In Azure DevOps, Personal Access Tokens (PATs) are used as an alternative to username and password for authentication to Azure DevOps services. They are crucial when you are automating tasks or integrating external tools with Azure DevOps. Here’s a guide on how to create and manage Personal Access Tokens in Azure DevOps:

Creating a Personal Access Token (PAT)

1. Sign in to Azure DevOps:

   • Go to your Azure DevOps organization’s web portal.

2. Access User Settings:

   • Click on your user profile in the upper right corner and select “Personal access tokens”.

3. Create New Token:

   • Click on “New Token” or “+ Create Token”.

4. Configure Token Settings:

   • Name: Give your token a descriptive name.
   • Expiration: Select an expiration date for the token. It’s a good practice to set an expiration date to reduce security risks.
   • Scopes: Define the access scopes and permissions for the token. Only grant the minimum permissions needed for the tasks the token will perform.

5. Create the Token:

   • Click “Create” to generate the token.
   • Important: Copy the token and store it securely. You won’t be able to see it again after you leave this screen.

Using the Personal Access Token

• Authentication: Use the PAT in place of a password for Git operations, API calls, or when integrating tools with Azure DevOps.
• Storing the Token: Store the PAT securely (e.g., in a password manager or secret management tool). Never check it into source control.

Managing Personal Access Tokens

• View and Revoke Tokens: You can view and manage your PATs from the same “Personal access tokens” page in Azure DevOps. Tokens can be revoked when they are no longer needed or if they are compromised.
• Regularly Rotate Tokens: Regularly update and rotate your PATs to maintain security.

Best Practices

• Least Privilege: Grant only the necessary permissions required for the specific tasks or automation the PAT will be used for.
• Monitor Usage: Keep an eye on the usage of your PATs. Azure DevOps provides audit logs where you can see the usage of these tokens.
• Expiration and Renewal: Set a reasonable expiration for your tokens and have a process in place for renewing them.
• Secure Storage: Ensure that PATs are stored securely and not exposed in logs, repositories, or unsecured files.