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Azure Pipelines

  • 2.2k installs
  • 188k repo stars
  • Updated July 28, 2026
  • microsoft/vscode

azure-pipelines is an agent skill that Use when validating Azure DevOps pipeline changes for the VS Code build. Covers queueing builds, checking build status, .

About

When modifying Azure DevOps pipeline files YAML files in build azure pipelines you can validate changes locally using the Azure CLI before committing This avoids the slow feedback loop of pushing changes waiting for CI and checking results 1 Check if Azure CLI is installed bash az version If not installed install it bash macOS brew install azure cli Windows PowerShell as Administrator winget install Microsoft AzureCLI Linux Debian Ubuntu curl sL https aka ms InstallAzureCLIDeb sudo bash The azure pipelines agent skill provides documented workflows prerequisites triggers and safety guidance from its SKILL md source Agents load it when user requests match the description and follow step by step instructions without inventing capabilities It integrates with standard agent tooling for the tasks inputs outputs and failure modes described in the repository documentation

  • description: Use when validating Azure DevOps pipeline changes for the VS Code build. Covers queueing builds, checking b
  • When modifying Azure DevOps pipeline files (YAML files in `build/azure-pipelines/`), you can validate changes locally us
  • 1. **Check if Azure CLI is installed**:
  • Follow azure-pipelines SKILL.md steps and documented constraints.
  • Follow azure-pipelines SKILL.md steps and documented constraints.

Azure Pipelines by the numbers

  • 2,162 all-time installs (skills.sh)
  • +111 installs in the week ending Jul 28, 2026 (Skillselion tracking)
  • Ranked #481 of 16,659 AI & Agent Building skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
  • Security screen: MEDIUM risk (skills.sh audit)
  • Data as of Jul 28, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
At a glance

azure-pipelines capabilities & compatibility

Capabilities
description: use when validating azure devops pi · when modifying azure devops pipeline files (yaml · 1. **check if azure cli is installed**: · follow azure pipelines skill.md steps and docume
Use cases
orchestration
From the docs

What azure-pipelines says it does

description: Use when validating Azure DevOps pipeline changes for the VS Code build. Covers queueing builds, checking build status, viewing logs, and iterating on pipeline YAML changes without waitin
SKILL.md
When modifying Azure DevOps pipeline files (YAML files in `build/azure-pipelines/`), you can validate changes locally using the Azure CLI before committing. This avoids the slow feedback loop of pushi
SKILL.md
1. **Check if Azure CLI is installed**:
SKILL.md
npx skills add https://github.com/microsoft/vscode --skill azure-pipelines

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Listed on Skillselion
Installs2.2k
repo stars188k
Security audit3 / 3 scanners passed
Last updatedJuly 28, 2026
Repositorymicrosoft/vscode

When should an agent use azure-pipelines and what problem does it solve?

Use when validating Azure DevOps pipeline changes for the VS Code build. Covers queueing builds, checking build status, viewing logs, and iterating on pipeline YAML changes without waiting for full CI

Who is it for?

Developers invoking azure-pipelines as documented in the skill source.

Skip if: Skip when requirements fall outside azure-pipelines documented scope.

When should I use this skill?

Use when validating Azure DevOps pipeline changes for the VS Code build. Covers queueing builds, checking build status, viewing logs, and iterating on pipeline YAML changes without waiting for full CI

What you get

Outputs aligned with the azure-pipelines SKILL.md workflow and stated deliverables.

  • Validated pipeline YAML
  • build queue results
  • CI log feedback

Files

SKILL.mdMarkdownGitHub ↗

Validating Azure Pipeline Changes

When modifying Azure DevOps pipeline files (YAML files in build/azure-pipelines/), you can validate changes locally using the Azure CLI before committing. This avoids the slow feedback loop of pushing changes, waiting for CI, and checking results.

Prerequisites

1. Check if Azure CLI is installed:

   az --version

If not installed, install it:

   # macOS
   brew install azure-cli

   # Windows (PowerShell as Administrator)
   winget install Microsoft.AzureCLI

   # Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)
   curl -sL https://aka.ms/InstallAzureCLIDeb | sudo bash

2. Check if the DevOps extension is installed:

   az extension show --name azure-devops

If not installed, add it:

   az extension add --name azure-devops

3. Authenticate:

   az login
   az devops configure --defaults organization=https://dev.azure.com/monacotools project=Monaco

VS Code Main Build

The main VS Code build pipeline:

  • Organization: monacotools
  • Project: Monaco
  • Definition ID: 111
  • URL: https://dev.azure.com/monacotools/Monaco/_build?definitionId=111

VS Code Insider Scheduled Builds

Two Insider builds run automatically on a scheduled basis:

  • Morning build: ~7:00 AM CET
  • Evening build: ~7:00 PM CET

These scheduled builds use the same pipeline definition (111) but run on the main branch to produce Insider releases.

