Seamlessly Integrate Azure DevOps with Cline via UBOS: A Comprehensive Overview of the ADO-MCP-Server

In today’s rapidly evolving software development landscape, the need for seamless integration between various tools and platforms is paramount. The Azure DevOps MCP (ADO-MCP-Server), designed for Cline and now enhanced through UBOS, provides a robust solution for integrating Azure DevOps services into your development workflow. This document delves into the ADO-MCP-Server, exploring its features, use cases, installation process, configuration, available tools, command-line interface (CLI), troubleshooting, and development aspects. By the end of this overview, you’ll understand how this server can revolutionize your Azure DevOps interactions and boost your team’s productivity.

What is the Azure DevOps MCP (ADO-MCP-Server)?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) server acts as a crucial bridge, facilitating interaction between AI models and external data sources. In the context of Azure DevOps, the ADO-MCP-Server allows Cline and other compatible applications to communicate with Azure DevOps services, enabling developers to automate tasks, retrieve information, and manage projects more efficiently. This integration is facilitated through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), standardizing how applications provide context to Large Language Models (LLMs).

Use Cases

The ADO-MCP-Server unlocks a wide range of use cases that can significantly enhance software development processes. Here are some prominent examples:

• Automated Work Item Management: Developers can automate the creation, updating, and querying of work items directly from Cline. For instance, a developer can create a new bug report or update the status of a task using natural language commands, which Cline then translates into API calls to Azure DevOps.
• Streamlined Pull Request Management: The server facilitates the creation, listing, and updating of pull requests. This means developers can initiate pull requests, add reviewers, and track changes without leaving their Cline environment, thus streamlining the code review process.
• Enhanced Pipeline Execution: Users can trigger pipelines directly from Cline, enabling them to automate build and deployment processes. This is particularly useful for continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) workflows.
• Improved Wiki Management: The ADO-MCP-Server allows developers to manage Azure DevOps wikis from Cline. They can create, update, and search wiki pages, making it easier to maintain project documentation.
• Efficient Project and Board Information Retrieval: The server provides tools to retrieve project and board information, helping developers stay informed about project status and team activities.
• AI-Powered Task Automation: By integrating with UBOS, the ADO-MCP-Server can enable AI Agents to automate complex tasks within Azure DevOps. For example, an AI Agent could automatically assign work items based on team member availability and skill sets.

Key Features

The ADO-MCP-Server comes packed with features designed to streamline Azure DevOps interactions:

• Comprehensive Toolset: The server provides a rich set of tools for managing work items, boards, pipelines, pull requests, wikis, and projects.
• Command-Line Interface (CLI): The included CLI allows developers to interact with Azure DevOps directly from the terminal, providing an alternative to the Cline interface.
• Easy Configuration: The server can be easily configured by updating the MCP settings file with the necessary Azure DevOps credentials and project details.
• Secure Authentication: The server uses Azure DevOps Personal Access Tokens (PATs) for secure authentication, ensuring that only authorized users can access Azure DevOps resources.
• Extensibility: The server is designed to be extensible, allowing developers to add new tools and functionalities as needed.
• Integration with UBOS Platform: Seamlessly integrates with the UBOS platform, enhancing AI agent capabilities and enterprise data connectivity.

Installation

Installing the ADO-MCP-Server is straightforward, with options for both automatic and manual installation.

Automatic Installation via Smithery

Smithery provides an automated way to install the ADO-MCP-Server. Simply run the following command:

bash npx -y @smithery/cli install @cakriwut/ado-mcp-server --client claude

Manual Installation

For those who prefer manual installation, follow these steps:

1. Clone the repository:

   bash git clone https://github.com/cakriwut/ado-mcp-server.git cd ado-mcp-server

2. Install dependencies:

   bash npm install

3. Build the server:

   bash npm run build

Configuration

Configuring the ADO-MCP-Server involves obtaining an Azure DevOps Personal Access Token (PAT) and updating the MCP settings file.

Get Azure DevOps Personal Access Token (PAT)

1. Go to Azure DevOps and sign in.
2. Click on your profile picture in the top right.
3. Select “Security.”
4. Click “New Token.”
5. Give your token a name and select the required scopes:
   • Code (read, write) - For Pull Request operations
   • Work Items (read, write) - For Work Item management
   • Build (read, execute) - For Pipeline operations
   • Wiki (read, write) - For Wiki operations
   • Project and Team (read) - For Project and Board information
6. Copy the generated token.

Configure MCP Settings

Add the server configuration to your MCP settings file. The location of this file depends on whether you are using Roo Code or the Cline Desktop App.

• For Roo Code (VSCode extension):

  Configuration file location: %APPDATA%/Code/User/globalStorage/rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json

• For Cline Desktop App:

  Configuration file location: %LOCALAPPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Add the following configuration to the mcpServers object:

{ “mcpServers”: { “azure-devops-mcp-server”: { “command”: “node”, “args”: [“C:/absolute/path/to/ado-mcp-server/build/index.js”], “env”: { “AZURE_DEVOPS_ORG”: “your-organization”, “AZURE_DEVOPS_PAT”: “your-personal-access-token”, “AZURE_DEVOPS_PROJECT”: “your-project-name” }, “disabled”: false, “autoApprove”: [] } } }

Replace the following values:

• C:/absolute/path/to/ado-mcp-server: The absolute path to where you cloned this repository (use forward slashes).
• your-organization: Your Azure DevOps organization name.
• your-project-name: Your Azure DevOps project name.
• your-personal-access-token: The PAT you generated.

Important Notes for Windows Users

• Use forward slashes (/) in the path, not backslashes ().
• Provide the full absolute path to the build/index.js file.
• Restart Roo Code or Cline after making changes to the configuration.

