These instructions cover installing and configuring an agent to connect to you Visual Studio Team Services (cloud) account.
Create a PAT token. Step by Step here
Add the user you created the PAT token for to both:
- Agent Pool Administrators (allows to register)
- Agent Pool Service Accounts (allows listening to build queue)
TIPS: You can add to roles for a specific pool or select "All Pools" on the left and grant for all pools. This allows the account owner to delegate build administration globally or for specific pools. More here The PAT token is only used to listen to the message queue for a build job When a build is run, it will generate an OAuth token for the scoped identity selected on the general tab of the build definition. That token is short lived and will be used to access resource in VSTS
Running this from the command line (terminal) will download prereqs, install/update the agent bits globally and create an agent in your current directory. Make a new directory for your agent
Tips Directory should be created under the users home directory (~).
Prefer running the agent as the logged in user and creating under ~ will minimize permission issues.
Copy and paste the curl line. If your linux box does not have curl follow this answer
From a terminal:
mkdir myagent
cd my agent
curl -skSL http://aka.ms/xplatagent | bashTo install preview version (usually master), use:
curl -skSL http://aka.ms/previewxplat | bashYour output should look similar to this
TIPS: ensure it's account level url (no collection) for VSTS, ensure you answer false (default) for force basic if the agent isn't configured (.agent file exists), on first run, it will configure.
$ ./run.sh
Enter alternate username > somerandomusername
Enter alternate password > (copy paste PAT token here)
Enter agent name (enter sets yourmac.local) >
Enter agent pool name (enter sets default) >
Enter poolName(enter sets default) >
Enter serverUrl > https://contoso.visualstudio.com
...
Enter force basic (enter is false) >
Config saved
Waiting ...An agent is now running interactively. ctrl-c will exit the agent.
Run the same command used to install from the agent root directory (package.json will be in that folder)
Before updating stop the agent (ctrl-c if interactive, if service see run as a service)
From a terminal:
curl -skSL http://aka.ms/xplatagent | bashYour output should look similar to this
Running interactively is good for testing and evaluation. But, in production the agent should be run as a service to ensure the agent survives reboots.