mcp-devops-on-prem

Getting Started with MCP DevOps On-Premise

This guide provides everything you need to install and start using MCP DevOps On-Premise with your AI assistant.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure the following are ready:

Python 3.10 or later

First, check whether Python is already installed. Open a Command Prompt (cmd) or PowerShell and enter:

python --version

or the short form:

python -V

Both commands display the installed Python version. If Python 3.10 or later is shown, you can skip the installation below.

If Python is not installed or the version is too old, download it from python.org.

Windows: Check “Add Python to PATH” during installation.
pip is included with Python, so no separate install is needed.

uv

uv is a fast Python package manager that powers the one-click installs and the ephemeral server launch.

Windows users: Open Command Prompt (cmd) or PowerShell to run all commands in this guide.

First, check whether uv is already installed:

uv --version

This will return the version number if uv is already available. If the command is not found, install uv:

pip install uv

More info: uv documentation

Authentication

The server supports three authentication methods. If you are unsure which one works in your environment, start with NTLM because it is the most common for on-prem/VPN setups. NTLM is usually the simplest first setup and is also the fallback if other methods do not work. Test the server with NTLM first, then switch to PAT or OAuth if your environment supports them.

Method When to use
NTLM (username + password) Corporate network, VPN, Windows / Active Directory auth. Recommended for first setup and fallback.
PAT (Personal Access Token) Use when PATs are enabled and allowed. Good when you do not want to store your account password in config.
OAuth Bearer Token Advanced / CI/CD only; requires OAuth 2.0 configured on your DevOps Server

Option 1: NTLM (Username + Password, recommended for on-prem/VPN)

Typical for on-premises Azure DevOps Server accessed via VPN or Windows Authentication.

Variable Value
DEVOPS_USERNAME DOMAIN\your-username
DEVOPS_PASSWORD Your Windows / Active Directory password

Option 2: Personal Access Token (PAT)

PAT is simpler to configure but may not work if your on-prem server blocks token-based access or requires VPN + NTLM.

To create a PAT: open your DevOps profile → Personal access tokens → New token.
See: Microsoft docs: Create a PAT

Important PAT notes:

Variable Value
DEVOPS_PAT Your personal access token
DEVOPS_USERNAME (optional) Your username

Option 3: OAuth Bearer Token (advanced / CI/CD only)

OAuth Bearer tokens work only if your on-prem Azure DevOps Server has OAuth 2.0 configured, which is uncommon in standard on-prem setups. This method is mainly useful for automated pipelines that receive short-lived tokens from an identity provider.

Where to get an OAuth bearer token:

If you do not know how to obtain this token in your environment, ask your DevOps administrator and use NTLM first.

Variable Value
DEVOPS_TOKEN Your OAuth Bearer token

If you are unsure whether OAuth is available in your environment, use NTLM or PAT instead.

Installation Options

Quick Install

Click one of the buttons below to install directly in your IDE. You will be prompted for credentials:

Install in VS Code Install in VS Code Insiders Install in Cursor

Manual Installation

The following AI tools support manual MCP server configuration. Select your tool for step-by-step instructions:

