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Guide · Agent skill

How to use the Azure DevOps CLI agent skill

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

This guide explains how to install and use the azure-devops-cli agent skill, a set of instructions and command references that lets an AI agent manage Azure DevOps through the Azure CLI and its DevOps extension. It is for developers and platform engineers who already use Azure DevOps and want the agent to handle routine repository, pipeline and work item tasks. By the end you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for things in plain language, and what to check before letting it change anything.

Azure DevOps CLIgithub/awesome-copilot · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Install the Azure CLI. Install the Azure CLI using the command for your system, such as brew install azure-cli on macOS.
  2. 2Add the Azure DevOps extension. Run az extension add --name azure-devops to add the DevOps commands to az.
  3. 3Download the skill ZIP. Download the azure-devops-cli ZIP from the directory page.
  4. 4Unzip into a skills folder. Unzip the folder into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one project.
  5. 5Log in with a PAT. Run az devops login with your organisation URL and a Personal Access Token.
  6. 6Set defaults. Run az devops configure --defaults to set your organisation and project, then confirm with az devops configure --list.
  7. 7Ask for a task in plain language. Describe the outcome you want, such as listing open pull requests, and review any command that changes resources before approving it.

What the azure-devops-cli skill makes the agent do

Agent skills are folders of instructions and reference files that an AI agent loads when a task matches them. This skill covers Azure DevOps, Microsoft's hosted software development platform, and teaches the agent to work through the Azure command-line tool (az) with the Azure DevOps extension.

Once installed, the agent knows the command syntax for projects, repos, pipelines, builds, pull requests, work items, artifacts and service endpoints. It reads a short reference file for the area you ask about, so it only loads the command details it needs.

  • Pull requests: create, list, vote on and add reviewers, and manage branch policies (az repos pr)
  • Pipelines: check and trigger runs, manage variable groups and agent pools (az pipelines)
  • Work items: query with WIQL, create and update items, manage area paths and iterations (az boards)
  • Project settings: look up projects, teams, users, permissions and service endpoints (az devops)

Install the prerequisites: Azure CLI and the DevOps extension

The skill needs the Azure CLI and the Azure DevOps extension installed on your machine. The source lists these install commands for macOS and Linux. Windows users should follow the official Azure CLI installer for their system.

You also need an Azure DevOps organisation and project where your account has suitable permissions.

  • Azure CLI (az) is required
  • Azure DevOps CLI extension is required
  • Azure DevOps Personal Access Token or equivalent login is required
brew install azure-cli # macOS curl -sL https://aka.ms/InstallAzureCLIDeb | sudo bash # Linux az extension add --name azure-devops

Download the skill and install it

Download the ZIP for azure-devops-cli from the directory page. Then choose one of two install locations.

For personal use across all your projects, unzip the folder into ~/.claude/skills/. To limit it to one project, unzip it into that project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

  • Personal: ~/.claude/skills/azure-devops-cli
  • Project only: .claude/skills/azure-devops-cli inside the project folder
  • Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the ZIP

Log in and set defaults

Authenticate with a Personal Access Token (PAT). A PAT grants whatever rights it was created with, so use one scoped to the work you need. Then set a default organisation and project so commands do not need --org and --project every time. Use the dev.azure.com URL form; the legacy visualstudio.com form should be replaced.

You can check your current settings at any time.

  • Replace {org} and {project} with your own names and paste your own token in place of YOUR_PAT_TOKEN
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

Trigger the skill with natural requests

You do not need to name the skill or any command. The skill's description tells the agent to use it when you work with Azure DevOps, az commands, DevOps automation, CI/CD, or mention the Azure DevOps CLI. Describe the outcome you want and include enough detail to identify the project, repository, pipeline or work item.

The agent reads the matching reference file for the task before running commands, so specific requests produce more accurate results.

  • List open pull requests in the payments repo targeting main
  • Show the last five runs of the deploy pipeline and tell me which failed
  • Create a bug titled Fix login timeout assigned to me in the Web sprint
  • Show the variable groups in project Platform and their variable names
  • Trigger the nightly-build pipeline on the release branch

Review commands before anything changes

Read-only requests such as listing pull requests or showing run status are low risk. Commands that create, update or delete resources can change pipelines, permissions and service connections. Ask the agent to show the exact command first, and review it before approving. Test against a non-production organisation or project when you can.

The skill runs scripts and uses the network, so treat it like any tool that holds your token. Avoid pasting real tokens into shared chat logs or committing them to repositories.

  • Start with list and show requests to confirm the agent reads the right project
  • Ask for a dry description of any create, update or delete before it runs
  • Use a PAT with the narrowest scope that does the job
  • Revoke the PAT when you no longer need the skill

Handle long text on Windows

On Windows, the az command runs through a batch wrapper (az.cmd) under cmd.exe, which caps the whole command line at about 8191 characters. A long --discussion, --description or --content value can be truncated or fail. The skill includes a reference file for this case that describes three workarounds: azps.ps1, the native --file-path option, and az devops invoke --in-file.

If you are on macOS or Linux, this limit does not apply in the same way.

What people use it for

  • List open pull requests in a repository and check their reviewers and votes
  • Check the latest pipeline runs and find which ones failed
  • Query and update work items for a sprint, including area paths and iterations
  • Review variable groups and agent pools across a project
  • Script routine CI/CD housekeeping with az pipelines commands

Frequently asked questions

How do I install the azure-devops-cli agent skill?

Download the ZIP from the directory page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps you can upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills instead.

What do I need before the skill works?

You need the Azure CLI (az), the Azure DevOps extension added with az extension add --name azure-devops, a Personal Access Token or equivalent login, and an Azure DevOps organisation and project where you have suitable permissions.

Is the azure-devops-cli skill free?

The skill is published under the MIT licence on the github/awesome-copilot repository. The Azure CLI and DevOps extension are separate tools, and this page does not state pricing for Azure DevOps itself.

Does this skill work with GitHub?

No. The commands target Azure DevOps and the az devops, az pipelines, az boards and az repos groups, so they will not apply to GitHub or other platforms.

Why does a long comment fail on Windows?

On Windows the az command runs through az.cmd under cmd.exe, which limits the command line to about 8191 characters. The skill's Windows reference describes workarounds such as azps.ps1, the --file-path option and az devops invoke --in-file.

Is it safe to let the agent run these commands?

The skill runs scripts and uses the network, and commands can change pipelines, permissions and service connections. Review any create, update or delete command before it runs, test in a non-production project first, and use a PAT with minimal scope.

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Our verdict

This skill suits developers and platform or release engineers who already use Azure DevOps and want an agent to handle repetitive repo, pipeline and work item tasks with correct command syntax. It is not useful if you do not use Azure DevOps or work mainly on GitHub. Anyone uncomfortable storing a Personal Access Token in the terminal, or who plans to change production organisations without reviewing commands first, should choose a different approach.

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