---

Queueing a Build

Use the queue command to queue a validation build:

# Queue a build on the current branch
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts queue

# Queue with a specific source branch
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts queue --branch my-feature-branch

# Queue with custom parameters
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts queue --parameter "VSCODE_BUILD_WEB=false" --parameter "VSCODE_PUBLISH=false"

# Parameter value with spaces
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts queue --parameter "VSCODE_BUILD_TYPE=Product Build"
Important: Before queueing a new build, cancel any previous builds on the same branch that you no longer need. This frees up build agents and reduces resource waste:
```bash
# Find the build ID from status, then cancel it
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts cancel --build-id <id>
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts queue
```

Script Options

OptionDescription
--branch <name>Source branch to build (default: current git branch)
--definition <id>Pipeline definition ID (default: 111)
--parameter <entry>Pipeline parameter in KEY=value format (repeatable); use this when the value contains spaces
--parameters <list>Space-separated parameters in KEY=value KEY2=value2 format; values must not contain spaces
--dry-runPrint the command without executing

Product Build Queue Parameters (build/azure-pipelines/product-build.yml)

NameTypeDefaultAllowed ValuesDescription
VSCODE_QUALITYstringinsiderexploration, insider, stableBuild quality channel
VSCODE_BUILD_TYPEstringProduct BuildProduct, CIBuild mode for Product vs CI
NPM_REGISTRYstringhttps://pkgs.dev.azure.com/monacotools/Monaco/_packaging/vscode/npm/registry/any URLCustom npm registry
CARGO_REGISTRYstringsparse+https://pkgs.dev.azure.com/monacotools/Monaco/_packaging/vscode/Cargo/index/any URLCustom Cargo registry
VSCODE_BUILD_WIN32booleantruetrue, falseBuild Windows x64
VSCODE_BUILD_WIN32_ARM64booleantruetrue, falseBuild Windows arm64
VSCODE_BUILD_LINUXbooleantruetrue, falseBuild Linux x64
VSCODE_BUILD_LINUX_SNAPbooleantruetrue, falseBuild Linux x64 Snap
VSCODE_BUILD_LINUX_ARM64booleantruetrue, falseBuild Linux arm64
VSCODE_BUILD_LINUX_ARMHFbooleantruetrue, falseBuild Linux armhf
VSCODE_BUILD_ALPINEbooleantruetrue, falseBuild Alpine x64
VSCODE_BUILD_ALPINE_ARM64booleantruetrue, falseBuild Alpine arm64
VSCODE_BUILD_MACOSbooleantruetrue, falseBuild macOS x64
VSCODE_BUILD_MACOS_ARM64booleantruetrue, falseBuild macOS arm64
VSCODE_BUILD_MACOS_UNIVERSALbooleantruetrue, falseBuild macOS universal (requires both macOS arches)
VSCODE_BUILD_WEBbooleantruetrue, falseBuild Web artifacts
VSCODE_PUBLISHbooleantruetrue, falsePublish to builds.code.visualstudio.com
VSCODE_RELEASEbooleanfalsetrue, falseTrigger release flow if successful
VSCODE_STEP_ON_ITbooleanfalsetrue, falseSkip tests

Example: run a quick CI-oriented validation with minimal publish/release side effects:

node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts queue \
   --parameter "VSCODE_BUILD_TYPE=CI Build" \
   --parameter "VSCODE_PUBLISH=false" \
   --parameter "VSCODE_RELEASE=false"

---

Checking Build Status

Use the status command to monitor a running build:

