Install Azure DevOps MCP

Install this skill

npx skills add jamesyang124/agent-skills --skill install-azure-devops-mcp -g

Adds Azure DevOps access to your agent: work items, repos, branches, PRs, pipelines, test plans, sprints, wikis. Repository: https://github.com/microsoft/azure-devops-mcp

Arguments

All optional — anything not passed is asked in Step 1.

The PAT is never taken as an argument — it is collected in the terminal (Step 2).

Quick Start

Collect parameters, then run the bundled script. The PAT must be collected via terminal — never via a questions tool.

Step 1 — Collect parameters

Use vscode_askQuestions with:

1. agent — which agent to configure
   • options: claude, copilot
2. org — Azure DevOps organization name (e.g. mycompany)

Step 2 — Run the installer

Find this skill's directory from the SKILL.md path, then run:

PROJECT_ROOT="<workspace-root>" \
  bash "<skill-dir>/scripts/install.sh" \
  --agent <agent> \
  --org <org>

<skill-dir> is this skill's folder, the base directory shown when the skill loads (for example ~/.claude/skills/install-azure-devops-mcp).

• Set PROJECT_ROOT to the user's current workspace folder
• If ~/.env.mcp-azure-devops already exists, the script detects it and asks whether to reuse the stored PAT — no re-entry needed
• PAT is always prompted interactively in the terminal (hidden input) when no existing file is found
• The script merges into any existing config file; it will not overwrite other servers

PAT scopes required:

• Work Items (Read & Write)
• Code (Read)
• Build (Read)
• Test (Read)

Create at: https://dev.azure.com/<org>/_usersSettings/tokens

Step 3 — Confirm

Tell the user: Restart your agent to load Azure DevOps MCP.

What Gets Written

Copilot (.vscode/mcp.json):

{
  "servers": {
    "azure-devops-mcp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@azure-devops/mcp", "<org>"],
      "env": { "AZURE_DEVOPS_EXT_PAT": "<pat>" }
    }
  }
}

Claude (.mcp.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "azure-devops-mcp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@azure-devops/mcp", "<org>"],
      "env": { "AZURE_DEVOPS_EXT_PAT": "<pat>" }
    }
  }
}

An env file is also written to ~/.env.mcp-azure-devops (global, chmod 600).

Troubleshooting

• npx not found → install Node.js from https://nodejs.org/
• jq not found → brew install jq on macOS
• Authentication errors → verify PAT scopes and expiry
• Config not loading → confirm the agent was fully restarted after install