Wiki and Search API Reference

Wiki and Search API Reference

Comprehensive reference for Azure DevOps Wiki and Search REST API operations.

Table of Contents

• Wiki Operations
• Code Search
• Work Item Search
• Wiki Search
• Search Filters

Wiki Operations

Wiki Types

Wiki Properties

Page Path Format

Page Properties

Wiki Markdown Extensions

# Standard Markdown
**bold** *italic* `code`

# Azure DevOps Extensions
[[_TOC_]]                    # Table of contents
[[/Page/Path]]               # Wiki page link
[[/Page/Path|Display Text]]  # Named wiki link

# Work Item Links
#1234                        # Work item link
AB#1234                      # Cross-project work item

# Mentions
@<user-guid>                 # User mention
@<group-name>                # Group mention

# Pull Request Links
!123                         # PR link

# Code Snippets
:::code language="csharp" source="path/to/file.cs" range="1-10":::

# Mermaid Diagrams
:::mermaid
graph TD
    A --> B
:::

# Math (LaTeX)
$$E = mc^2$$
$inline math$

Code Search

Search Syntax

Code Search Filters

Code Element Filters

Example Code Searches

# Find class definitions
class:UserService

# Find methods with specific name
method:ValidateCredentials

# Find in specific repo and path
repo:Backend path:src/api login

# Find specific file type
ext:cs "async Task" repo:MyRepo

# Complex query
repo:Backend path:src NOT path:test method:Login

Work Item Search

Work Item Search Filters

Date Filters

Date Syntax

created:>=2024-01-01
changeddate:<=2024-06-30
created:2024-01-01..2024-03-31
created:@Today-30

Example Work Item Searches

# Active bugs assigned to me
t:Bug s:Active a:@Me

# High priority items
t:Task priority:<=2 s:Active

# Recently created in current sprint
created:@Today-7 iteration:@CurrentIteration

# Specific area path
area:"MyProject\Backend Team" t:User Story

# With specific tag
tags:security t:Bug s:Active

# Created by specific user
c:"john.doe@company.com" created:>=2024-01-01

Wiki Search

Wiki Search Filters

Example Wiki Searches

# Search in specific wiki
wiki:"Developer Wiki" API

# Search specific path
path:/Architecture microservices

# Multiple terms
"getting started" installation project:MyProject

Search Filters

Filter Structure (API)

{
  "searchText": "search query",
  "filters": {
    "Project": ["Project1", "Project2"],
    "Repository": ["Repo1"],
    "Path": ["/src"],
    "Branch": ["main", "develop"],
    "CodeElement": ["class", "method"]
  },
  "$skip": 0,
  "$top": 25,
  "$orderBy": [
    {
      "field": "filename",
      "sortOrder": "ASC"
    }
  ]
}

Facets Response

{
  "facets": {
    "Project": [
      {"name": "MyProject", "count": 150},
      {"name": "AnotherProject", "count": 45}
    ],
    "Repository": [
      {"name": "Backend", "count": 100},
      {"name": "Frontend", "count": 50}
    ],
    "CodeElement": [
      {"name": "class", "count": 30},
      {"name": "method", "count": 120}
    ]
  }
}

MCP Tool Usage Examples

List Wikis

# Using mcp__ado__wiki_list_wikis
params = {
    "project": "MyProject"
}

Get Wiki

# Using mcp__ado__wiki_get_wiki
params = {
    "wikiIdentifier": "MyProject.wiki",
    "project": "MyProject"
}

List Wiki Pages

# Using mcp__ado__wiki_list_pages
params = {
    "wikiIdentifier": "MyProject.wiki",
    "project": "MyProject",
    "pageViewsForDays": 7,  # Include view stats
    "top": 50
}

Get Wiki Page Content

# Using mcp__ado__wiki_get_page_content
params = {
    "wikiIdentifier": "MyProject.wiki",
    "project": "MyProject",
    "path": "/Getting-Started/Setup"
}

# Or by URL
params = {
    "url": "https://dev.azure.com/org/project/_wiki/wikis/wiki-name?pagePath=/My%20Page"
}

Create/Update Wiki Page

# Using mcp__ado__wiki_create_or_update_page
params = {
    "wikiIdentifier": "MyProject.wiki",
    "project": "MyProject",
    "path": "/Guides/New-Feature",
    "content": """# New Feature Guide

## Overview
This guide covers the new feature implementation.

## Steps
1. Step one
2. Step two

## Related
- [[/API/Reference]]
- #12345
"""
}

Search Code

# Using mcp__ado__search_code
params = {
    "searchText": "async Task<User> GetUserById",
    "project": ["MyProject"],
    "repository": ["Backend"],
    "path": ["/src"],
    "branch": ["main"],
    "top": 25,
    "includeFacets": True
}

Search Work Items

# Using mcp__ado__search_workitem
params = {
    "searchText": "login authentication",
    "project": ["MyProject"],
    "workItemType": ["Bug", "User Story"],
    "state": ["Active", "New"],
    "assignedTo": ["@Me"],
    "top": 50,
    "includeFacets": True
}

Search Wiki

# Using mcp__ado__search_wiki
params = {
    "searchText": "deployment guide kubernetes",
    "project": ["MyProject"],
    "wiki": ["Team Wiki"],
    "top": 20,
    "includeFacets": True
}

Search Response Structure

Code Search Result

{
  "count": 150,
  "results": [
    {
      "fileName": "UserService.cs",
      "path": "/src/Services/UserService.cs",
      "repository": {
        "name": "Backend",
        "id": "repo-guid"
      },
      "project": {
        "name": "MyProject"
      },
      "versions": [
        {
          "branchName": "main",
          "changeId": "commit-sha"
        }
      ],
      "matches": {
        "content": [
          {
            "charOffset": 100,
            "length": 15
          }
        ]
      },
      "contentId": "blob-sha"
    }
  ],
  "facets": {
    "Project": [...],
    "Repository": [...],
    "CodeElement": [...]
  }
}

Work Item Search Result

{
  "count": 45,
  "results": [
    {
      "project": {
        "name": "MyProject"
      },
      "fields": {
        "system.id": "12345",
        "system.workitemtype": "Bug",
        "system.title": "Login fails with SSO",
        "system.state": "Active",
        "system.assignedto": "user@company.com"
      },
      "hits": [
        {
          "fieldReferenceName": "system.title",
          "highlights": ["Login fails with <highlighttext>SSO</highlighttext>"]
        }
      ],
      "url": "https://dev.azure.com/org/project/_workitems/edit/12345"
    }
  ],
  "facets": {
    "System.WorkItemType": [...],
    "System.State": [...],
    "System.AssignedTo": [...]
  }
}

Best Practices

1. Use Specific Filters

# Bad: Too broad
login

# Good: Specific
repo:Backend path:src/auth class:LoginService method:Validate

2. Leverage Facets

Use facets to narrow results progressively.

3. Quote Exact Phrases

"public async Task" vs public async Task

4. Use Code Element Filters for Code

# Find all implementations of interface
class:IUserRepository NOT interface:IUserRepository

5. Combine Filters

t:Bug s:Active a:@Me created:@Today-7 priority:<=2