Azure DevOps Work Items Migration Scripts (stdlib-only)

Stdlib-only Python scripts to migrate Azure DevOps work items between projects.

Covers parent/child relationships, related links, comments, attachments, and process diagnostics, using Azure DevOps REST APIs with no external dependencies.

Why this repository?

This repository provides small, readable, and dependency-free scripts that you can understand, adapt, and run safely in constrained enterprise environments.

Configuration (required)

Use env vars (recommended):

• ADO_SOURCE_ORG_URL (e.g. https://dev.azure.com/<sourceOrg>)
• ADO_SOURCE_PROJECT
• ADO_SOURCE_PAT
• ADO_TARGET_ORG_URL (e.g. https://dev.azure.com/<targetOrg>)
• ADO_TARGET_PROJECT
• ADO_TARGET_PAT

Optional (attachments scripts):

• ADO_ATTACHMENTS_DIR (folder where attachments are stored)

Scripts

• scripts/copy_parent_workitems_with_children.py
  Copy parent work items, children (Hierarchy), Related links, optional comments.

• scripts/copy_last_workbundles.py
  Copy the N most recently created "Work Bundle" items (or other types you configure).

• scripts/copy_single_workitem.py
  Copy a single work item by ID.

• scripts/diagnostic_fields.py
  Compare fields between source and target process templates for given work item types.

• scripts/download_attachments.py
  Download attachments/images from source items mapped from target via Custom.ReflectedWorkItemId.

• scripts/upload_attachments.py
  Upload local attachments to target and attach them to mapped work items.

• scripts/link_workbundles_related.py
  Link existing work items to Work Bundles in the target based on mappings (configurable).

Quick start

PowerShell:

$env:ADO_SOURCE_ORG_URL="https://dev.azure.com/sourceOrg"
$env:ADO_SOURCE_PROJECT="SourceProject"
$env:ADO_SOURCE_PAT="..."

$env:ADO_TARGET_ORG_URL="https://dev.azure.com/targetOrg"
$env:ADO_TARGET_PROJECT="TargetProject"
$env:ADO_TARGET_PAT="..."

python scripts/copy_parent_workitems_with_children.py --max 10 --with-comments

Linux/macOS:

export ADO_SOURCE_ORG_URL="https://dev.azure.com/sourceOrg"
export ADO_SOURCE_PROJECT="SourceProject"
export ADO_SOURCE_PAT="..."

export ADO_TARGET_ORG_URL="https://dev.azure.com/targetOrg"
export ADO_TARGET_PROJECT="TargetProject"
export ADO_TARGET_PAT="..."

python scripts/copy_parent_workitems_with_children.py --max 10

Security

Never commit PATs or .env files. If a PAT was ever committed to any repo, revoke and re-create it.