Dab Docs New File

DAB Docs New File

Use this skill whenever you add a new documentation file to this repo. Every new file must be integrated into the information architecture — TOC, landing pages, cross-references, and media structure. Never create a file without completing every step in the checklist.

Repository structure

data-api-builder/
├── breadcrumb/toc.yml          # Breadcrumb navigation
├── TOC.yml                     # Main table of contents
├── index.yml                   # Root landing page
├── overview.md                 # Product overview
├── command-line/
│   └── index.yml               # CLI landing page
├── deployment/
│   └── index.yml               # Deployment landing page
├── concept/
│   ├── config/
│   ├── database/
│   ├── graphql/
│   │   └── index.yml           # GraphQL landing page
│   ├── monitor/
│   ├── rest/
│   │   └── index.yml           # REST landing page
│   └── security/
│       └── index.yml           # Security landing page
├── configuration/
├── mcp/
│   └── index.yml               # MCP landing page
├── quickstart/
│   └── index.yml               # Quickstart landing page
├── troubleshooting/
├── vscode-extension/
│   └── index.yml               # VS Code extension landing page
├── whats-new/
│   └── index.yml               # What's new landing page
├── includes/                   # Shared include snippets
├── keywords/
└── media/                      # Root-level media (used by overview.md)

Checklist

Complete every applicable step when adding a new file. Do not skip steps.

0. Confirm author identity with selectable defaults

Before creating or editing any .md file, confirm the GitHub username and Microsoft alias with a low-friction choice.

For a new file:

• Inspect peer files in the target folder and collect existing author / ms.author pairs.
• Offer those pairs as selectable defaults so the user can reuse the same author identity without retyping.
• Include an option to enter a different GitHub username and Microsoft alias.
• Do not guess or use placeholders for author or ms.author.

For any existing .md page you edit while adding cross-references or related content:

• Read the page frontmatter first.
• Treat the existing author and ms.author values as the default author identity.
• Offer a choice to keep the existing values or enter different values.
• If either value is missing, offer author / ms.author pairs from peer files as selectable suggestions and allow a custom entry.
• If the user keeps the existing values, update only ms.date unless other frontmatter must change.

1. Choose the correct location

• Identify which folder the file belongs in based on content type.
• Use the naming conventions below to name the file.
• Confirm no file with the same name already exists in the target folder.

2. Create the file with correct YAML frontmatter

Every .md file must start with YAML frontmatter. Use this template:

---
title: <Title in sentence case>
description: <One-sentence description, 75–300 characters, no brand names at start>
author: <confirmed GitHub username from author identity selection>
ms.author: <confirmed Microsoft alias from author identity selection>
ms.reviewer: <Microsoft alias of reviewer>
ms.service: data-api-builder
ms.topic: <topic-type>
ms.date: <MM/DD/YYYY>
# Customer Intent: As a <role>, I want to <action> so that I can <outcome>.
---

Valid ms.topic values for this repo:

3. Write the content

Follow these authoring rules:

Style rules

• Use standard Markdown image syntax ![]() for all images. Do not use :::image DocFX syntax.
• Use sentence case for all headings.
• Use active voice and second person ("you") throughout.
• Do not use "we recommend" — use "Consider..." or direct imperatives instead.
• Do not use first person ("we", "our", "let's").
• Use present tense unless describing a completed past event.
• --- closes Learn tab groups only; never use it as a decorative separator.

Code fence language tags

Use the correct language tag for code blocks:

Link format rules

• Same-folder links: just the filename (sibling-file.md).
• Cross-folder links: relative paths (../concept/config/env-function.md).
• Microsoft Learn cross-service links: site-relative paths starting with / (/cli/azure/install-azure-cli).
• External links: full HTTPS URLs.
• Never use absolute https://learn.microsoft.com/... links for Learn content — use site-relative paths.
• In .yml files, use url: (relative) or href: (relative).

Alert syntax

Use standard Learn alert blocks:

> [!NOTE]
> Informational content.

> [!TIP]
> Helpful suggestion.

> [!IMPORTANT]
> Critical information.

> [!WARNING]
> Potential data loss or security issue.

Tab groups

Use this syntax for platform-specific content:

### [PowerShell](#tab/powershell)

content here

### [Bash](#tab/bash)

content here

---

Always close tab groups with --- on its own line.

4. Create the media folder

If the file includes images:

• Create a page-specific media subfolder matching the filename (without .md).
  • Example: deployment/azure-app-service.md → deployment/media/azure-app-service/
• Place all images for this file in that subfolder.
• Reference images with relative paths: media/<folder-name>/<image-file>.
• Use descriptive alt text for every image (not "image" or "screenshot" alone).

5. Add the file to TOC.yml

• Open data-api-builder/TOC.yml.
• Find the correct section for the new file.
• Add a new entry with name, href, and optionally displayName.

