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 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).

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681

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on the repository, not the skill itself

Install

one command, takes just this skill from the repository

npx skills add https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/Agent-Skills --skill azure-data-api-builder

The instruction itself

11 sections, as written by the author

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), 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 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 |

How to use it

Copy the folder

Take microsoftdocs/azure-data-api-builder from the repository into ~/.claude/skills for personal use, or into .claude/skills inside a project.

Check the name does not clash

The agent identifies a skill by the name field in its header. Two skills with the same name cannot sit side by side — one of them will be ignored.