Context switching kills productivity. Every time you leave your editor to check Azure DevOps, update a task, or review the sprint board, you lose focus. That’s why I built Azure DevOps Workflow - a VS Code extension that keeps you in your flow state while managing work items.
The Problem
As developers, we spend most of our time in the editor. But project management lives elsewhere. Checking task status, updating work items, reviewing what’s in the current sprint - all of this requires switching to a browser, navigating Azure DevOps, and breaking concentration.
The Solution
Azure DevOps Workflow brings your sprint board and work items directly into VS Code. No browser tabs. No context switching. Just your code and your tasks, side by side.
Key Features
Sprint Board in Your Sidebar
View your current sprint organized by state - To Do, In Progress, and Done. The board auto-refreshes every 5 minutes (configurable), so you always see the latest status without manual intervention.
Quick Work Item Management
- Change task status with valid workflow transitions
- Add or remove items from sprints
- Create child tasks with a right-click
- Assign items to yourself instantly
- Comment on work items without leaving the editor
Smart Parent-Child Handling
When you move a child task to “In Progress”, the extension prompts you to update the parent’s status too. Small touches like this reduce the manual overhead of keeping your board accurate.
AI-Powered Descriptions
If you have GitHub Copilot, the extension can generate work item descriptions based on the title, type, and context. It can also create implementation plans with step-by-step guidance, testing strategies, and complexity estimates.
Keyboard-First Design
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open Sprint Board | Ctrl+Alt+S |
| Quick Open Work Item | Ctrl+Alt+O |
| Change Status | Ctrl+Alt+U |
| Switch Project | Ctrl+Alt+P |
Getting Started
- Install “Azure DevOps Workflow” from the VS Code marketplace
- Run the Setup Wizard (
F1→ “Azure DevOps: Setup Wizard”) - Enter your organization name and Personal Access Token
- Select your project
The wizard auto-discovers your projects and teams - no manual configuration needed.
Open Source
The extension is MIT licensed and available on GitHub. Contributions, issues, and feature requests are welcome.
If you work with Azure DevOps and want to reduce context switching, give it a try. Search for “Azure DevOps Workflow” in the VS Code extensions marketplace.