azure-data-api-builder

What this skill does

# 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](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/mcp/blob/main/README.md)

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 buil