74├── pr # Pull requests
75└── ref # Git references
76
77az artifacts # Azure Artifacts
78└── universal # Universal Packages
79```
80
81## Reference Files
82
83Read the relevant reference file based on the user's task. Each file contains complete command syntax and examples for its domain.
84
85| File | When to read | Covers |
86|---|---|---|
87| `references/repos-and-prs.md` | Repos, branches, pull requests, branch policies | Repositories, Import, PRs (create/list/vote/reviewers/policies), Git refs, Branch policies |
88| `references/pipelines-and-builds.md` | Pipelines, builds, releases, artifacts | Pipelines CRUD, runs, builds, releases, artifacts download/upload |
89| `references/boards-and-iterations.md` | Work items, sprints, area paths | Work items (WIQL/create/update/relations), Area paths, Iterations, Team iterations |
90| `references/variables-and-agents.md` | Pipeline variables, agent pools | Pipeline variables, Variable groups, Pipeline folders, Agent pools/queues |
91| `references/org-and-security.md` | Projects, teams, users, permissions, wikis | Projects, Extensions, Teams, Users, Security groups/permissions, Service endpoints, Wikis, Admin |
92| `references/advanced-usage.md` | Output formatting, JMESPath queries | Output formats, JMESPath queries (basic + advanced), Global args, Common params, Git aliases |
93| `references/workflows-and-patterns.md` | Automation scripts, best practices, error handling | Common workflows, Best practices, Error handling, Scripting patterns, Real-world examples |
94| `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`) |
95
96---
97
98**Source:** [`github/awesome-copilot`](https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot) → `skills/azure-devops-cli/SKILL.md`
thedixitjain