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MicrosoftDocs/azure-data-api-builder

MicrosoftDocs

azure-data-api-builder

Expert knowledge for Azure Data Api Builder development including troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, limits & quotas, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. Use when exposing SQL/Cosmos via REST/GraphQL, tuning filters/paging, securing with Entra/JWT, or deploying to Azure, and other Azure Data Api Builder related development tasks. Not for Azure API Management (use azure-api-management), Azure Functions (use azure-functions), Azure App Service (use azure-app-service), Azure Logic Apps (use azure-logic-apps).

v1.0Latest
New~4.3kUpdated Jun 26, 2026

Azure Data Api Builder Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Data Api Builder. Covers troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, limits & quotas, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. It combines local quick-reference content with remote documentation fetching capabilities.

How to Use This Skill

IMPORTANT for Agent: Use the Category Index below to locate relevant sections. For categories with line ranges (e.g., L35-L120), use read_file with the specified lines. For categories with file links (e.g., [security.md](security.md)), use read_file on the linked reference file

IMPORTANT for Agent: If metadata.generated_at is more than 3 months old, suggest the user pull the latest version from the repository. If mcp_microsoftdocs tools are not available, suggest the user install it: Installation Guide

This skill requires network access to fetch documentation content:

  • Preferred: Use mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch with query string from=learn-agent-skill. Returns Markdown.
  • Fallback: Use fetch_webpage with query string from=learn-agent-skill&accept=text/markdown. Returns Markdown.

Category Index

Category Lines Description
Troubleshooting L36-L48 Diagnosing and fixing DAB issues: config/CLI errors, REST/CORS problems, GraphQL schema/auth, and database-specific troubles for Cosmos DB, SQL (incl. MCP), MySQL, and PostgreSQL.
Best Practices L49-L56 Best practices for configuring and securing Data API builder, plus using SQL MCP Server with semantic entity descriptions and connecting it to local LLMs via Ollama
Decision Making L57-L62 Comparisons of Data API builder features across supported databases and guidance on selecting secure Microsoft SQL authentication/authorization patterns.
Limits & Quotas L63-L70 Configuring SQL timeouts, setting REST/GraphQL pagination limits, and understanding database-specific capabilities and constraints in Data API builder.
Security L71-L90 Configuring authentication/authorization for DAB: Entra ID, EasyAuth, JWT, simulator/unauth, managed identity, on‑behalf‑of, SQL auth, and row-level security policies.
Configuration L91-L135 Configuring Data API builder: CLI-based setup, entities/autoentities, data sources (SQL, Cosmos), REST/GraphQL exposure, caching, secrets, telemetry, logging, health, and MCP/SQL tools.
Integrations & Coding Patterns L136-L150 GraphQL/REST query patterns in DAB: filtering, sorting, pagination, field projection, transactional mutations, schema export, and using SQL MCP DML tools from AI agents.
Deployment L151-L159 Guides for deploying Data API builder: options (cloud/local), Docker/source builds, air-gapped setups, and step-by-step deployments to Azure (SQL, Cosmos DB, SQL MCP Server).

Troubleshooting

Topic URL
Validate DAB configuration and interpret CLI exit codes https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-validate
Resolve common issues in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/faq
Troubleshoot Azure Cosmos DB issues in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/troubleshooting/cosmos
Troubleshoot GraphQL schema and authorization in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/troubleshooting/graphql
Troubleshoot SQL MCP Server issues in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/troubleshooting/mcp
Troubleshoot SQL Server issues in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/troubleshooting/mssql
Troubleshoot MySQL issues in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/troubleshooting/mysql
Troubleshoot PostgreSQL issues in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/troubleshooting/postgresql
Troubleshoot REST endpoint and CORS issues in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/troubleshooting/rest

Best Practices

Topic URL
Apply configuration best practices in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/config/best-practices
Apply security best practices for Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/best-practices
Add semantic descriptions to SQL MCP Server entities https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/mcp/how-to-add-descriptions
Connect SQL MCP Server to local LLMs with Ollama https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/mcp/use-local-models