# Get status of the most recent builds
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status

# Get overview of a specific build by ID
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status --build-id 123456

# Watch build status (refreshes every 30 seconds)
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status --watch

# Watch with custom interval (60 seconds)
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status --watch 60

Script Options

OptionDescription
--build-id <id>Specific build ID (default: most recent on current branch)
--branch <name>Filter builds by branch name (shows last 20 builds for branch)
--reason <reason>Filter builds by reason: manual, individualCI, batchedCI, schedule, pullRequest
--definition <id>Pipeline definition ID (default: 111)
--watch [seconds]Continuously poll status until build completes (default: 30s)
--download-log <id>Download a specific log to /tmp
--download-artifact <name>Download artifact to /tmp
--jsonOutput raw JSON for programmatic consumption

---

Cancelling a Build

Use the cancel command to stop a running build:

# Cancel a build by ID (use status command to find IDs)
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts cancel --build-id 123456

# Dry run (show what would be cancelled)
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts cancel --build-id 123456 --dry-run

Script Options

OptionDescription
--build-id <id>Build ID to cancel (required)
--definition <id>Pipeline definition ID (default: 111)
--dry-runPrint what would be cancelled without executing

---

Testing Pipeline Changes

When the user asks to test changes in an Azure Pipelines build, follow this workflow:

1. Queue a new build on the current branch 2. Poll for completion by periodically checking the build status until it finishes

Polling for Build Completion

Use a shell loop with sleep to poll the build status. The sleep command works on all major operating systems:

# Queue the build and note the build ID from output (e.g., 123456)
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts queue

# Poll every 60 seconds until complete (works on macOS, Linux, and Windows with Git Bash/WSL)
# Replace <BUILD_ID> with the actual build ID from the queue command
while true; do
  node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status --build-id <BUILD_ID> --json 2>/dev/null | grep -q '"status": "completed"' && break
  sleep 60
done

# Check final result
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status --build-id <BUILD_ID>

Alternatively, use the built-in --watch flag which handles polling automatically:

node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts queue
# Use the build ID returned by the queue command
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status --build-id <BUILD_ID> --watch
Note: The --watch flag polls every 30 seconds by default. Use --watch 60 for a 60-second interval to reduce API calls.

---

Common Workflows

1. Quick Pipeline Validation

# Make your YAML changes, then:
git add -A && git commit -m "test: pipeline changes"
git push origin HEAD

# Check for any previous builds on this branch and cancel if needed
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts cancel --build-id <id>  # if there's an active build

# Queue and watch the new build
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts queue
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status --watch

2. Investigate a Build

# Get overview of a build (shows stages, artifacts, and log IDs)
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status --build-id 123456

# Download a specific log for deeper inspection
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status --build-id 123456 --download-log 5

# Download an artifact
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status --build-id 123456 --download-artifact unsigned_vscode_cli_win32_x64_cli

3. Test with Modified Parameters

# Customize build matrix for quicker validation
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts queue \
   --parameter "VSCODE_BUILD_TYPE=CI Build" \
   --parameter "VSCODE_BUILD_WEB=false" \
   --parameter "VSCODE_BUILD_ALPINE=false" \
   --parameter "VSCODE_BUILD_ALPINE_ARM64=false" \
   --parameter "VSCODE_PUBLISH=false"

4. Cancel a Running Build

# First, find the build ID
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status

# Cancel a specific build by ID
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts cancel --build-id 123456

# Dry run to see what would be cancelled
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts cancel --build-id 123456 --dry-run

5. Iterate on Pipeline Changes

When iterating on pipeline YAML changes, always cancel obsolete builds before queueing new ones:

# Push new changes
git add -A && git commit --amend --no-edit
git push --force-with-lease origin HEAD

# Find the outdated build ID and cancel it
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts cancel --build-id <id>

# Queue a fresh build and monitor
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts queue
node .github/skills/azure-pipelines/azure-pipeline.ts status --watch

---

Troubleshooting

Authentication Issues

# Re-authenticate
az logout
az login

# Check current account
az account show

Extension Not Found

az extension add --name azure-devops --upgrade

Rate Limiting

If you hit rate limits, add delays between API calls or use --watch with a longer interval.

Related skills

FAQ

What is azure-pipelines?

Use when validating Azure DevOps pipeline changes for the VS Code build. Covers queueing builds, checking build status, viewing logs, and iterating on pipeline YAML changes without

When should I use azure-pipelines?

Use when validating Azure DevOps pipeline changes for the VS Code build. Covers queueing builds, checking build status, viewing logs, and iterating on pipeline YAML changes without

Is azure-pipelines safe to install?

Review the Security Audits panel on this page before production use.

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