# 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 defining DAB entities, securing Entra ID/JWT access, exposing REST/GraphQL, or deploying on Azure, and other Azure Data Api Builder related development tasks. Not for Azure App Service (use azure-app-service), Azure Functions (use azure-functions), Azure API Management (use azure-api-management), Azure SQL Database (use azure-sql-database). Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/azure-data-api-builder` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/azure-data-api-builder` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/azure-data-api-builder/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: DevOps & Infra - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/azure-data-api-builder --- # 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**: This file may be large. Use the **Category Index** below to locate relevant sections, then use `read_file` with specific line ranges (e.g., `L136-L144`) to read the sections needed for the user's question This skill requires **network access** to fetch documentation content. Use `mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch` to retrieve full articles. - **Fallback**: Use the built-in `WebFetch` tool if the Microsoft Learn MCP server is not available. ## Category Index | Category | Lines | Description | |----------|-------|-------------| | Troubleshooting | L30-L33 | FAQ-style fixes for common Data API builder problems: config and connection errors, auth/authorization issues, deployment/runtime failures, and tips to diagnose and resolve them. | | Best Practices | L35-L40 | Configuring DAB for reliability and performance, securing and connecting it to data sources, and adding semantic metadata to SQL MCP entities for AI consumption. | | Decision Making | L42-L45 | Guidance on selecting Azure hosting options for Data API builder, comparing services (e.g., App Service, Functions, Container Apps) and trade-offs like cost, scalability, and management. | | Limits & Quotas | L47-L52 | Configuring SQL command timeouts and controlling response sizes in Data API builder using GraphQL `first` and REST `$first` pagination limits. | | Security | L54-L64 | Configuring authentication/authorization for DAB: roles/permissions, Entra ID, EasyAuth, custom JWT, simulator auth, SQL row-level security, and SQL MCP Server auth. | | Configuration | L66-L117 | Configuring DAB: CLI-based config management, entities and data sources, caching, secrets/env configs, OpenAPI/GraphQL, logging/telemetry, health, and provider-specific settings. | | Integrations & Coding Patterns | L119-L130 | Using DAB from code/CLI: exporting GraphQL schemas, starting the runtime, shaping/filtering REST/GraphQL responses, controlling upserts and Location headers, and SQL MCP tools for AI agents. | | Deployment | L132-L140 | Deploying and running Data API builder and SQL MCP Server on Azure (Container Apps/Instances, Cosmos DB, Azure SQL, AZD/CLI), plus platform support, local dev, and Azure AI Foundry integration. | ### Troubleshooting | Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Resolve common issues with Data API builder (FAQ) | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/faq | ### Best Practices | Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Apply configuration best practices for Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/deployment/best-practices-configuration | | Apply security and connectivity best practices for DAB | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/deployment/best-practices-security | | Add semantic descriptions to SQL MCP entities for AI | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/mcp/how-to-add-descriptions | ### Decision Making | Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Choose Azure hosting options for Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/deployment/hosting-options | ### Limits & Quotas | Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Configure SQL Server command timeout in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/how-to/configure-timeout | | Control GraphQL page size with first in DAB | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/first-graphql | | Limit REST page size with $first in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/first-rest | ### Security | Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Configure roles and permissions for authorization in DAB | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/authorization | | Use Azure App Service EasyAuth with Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/how-to-authenticate-app-service | | Configure custom JWT authentication providers in DAB | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/how-to-authenticate-custom | | Configure Microsoft Entra ID authentication for Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/how-to-authenticate-entra | | Use Simulator authentication for local DAB permission testing | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/how-to-authenticate-simulator | | Configure database policies for row-level filtering in DAB | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/security/how-to-configure-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 | ### Configuration | Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Use Data API builder CLI commands to manage configs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/ | | Add entities to Data API builder configuration with CLI | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-add | | Configure Data API builder runtime and data source via CLI | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-configure | | Initialize Data API builder configuration files with CLI | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-init | | Update Data API builder entity definitions with CLI | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-update | | Validate Data API builder configuration files in CI/CD | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-validate | | Configure OpenAPI and Swagger for DAB REST APIs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/api/openapi | | Control Data API builder caching via HTTP headers | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/cache/http-headers | | Configure internal level 1 cache in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/cache/level-1 | | Configure external Redis level 2 cache in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/cache/level-2 | | Load secrets from Azure Key Vault with @akv in DAB | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/config/akv-function | | Reference environment variables with @env in DAB config | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/config/env-function | | Use environment-specific config files in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/config/environments | | Configure multiple data sources and hybrid endpoints in DAB | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/config/multi-data-source | | Configure entity relationships for GraphQL in DAB | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/database/relationships | | Expose stored procedures as endpoints in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/database/stored-procedures | | Expose database views as DAB REST/GraphQL endpoints | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/database/views | | Configure Azure Application Insights monitoring for DAB | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/monitor/application-insights | | Configure and use the /health endpoint in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/monitor/health-checks | | Configure Azure Log Analytics integration for DAB | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/monitor/log-analytics | | Set filtered log levels in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/monitor/log-levels | | Enable OpenTelemetry tracing and metrics in DAB | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/monitor/open-telemetry | | Full configuration schema for Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/ | | Reference schema for Data API builder configuration file | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/ | | Configure Data API builder data source section | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/data-source | | Configure entities section in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities | | Configure entities section in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities | | Configure entities section in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities | | Configure entities section in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities | | Configure entities section in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities | | Configure entities section in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities | | