Microsoftdocs Agent Skills

Included skill

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 databases via DAB REST/GraphQL, configuring auth/RLS, tuning limits, or deploying to Azure/Docker, 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).

Source: /skills/azure-data-api-builder/SKILL.md

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-L55 Guidance on secure, reliable Data API builder configs, adding semantic metadata to SQL MCP entities, and safely using SQL MCP Server with local LLMs.
Decision Making L56-L61 Comparisons of Data API builder features across supported databases and guidance on selecting secure Microsoft SQL authentication/authorization patterns.
Limits & Quotas L62-L69 Configuring SQL timeouts, setting and tuning REST/GraphQL page size limits, and understanding database-specific constraints and feature requirements in Data API builder.
Security L70-L90 Configuring authentication, authorization, and row-level security for Data API builder, including Entra ID, JWT, EasyAuth, managed identity, simulator, and SQL auth, plus security best practices.
Configuration L91-L133 Configuring Data API builder: CLI setup, JSON schema, entities, data sources, security, caching, telemetry, logging, health checks, OpenAPI, and exposing DB objects via REST/GraphQL.
Integrations & Coding Patterns L134-L149 GraphQL/REST query patterns in DAB: filtering, sorting, pagination, field projection, exporting schemas, batching mutations, and using SQL MCP tools from AI agents.
Deployment L150-L158 How to build and run Data API builder from source or Docker, and deploy it to Azure (App Service, Cosmos DB, air‑gapped/local SQL) with configuration and environment-specific guidance.

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
Add semantic descriptions to SQL MCP Server entities https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/mcp/how-to-add-descriptions
Use SQL MCP Server with local LLMs securely and reliably 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 timeout 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 in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/authenticate-unauthenticated
Apply security best practices in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/best-practices
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/
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 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 Data API builder entities section schema 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
Query aggregate data via GraphQL in Data API builder https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/graphql/aggregate-data
Execute multiple GraphQL mutations in Data API builder 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 Data API builder deployment option in Azure 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
Deploy Data API builder to Azure App Service https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/deployment/azure-app-service
Build and run Data API builder from source https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/deployment/run-from-source
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