    - name: <Display name>
      href: <relative-path-to-file.md>
      displayName: <comma-separated search keywords>

• Verify the entry is indented correctly under its parent section.
• Verify alphabetical or logical ordering within the section matches existing patterns.

6. Add the file to the folder's index.yml (if one exists)

Many folders have a landing page (index.yml) that lists all docs in that section. If the target folder has one:

• Open the folder's index.yml.
• Add the new file to the appropriate linkListType section.
• Update the landing page's metadata.description if it enumerates hosting options or features by name.

Example entry:

  - title: <Card title>
    linkLists:
      - linkListType: how-to-guide
        links:
          - text: <Link text matching the doc title>
            url: <filename.md>
      - linkListType: reference
        links:
          - text: <Related reference doc>
            url: <relative-path.md>
      - linkListType: sample
        links:
          - text: <Related sample or quickstart>
            url: <relative-path.md>

7. Add cross-references from related docs

New files don't exist in isolation. Integrate the new file into the existing docs:

• Check overview.md — Does it mention the category this file belongs to? If so, add the new file or update the text.
• Check the section's parent overview (e.g., mcp/overview.md, concept/security/authenticate-overview.md) — Add a cross-reference in its "Related content" section.
• Check peer files in the same folder — Do they have "Related content" or "Next step" sections? Add reciprocal links where appropriate.
• Check if any existing doc should link to the new file inline (e.g., a deployment doc mentioning a hosting option that now has its own page).

8. Add include files (if needed)

If the new file needs shared content:

• Check includes/ folders for existing include files that apply.
• Reference includes with: [!INCLUDE[<description>](<relative-path-to-include>)]
• If creating a new include, place it in the nearest includes/ folder.

9. Verify peer consistency

Before finishing, compare the new file against its peers in the same folder:

• Frontmatter pattern — Does the YAML frontmatter match the same fields and format as peer files?
• Section structure — Does the heading structure follow the same pattern as peer files?
• Prerequisites format — Are prerequisites listed consistently with peers?
• Clean-up section — If peers have a "Clean up resources" section, include one.
• Related content / Next step — Match the pattern used by peers (bullet list vs. nextstepaction).
• Image pattern — If peers use map SVGs or architecture diagrams, include equivalent images.
• Intro paragraph — If peers have a "This guide shows you how to..." intro paragraph between the heading and prerequisites, include one.

10. Final verification

• Run Get-Errors or equivalent on the new file — no warnings or errors.
• Grep for any broken references to the new file across TOC.yml, index.yml, and .md files.
• Confirm the file renders correctly in a local preview if available.

Naming conventions

File names

• Use lowercase kebab-case: azure-app-service.md, authenticate-entra.md.
• Do not use abbreviations in filenames (use azure-container-apps.md, not aca.md).
• Files in command-line/ use the dab- prefix: dab-init.md, dab-add.md.
• Files everywhere else do NOT use prefixes like how-to- or dab-.
• Match the Azure service name when applicable: azure-container-apps.md, azure-kubernetes-service.md.

Media folders

• Media folders match their parent file's name (without .md).
• Example: deployment/azure-app-service.md → deployment/media/azure-app-service/.
• Each doc gets its own subfolder — do not share media folders between docs.
• If two docs need the same image, copy it into each doc's subfolder. Do not share paths.

Display names in TOC

• Use the short service name: "App Service (code)", "Container Apps (Portal)", "Container Instances".
• Add displayName keywords for search: displayName: azure, app service, publish, deploy, code.

Common patterns by folder

deployment/ files

# Deploy Data API builder to <Service Name>

![map SVG](media/<folder>/map.svg)

This guide shows you how to deploy Data API builder (DAB) to <Service Name> using...

![architecture SVG](media/<folder>/deploy-<name>.svg)

## Prerequisites
## Build the configuration file
## <Service-specific setup steps>
## Deploy to <Service Name>
## Verify the deployment
## Clean up resources
## Related content (or ## Next step)

mcp/ files

Follow the patterns in existing MCP quickstart and how-to files.

concept/ files

Concept files explain "what" and "why" rather than step-by-step "how". They typically have:

• An overview section
• Conceptual explanation with diagrams
• Configuration examples
• Related content links

whats-new/ files

Use the dab-whats-new skill for these files.

Procedure

1. Plan — Identify the target folder, peer files, and integration points (TOC, index.yml, cross-references).
2. Create — Write the file with correct frontmatter, content, and images.
3. Integrate — Update TOC.yml, folder index.yml, and cross-references.
4. Verify peers — Compare against peer files for consistency.
5. Review — Spin up a sub-agent using a different model to review the work for accuracy, style, links, and peer consistency. Implement valid feedback.
6. Audit — Use the dab-docs-audit skill for a final compliance check against Microsoft Learn publishing requirements.
7. Final check — Grep for broken references and validate all YAML files.

Always complete all steps before reporting the file as done.