Decision Making

Topic URL
Compare Data API builder feature availability by database https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/feature-availability
Choose Microsoft SQL security patterns for Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/quickstart/microsoft-sql-security

Limits & Quotas

Topic URL
Configure SQL command timeouts for Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/database/timeout
Limit GraphQL page size with first in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/first-graphql
Control REST page size with $first in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/first-rest
Database-specific feature requirements for Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/reference-database-specific-features

Security

Topic URL
Select and configure authentication models in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/
Configure custom JWT authentication for Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/authenticate-custom
Use Azure App Service EasyAuth with Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/authenticate-easy-auth
Configure Microsoft Entra ID auth for Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/authenticate-entra
Configure On-Behalf-Of authentication for DAB SQL access https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/authenticate-on-behalf-of
Use Simulator authentication for local DAB testing https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/authenticate-simulator
Configure Unauthenticated provider and anonymous role in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/authenticate-unauthenticated
Configure database policies for row-level filtering in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/database-policies
Implement SQL row-level security with DAB session context https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/row-level-security
Configure authentication for SQL MCP Server and database https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/mcp/how-to-configure-authentication
Use managed identity for Data API builder to Azure SQL https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/quickstart/authentication-managed-identity
Add Microsoft Entra authentication provider to Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/quickstart/authentication-microsoft-entra-provider
Configure on-behalf-of authentication from Data API builder to Azure SQL https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/quickstart/authentication-on-behalf-of
Configure SQL authentication for Data API builder endpoints https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/quickstart/authentication-sql-credentials
Secure Data API builder with Entra ID and DAB policies https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/quickstart/authorization-database-policies
Apply SQL row-level security with Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/quickstart/authorization-sql-row-level-security

Configuration

Topic URL
Use DAB CLI commands to manage configuration and runtime https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/
Add entity definitions to DAB config via CLI https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-add
Configure DAB telemetry with OpenTelemetry and App Insights https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-add-telemetry
Create and manage autoentities via dab auto-config https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-auto-config
Simulate autoentities matches with dab auto-config-simulate https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-auto-config-simulate
Configure DAB runtime and data source settings https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-configure
Initialize Data API builder config with DAB CLI https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-init
Update Data API builder entity configuration via CLI https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-update
Control Data API builder caching via HTTP headers https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/cache/http-headers
Configure Redis-based level 2 cache in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/cache/level-2
Use @akv function with Azure Key Vault in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/config/akv-function
Use auto configuration patterns in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/config/auto-config
Use @env function for DAB configuration secrets https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/config/env-function
Manage DAB configuration by environment variants https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/config/environments
Configure multiple data sources for hybrid DAB endpoints https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/config/multi-config
Configure Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL with DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/database/set-up-cosmosdb
Configure GraphQL aggregation and groupBy in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/graphql/aggregate-data
Configure GraphQL entity relationships in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/graphql/relationships
Expose stored procedures as GraphQL operations in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/graphql/stored-procedures
Expose database views as GraphQL types in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/graphql/views
Configure Azure Application Insights for DAB monitoring https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/monitor/application-insights
Configure health checks and /health endpoint in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/monitor/health-checks
Configure Azure Log Analytics for DAB logging https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/monitor/log-analytics
Configure Data API builder logging levels and filters https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/monitor/log-levels
Set up OpenTelemetry tracing and metrics in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/monitor/open-telemetry
Configure If-Match header for DAB upserts https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/rest/http-if-match
Understand Location header behavior in DAB REST https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/rest/http-location
Configure OpenAPI and Swagger UI for DAB REST https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/rest/openapi
Expose stored procedures as REST endpoints in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/rest/stored-procedures
Expose database views as REST endpoints in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/rest/views
Configure role inheritance in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/role-inheritance
Configure full Data API builder JSON schema https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/
Configure full Data API builder JSON schema https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/
Configure Data API builder autoentities rules https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/autoentities
Configure Data API builder data-source section for databases https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/data-source
Configure entities section in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities
Configure Data API builder entity definitions https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities
Configure runtime section of Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/runtime
Configure Data API builder runtime behavior https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/runtime
Configure custom MCP tools for stored procedures in SQL MCP Server https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/mcp/how-to-configure-custom-tools
Run SQL MCP Server in stdio transport mode https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/mcp/stdio-transport

