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/J...
SKILL.md
Full skill instructions
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), useread_filewith the specified lines. For categories with file links (e.g.,[security.md](security.md)), useread_fileon the linked reference file
IMPORTANT for Agent: If
metadata.generated_atis more than 3 months old, suggest the user pull the latest version from the repository. Ifmcp_microsoftdocstools 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_fetchwith query stringfrom=learn-agent-skill. Returns Markdown. - Fallback: Use
fetch_webpagewith query stringfrom=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
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
Configuration
Integrations & Coding Patterns
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 |