Add Git ref favorites support (list, create, and delete branch favorites)

[David Springgay (DavidS-msft)]

Summary

Add Azure DevOps Git ref-favorite operations so agents can discover, favorite, and unfavorite branches before fetching branches that are not advertised to a local enlistment.

Tools

Develop the following operations in the consolidated repository branch tool, or add the repository-domain equivalent, with full documented parameter support.

List ref favorites

Endpoint: GET https://dev.azure.com/{organization}/{project}/_apis/git/favorites/refs?api-version=7.1

Expose the documented optional repositoryId and identityId parameters.

Create a ref favorite

Endpoint: POST https://dev.azure.com/{organization}/{project}/_apis/git/favorites/refs?api-version=7.1

Accept project, repositoryId, and a full ref name such as refs/heads/feature/my-branch. Build the documented body with type: ref.

Delete a ref favorite

Endpoint: DELETE https://dev.azure.com/{organization}/{project}/_apis/git/favorites/refs/{favoriteId}?api-version=7.1

Accept project and favoriteId.

Use case

Some Azure DevOps/GVFS enlistments do not advertise an indexed branch to local git fetch until the user favorites that branch in Azure DevOps. Today the MCP can list branches and list_mine can include existing favorites, but it cannot create or remove a favorite. This forces an agent to stop and ask the user to use the web UI before it can continue a deterministic favorite -> fetch -> checkout workflow.

Related work

Issue #910 added/listed Git refs and included includeMyBranches, which can surface branches that are already favorites. It does not provide the mutation needed to create or delete a favorite.

Rules

1. Use the official Azure DevOps Node API if it exposes Git ref favorites; otherwise use the documented REST endpoints.
2. Preserve existing repository branch actions.
3. Add tests for list, create, delete, invalid ref names, and API failures.
4. Return the favorite ID and full ref name so callers can verify the mutation.

Documentation

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/azure/devops/git/refs-favorites/create?view=azure-devops-rest-7.1
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/azure/devops/git/refs-favorites/list?view=azure-devops-rest-7.1
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/azure/devops/git/refs-favorites/delete?view=azure-devops-rest-7.1

[Dan Hellem (danhellem)]

I have not see this ask from anyone else yet. Will add to the backlog and see if get more requests for it.