Available Tools

The ADO-MCP-Server provides a comprehensive set of tools for interacting with Azure DevOps services.

Work Items

• get_work_item: Get a work item by ID.
• list_work_items: Query work items using WIQL.
• create_work_item: Create a new work item (Bug, Task, User Story).
• update_work_item: Update an existing work item.
• search_work_items: Search for work items using text search.
• add_work_item_comment: Add a comment to a work item.
• get_work_item_comments: Get comments from a work item.

Boards

• get_boards: Get available boards in the project.

Pipelines

• list_pipelines: List all pipelines in the project.
• trigger_pipeline: Execute a pipeline.

Pull Requests

• list_pull_requests: List pull requests.
• create_pull_request: Create a new pull request.
• update_pull_request: Update a pull request.

Wiki

• get_wikis: List all wikis in the project.
• list_wiki_pages: List pages in a wiki.
• get_wiki_page: Get a wiki page by path.
• create_wiki: Create a new wiki.
• update_wiki_page: Create or update a wiki page.
• create_wiki_page: Create a new wiki page.
• search_wiki_page: Search for pages in a wiki by text.

Projects

• list_projects: List all projects in the Azure DevOps organization.

Command Line Interface (CLI)

The ADO-MCP-Server includes a command-line interface that allows you to interact with Azure DevOps directly from the terminal. The CLI is available as azure-devops-cli after building the project.

Environment Setup

Before using the CLI, set up your environment variables:

powershell

PowerShell

$env:AZURE_DEVOPS_ORG = “your-organization” $env:AZURE_DEVOPS_PROJECT = “your-project-name” $env:AZURE_DEVOPS_PAT = “your-personal-access-token”

Common CLI Commands

Work Items

powershell

Get a work item by ID

node .buildcliindex.js work-item get -i 42

Search for work items

node .buildcliindex.js work-item search -s “bug”

Create a new task

node .buildcliindex.js work-item create -t “Task” -d ‘[{“op”:“add”,“path”:“/fields/System.Title”,“value”:“New Task”}]’

Add a comment to a work item

node .buildcliindex.js work-item add-comment -i 42 -t “This is a comment added via CLI”

Get comments from a work item

node .buildcliindex.js work-item get-comments -i 42

Wiki

powershell

List all wikis in the project

node .buildcliindex.js wiki list

Get a wiki page

node .buildcliindex.js wiki page -w -p “/path/to/page” --include-content

Search wiki pages

node .buildcliindex.js wiki search -w -s “search term”

Verification

To verify that the ADO-MCP-Server is installed and configured correctly:

1. Restart Cline (or VSCode) after adding the configuration.

2. The Azure DevOps MCP server should now be listed in Cline’s capabilities.

3. You can verify the installation using the MCP Inspector:

   bash npm run inspector

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with the ADO-MCP-Server, here are some troubleshooting tips:

1. Server Not Connecting:
   • Check that the path in your MCP settings is correct.
   • Verify your Azure DevOps credentials.
   • Check the Cline logs for any error messages.
2. Authentication Errors:
   • Verify your PAT hasn’t expired.
   • Ensure the PAT has all necessary scopes.
   • Double-check the organization and project names.
3. Other Issues:
   • Run the inspector tool to verify the server is working correctly.
   • Check the server logs for any error messages.

Development

If you want to modify or extend the server:

1. Make your changes in the src directory.
2. Run npm run watch for development.
3. Build with npm run build when ready.
4. Test using the inspector: npm run inspector

Testing

The project includes test scripts for all MCP Server Commands. These tests help verify that the server can communicate with Azure DevOps correctly.

Prerequisites for Testing

1. Make sure you have a valid .env file in the root directory with the following variables:

   AZURE_DEVOPS_ORG=your-organization AZURE_DEVOPS_PROJECT=your-project AZURE_DEVOPS_PAT=your-personal-access-token

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

Running Tests

Quick Tests

For a quick test of your Azure DevOps connection:

bash npm run test:quick

This runs a simple JavaScript test that only tests the list_projects command.

TypeScript Tests

To run all TypeScript tests:

bash npm test

To run tests for specific command categories:

bash npm run test:work-item # Test Work Item Tools npm run test:board # Test Board Tools npm run test:wiki # Test Wiki Tools npm run test:project # Test Project Tools npm run test:pipeline # Test Pipeline Tools npm run test:pull-request # Test Pull Request Tools

ADO-MCP-Server Enhanced with UBOS Platform

By integrating the ADO-MCP-Server with the UBOS platform, developers can unlock a new level of AI-driven automation and efficiency. UBOS, a full-stack AI Agent Development Platform, allows businesses to orchestrate AI Agents, connect them with enterprise data, build custom AI Agents with their LLM models, and create Multi-Agent Systems. This integration means that AI Agents deployed on UBOS can seamlessly interact with Azure DevOps through the ADO-MCP-Server, automating tasks and providing intelligent insights.

For example, an AI Agent can be configured to monitor work items in Azure DevOps and automatically assign them to team members based on their skills and availability. Similarly, AI Agents can analyze pull requests, identify potential issues, and suggest improvements to the code. The possibilities are endless, and by leveraging the UBOS platform, businesses can transform their software development processes and achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency.

Conclusion

The Azure DevOps MCP (ADO-MCP-Server) is a powerful tool for integrating Azure DevOps services into your development workflow. With its comprehensive feature set, easy installation, and seamless integration with UBOS, this server can significantly enhance your team’s productivity and streamline your software development processes. Whether you’re automating work item management, streamlining pull requests, or triggering pipelines, the ADO-MCP-Server empowers you to do more with Azure DevOps. Embrace the future of software development by integrating the ADO-MCP-Server into your workflow today.