Integrations & Coding Patterns

Topic URL
Export GraphQL schemas using DAB CLI https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-export
Execute multiple GraphQL mutations transactionally in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/graphql/multiple-mutations
Use after cursors for GraphQL pagination in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/after-graphql
Implement cursor pagination with $after in DAB REST https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/after-rest
Filter GraphQL queries with DAB-specific operators https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/filter-graphql
Filter REST queries with $filter in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/filter-rest
Sort GraphQL results with orderBy in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/orderby-graphql
Sort REST results with $orderby in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/orderby-rest
Shape GraphQL selections and internal columns in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/select-graphql
Use $select to project REST fields in DAB https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/select-rest
Use SQL MCP Server DML tools from AI agents https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/mcp/data-manipulation-language-tools

Deployment

Topic URL
Choose deployment options for Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/deployment/
Deploy Data API builder in air-gapped environments https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/deployment/air-gapped
Build and run Data API builder from source https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/deployment/run-from-source
Deploy SQL MCP Server to Azure Container Apps https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/mcp/quickstart-azure-container-apps
Deploy Data API builder with Azure Cosmos DB NoSQL https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/quickstart/basic-nosql
Deploy Data API builder with local SQL via Docker https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/quickstart/basic-sql
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Overall Score

72/100

Grade

B

Good

Safety

85

Quality

68

Clarity

78

Completeness

60

Summary

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Data API Builder development, covering troubleshooting, best practices, security, configuration, integrations, and deployment. It operates as a documentation reference tool that directs agents to fetch remote Microsoft Learn content via MCP tools (mcp_microsoftdocs or fetch_webpage) and provides a structured index of 60+ topics across 8 categories with direct learn.microsoft.com URLs.

Detected Capabilities

network access (fetch_webpage, mcp_microsoftdocs)remote documentation fetchingread-only guidance (no file writes or modifications)

Trigger Keywords

Phrases that MCP clients use to match this skill to user intent.

azure data api builder troubleshootrest graphql api securitycosmos db sql server setuprow-level security databasedeploy data api buildersql mcp serverentra id authentication

Risk Signals

INFO

Requires mcp_microsoftdocs or fetch_webpage for documentation retrieval

Compatibility section, lines 4-5
INFO

Network access required for remote Microsoft Learn content

How to Use This Skill section
INFO

Metadata freshness check: suggests user pull latest version if metadata.generated_at > 3 months old

How to Use This Skill section

Referenced Domains

External domains referenced in skill content, detected by static analysis.

github.comlearn.microsoft.com

Use Cases

  • Troubleshoot Data API Builder configuration errors and REST/GraphQL issues
  • Configure authentication and authorization (Entra ID, JWT, SQL, row-level security)
  • Set up Data API Builder with SQL Server, Cosmos DB, MySQL, or PostgreSQL
  • Deploy Data API Builder to Azure with Docker or source builds
  • Implement secure patterns for filtering, pagination, and field projection
  • Configure SQL MCP Server integration and custom tools for stored procedures
  • Optimize performance with caching, timeouts, and database-specific tuning
  • Connect AI agents to databases via Data API Builder and SQL MCP Server

Quality Notes

  • Clear, well-structured category index with 8 logical sections covering the full scope of Data API Builder
  • Comprehensive URL references (60+ Microsoft Learn links) provide direct access to authoritative documentation
  • Includes explicit guidance for agent behavior (read_file with line ranges, remote fetch strategies)
  • Helpful fallback strategy documented: if mcp_microsoftdocs unavailable, use fetch_webpage with query parameters
  • Metadata freshness check prompts users to update when documentation is stale
  • Scoped explicitly to Data API Builder; clearly excludes related but distinct tools (API Management, Functions, App Service, Logic Apps)
  • No edge case handling for malformed responses or network failures documented
  • No guidance on pagination or rate limits for remote documentation fetch
  • Line ranges in category index lack supporting content—appears to be a template/stub structure rather than complete inline documentation
Model: claude-haiku-4-5-20251001Analyzed: Jun 26, 2026

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