Azure DevOps MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that integrates Azure DevOps with VS Code/GitHub Copilot and other MCP-compatible clients. This server allows you to fetch work item details and update work item statuses directly from your AI assistant.

Features

• Get Work Item Details: Fetch comprehensive information about any work item including:

  • Title, type, state, and assigned user

  • Description and steps to reproduce (for bugs)

  • All comments with authors and timestamps

  • Metadata (creation date, last modified, area path, iteration, tags)

• Update Work Item Status: Change the state/status of work items (e.g., from "New" to "Active", "Resolved" to "Closed")

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10 or higher

• An Azure DevOps account with access to a project

• A Personal Access Token (PAT) with Work Items Read & Write permissions

Installation

Option 1: Install from GitHub (Easiest for Users)

MCP Config (without venv):

MCP Config (with venv):

Option 2: Clone for Development

1. Clone or download this repository

2. Install the package:

   pip install -e .

   Or for development with optional dependencies:

   pip install -e ".[dev]"

Configuration

Step 1: Create a Personal Access Token (PAT)

1. Go to your Azure DevOps organization: https://dev.azure.com/[your-organization]

2. Click on your profile icon (top right) → Personal access tokens

3. Click + New Token

4. Configure the token:

   • Name: Give it a descriptive name (e.g., "MCP Server Access")

   • Organization: Select your organization

   • Expiration: Set an appropriate expiration date

   • Scopes: Select Custom defined and check:

     • Work Items: Read, Write

5. Click Create

6. IMPORTANT: Copy the token immediately (you won't be able to see it again)

Step 2: Configure VS Code / GitHub Copilot

Create an MCP configuration file in your workspace or global settings:

Create

Without venv:

With venv (use full Python path):

Restart VS Code.

Usage

Once configured, you can interact with Azure DevOps through GitHub Copilot Chat or any MCP-compatible client:

Get Work Item Details

or

Update Work Item Status

or

Available Tools

get_work_item

Retrieves detailed information about a work item.

Parameters:

• work_item_id (integer, required): The ID of the work item

Returns:

• Complete work item details including description, comments, status, and metadata

update_work_item_status

Updates the state/status of a work item.

Parameters:

• work_item_id (integer, required): The ID of the work item

• new_state (string, required): The new state (e.g., "Active", "Resolved", "Closed")

Returns:

• Confirmation with updated work item details

Note: Available states depend on your work item type and process template (Agile, Scrum, CMMI, etc.). Common states include:

• New, Active, Resolved, Closed, Removed (for Bugs)

• New, Active, Closed, Removed (for Tasks)

• New, Active, Resolved, Closed, Removed (for User Stories)

Troubleshooting

Authentication Issues

• Error: "Missing required environment variables"

  • Ensure your .env file exists and contains all three required variables

  • Check that the MCP settings correctly reference the environment variables or .env file location

• Error: "Failed to initialize Azure DevOps client"

  • Verify your PAT is valid and hasn't expired

  • Ensure your PAT has Work Items Read & Write permissions

  • Check that your organization and project names are correct

Work Item Issues

• Error: "Failed to get work item"

  • Verify the work item ID exists in your project

  • Ensure you have permission to view the work item

  • Check that you're connected to the correct project

• Error: "Failed to update work item state"

  • Verify the new state is valid for the work item type

  • Ensure the state transition is allowed (some transitions may be restricted by workflow rules)

  • Check that you have permission to edit the work item

Development

To contribute or modify the server:

1. Install development dependencies:

   pip install -e ".[dev]"

2. Run tests (when available):

   pytest

3. Format code:

   black src/

Security Notes

• Never commit your

• The .gitignore file is configured to exclude .env files

• Consider using short-lived PATs and rotating them regularly

• Use the minimum required scopes for your PAT (Read & Write for Work Items)

License

MIT

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.