VS Code Follow the MCP install [guide](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/chat/mcp-servers#_add-an-mcp-server), then use the [Configuration](#configuration) below. After installation, the devops-onprem MCP server will be available for use with your GitHub Copilot agent in VS Code.
VS Code Insiders Follow the MCP install [guide](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/chat/mcp-servers#_add-an-mcp-server), then use the [Configuration](#configuration) below. After installation, the devops-onprem MCP server will be available for use with your GitHub Copilot agent in VS Code Insiders.
Visual Studio 1. Open Visual Studio 2. Navigate to the GitHub Copilot Chat window 3. Click the tools icon (🛠️) in the chat toolbar 4. Click the + "Add Custom MCP Server" button to open the "Configure MCP server" dialog 5. Fill in the configuration: - **Server ID**: `devops-onprem` - **Type**: Select `stdio` from the dropdown - **Command (with optional arguments)**: `uvx mcp-devops-onpremise@latest` - **Environment Variables**: add as described in the [Configuration](#configuration) section below. 6. Click "Save" to add the server For detailed instructions, see the [Visual Studio MCP documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/visualstudio/ide/mcp-servers).
Cursor Go to `Cursor Settings` -> `MCP` -> `Add new MCP Server`. Name to your liking, use `command` type with the command from the [Configuration](#configuration) below. You can also verify the config or add arguments via clicking `Edit`.
Goose Go to `Advanced settings` -> `Extensions` -> `Add custom extension`. Name to your liking, use type `STDIO`, and set the `command` from the [Configuration](#configuration) below. Click "Add Extension".
LM Studio Go to `Program` in the right sidebar -> `Install` -> `Edit mcp.json`. Use the [Configuration](#configuration) below.
Amp Add via the Amp VS Code extension settings screen or by updating your `settings.json` file: ```json "amp.mcpServers": { "devops-onprem": { "command": "uvx", "args": [ "mcp-devops-onpremise@latest" ], "env": {} } } ``` **Amp CLI Setup:** ```bash amp mcp add devops-onprem -- uvx mcp-devops-onpremise@latest ```
Claude Code Use the Claude Code CLI to add the MCP server: ```bash claude mcp add devops-onprem uvx mcp-devops-onpremise@latest ```
Claude Desktop Follow the MCP install [guide](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/quickstart/user), then use the [Configuration](#configuration) below.
Codex Create or edit the configuration file `~/.codex/config.toml` and add: ```toml [mcp_servers.devops-onprem] command = "uvx" args = ["mcp-devops-onpremise@latest"] ``` For more information, see the [Codex MCP documentation](https://github.com/openai/codex/blob/main/codex-rs/config.md#mcp_servers).
Gemini CLI Follow the MCP install [guide](https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/blob/main/docs/tools/mcp-server.md#configure-the-mcp-server-in-settingsjson), then use the [Configuration](#configuration) below.
OpenCode Follow the MCP Servers [documentation](https://opencode.ai/docs/mcp-servers/). For example in `~/.config/opencode/opencode.json`: ```json { "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json", "mcp": { "devops-onprem": { "type": "local", "command": [ "uvx", "mcp-devops-onpremise@latest" ], "enabled": true } } } ```
Qodo Gen Open [Qodo Gen](https://docs.qodo.ai/qodo-documentation/qodo-gen) chat panel in VSCode or IntelliJ → Connect more tools → + Add new MCP → Paste the [Configuration](#configuration) below. Click Save.
Warp Go to `Settings` -> `AI` -> `Manage MCP Servers` -> `+ Add` to [add an MCP Server](https://docs.warp.dev/knowledge-and-collaboration/mcp#adding-an-mcp-server). Use the [Configuration](#configuration) below. Alternatively, use the slash command `/add-mcp` in the Warp prompt and paste the [Configuration](#configuration) below.
Windsurf Follow Windsurf MCP [documentation](https://docs.windsurf.com/windsurf/cascade/mcp). Use the [Configuration](#configuration) below.
GitHub Copilot CLI GitHub Copilot CLI supports adding MCP servers interactively and through a config file. **Option 1: Interactive setup with `/mcp add`** 1. Open GitHub Copilot CLI in interactive mode. 2. Run `/mcp add`. 3. Enter **Server Name**: `devops-onprem`. 4. Choose **Server Type**: `STDIO` for command-based servers. 5. Fill in command/url settings from the [Configuration](#configuration) below and set **Tools** to `*`. 6. Press `Ctrl+S` to save. **Option 2: Edit `~/.copilot/mcp-config.json`** Use the [Configuration](#configuration) below. For more information, see the [GitHub Copilot CLI MCP documentation](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/copilot-cli/customize-copilot/add-mcp-servers).
GitHub Copilot Coding Agent GitHub Copilot Coding Agent can use MCP servers to extend its capabilities. Add the [Configuration](#configuration) below to your repository settings under **Copilot > Coding agent**. The `"tools": ["*"]` setting enables all available tools. For more information, see the [GitHub Copilot Coding Agent MCP documentation](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/use-copilot-agents/coding-agent/extend-coding-agent-with-mcp).

Standalone Server Installation (optional)

In most cases you do not need to install the server separately because the IDE integrations above handle this automatically via uvx. If you need to run or test the server outside an IDE:

Ephemeral (recommended, no permanent install):

uvx mcp-devops-onpremise@latest

Permanent install:

pip install mcp-devops-onpremise

Configuration

The DEVOPS_API_URL must point to your full project URL:

https://<your-devops-server>/<organization>/<project>

With NTLM (username + password)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "devops-onprem": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mcp-devops-onpremise@latest"],
      "env": {
        "DEVOPS_API_URL": "https://your-devops-server/your-organization/your-project",
        "DEVOPS_USERNAME": "DOMAIN\\your-username",
        "DEVOPS_PASSWORD": "your-password"
      }
    }
  }
}

With PAT

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "devops-onprem": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mcp-devops-onpremise@latest"],
      "env": {
        "DEVOPS_API_URL": "https://your-devops-server/your-organization/your-project",
        "DEVOPS_PAT": "your-personal-access-token"
      }
    }
  }
}

With OAuth Bearer Token

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "devops-onprem": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mcp-devops-onpremise@latest"],
      "env": {
        "DEVOPS_API_URL": "https://your-devops-server/your-organization/your-project",
        "DEVOPS_TOKEN": "your-oauth-bearer-token"
      }
    }
  }
}

If you used a permanent install, replace "command": "uvx" with "command": "mcp-devops-onpremise" and remove the "args" line.

Start and Validate

After saving your MCP configuration:

  1. Start or reload your MCP-enabled AI client.
  2. Ensure the devops-onprem server appears in the available tools list.
  3. Run a simple read-only prompt to confirm, for example:
    • list repositories in this project
    • get pull request x from repo y
    • get work item x

If tools are visible and respond, setup is complete.

Updating

Ephemeral installation (uvx @latest)

If you use uvx mcp-devops-onpremise@latest (the default for all quick-install and configuration examples in this guide), no action is needed. uvx checks PyPI for the latest version on every run and updates automatically.

Permanent installation (pip install)

If you installed the server permanently outside an IDE, update it with:

pip install --upgrade mcp-devops-onpremise

Check if a newer version is available

Visit the releases page on GitHub or the CHANGELOG.

Troubleshooting

MD4 Support (NTLM only)

NTLM authentication requires the MD4 hash algorithm, which is not included in all Python environments. If you encounter an MD4-related error, install pycryptodome:

pip install pycryptodome

Skip this step if you use PAT or OAuth.

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