tfx-cli: Azure DevOps CLI

0.23.1 verified Sat Apr 25 auth: no javascript

CLI for managing Azure DevOps Services (formerly VSTS) and Team Foundation Server extensions, builds, and releases. Current stable version 0.23.1 (2025). Infrequent releases, focused on security updates and Azure DevOps API changes. Unlike azure-devops-cli (az devops), this is a standalone Node.js CLI with no Azure CLI dependency, geared towards extension developers who need to publish, install, and manage marketplace extensions without installing the full Azure CLI.

Common errors

error TypeError: Cannot read property 'success' of undefined ↓

cause Error-handling code missing in tfx login in versions 0.7.10 and earlier.

fix

Upgrade to tfx-cli@0.7.11 or later.

error Error: Manifest validation: 'public' is not allowed ↓

cause Manifest contains a property 'public' which is invalid in later versions.

fix

Remove 'public' from vss-extension.json; use 'public' flag in tfx extension publish command instead.

error Error: Failed to read extension manifest: ENOENT: no such file or directory ↓

cause Missing manifest file specified with --manifest.

fix

Ensure the path to vss-extension.json is correct, or check current working directory.

Warnings

breaking From 0.9.0, publisher creation is removed. API backing removed by Azure DevOps. ↓

fix Use Azure DevOps web UI to create publisher, then use tfx to manage extensions.

gotcha Engine requirement: Node >= 20.0.0. Older Node versions cause runtime errors. ↓

fix Update Node to 20 or later.

deprecated Using --manifest with extension install is deprecated. Use --publisher-id and --extension-id. ↓

fix Replace --manifest with --publisher-id and --extension-id.

gotcha Login token must be a PAT, not a personal access token with wrong scope. Ensure scope includes 'Marketplace (Publish)'. ↓

fix Create a PAT with at least 'Marketplace (Publish)' scope.

gotcha tfx login no longer uses --url or --pat; use --service-url and --token. ↓

fix See correct login command in imports.

Install

npm install tfx-cli

yarn add tfx-cli

pnpm add tfx-cli

Imports

CLI command

wrong

tfx extension install --ids my-extension

correct

npx tfx-cli extension install --extension-id my-extension --publisher publisher-name --vsix ./my-extension.vsix

The CLI is used via global install or npx. No programmatic API import; all usage is CLI. The wrong example uses an incorrect flag.

login

wrong

tfx login --url https://dev.azure.com/{organization} --pat $(System.AccessToken)

correct

tfx login --service-url https://dev.azure.com/{organization} --token $(System.AccessToken)

Use --service-url and --token, not --url or --pat. The token is a PAT or System.AccessToken in Azure Pipelines.

extension install

wrong

tfx extension install --manifest vss-extension.json

correct

tfx extension install --publisher-id publisher-name --extension-id extension-id --vsix ./extension.vsix --service-url https://dev.azure.com/{organization}

Use --publisher-id and --extension-id; --manifest is for creating VSIX, not installing. For public extensions, omit --vsix.

Quickstart

Install tfx-cli globally, log in to Azure DevOps, create a VSIX from a manifest, publish it to the marketplace, and install it to a collection.

npm install -g tfx-cli
# Login to Azure DevOps
tfx login --service-url https://dev.azure.com/myorg --token $(echo $AZURE_DEVOPS_PAT)
# Publish an extension from a manifest
tfx extension create --manifest vss-extension.json --rev-version
tfx extension publish --publisher my-publisher --vsix my-extension-1.0.0.vsix --service-url https://dev.azure.com/myorg
# Install an extension
tfx extension install --publisher-id my-publisher --extension-id my-extension --vsix my-extension-1.0.0.vsix --service-url https://dev.azure.com/myorg