Connect to Azure DevOps using PAT in C#

Summary

Here is a code snippet demonstrating how to connect to Azure DevOps using C#.

The code below assumes that you have generated a PAT. For instructions on how to do this, go to Authenticate access with a Personal Access Token.

Postman configuration

Once you’ve received you PAT, you can make HTTP Requests using the following configuration:

Under Authorization, select Basic Auth.

Now under Password add your PAT. Leave Username blank.

That’s all that’s required to configure Postman with PAT.

C# Code to access DevOps items

// nuget:Microsoft.TeamFoundationServer.Client
using Microsoft.TeamFoundation.WorkItemTracking.WebApi;
using Microsoft.TeamFoundation.WorkItemTracking.WebApi.Models;
using Microsoft.VisualStudio.Services.Common;
using Microsoft.VisualStudio.Services.WebApi;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace EnterpriseArchitectureProject
{

    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            const string ORG = "https://dev.azure.com/eax360";
            const string PAT = "2d2eocomyu4k5geho4cfxhp5a";

            if (ORG != null)
            {
                Uri orgUrl = new Uri(ORG);              // Organization URL, for example: https://dev.azure.com/eax360               
                String personalAccessToken = PAT;       // See https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/devops/integrate/get-started/authentication/pats
                int workItemId = int.Parse("2422");     // ID of a work item, for example: 12

                // Create a connection
                VssConnection connection = new VssConnection(orgUrl, new VssBasicCredential(string.Empty, personalAccessToken));

                // Show details a work item
                ShowWorkItemDetails(connection, workItemId).Wait();
            }         

        }

        static private async Task ShowWorkItemDetails(VssConnection connection, int workItemId)
        {
            // Get an instance of the work item tracking client
            WorkItemTrackingHttpClient witClient = connection.GetClient<WorkItemTrackingHttpClient>();

            try
            {
                // Get the specified work item
                WorkItem workitem = await witClient.GetWorkItemAsync(workItemId);

                // Output the work item's field values
                foreach (var field in workitem.Fields)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("  {0}: {1}", field.Key, field.Value);
                }
            }
            catch (AggregateException aex)
            {
                VssServiceException vssex = aex.InnerException as VssServiceException;
                if (vssex != null)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine(vssex.Message);
                }
            }
        }

    }
   
}

Alternative approach that uses Client Libraries for an Interactive Login. The client libraries enable dual-support (Azure AD and Windows Authentication).

public static void GetProjects()
        {

            const string azureDevOpsOrganizationUrl = "https://dev.azure.com/eax360";

            try
            {
                //Based on collection URL will either start an interactive login session or use local Windows credential authentication
                VssConnection connection = new VssConnection(new Uri(azureDevOpsOrganizationUrl), new VssClientCredentials());

                ProjectHttpClient projectClient = connection.GetClient<ProjectHttpClient>();
                IEnumerable<TeamProjectReference> projects = projectClient.GetProjects().Result;
                foreach (TeamProjectReference p in projects)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine(p.Name);
                }
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("{0}: {1}", ex.GetType(), ex.Message);
            }

        }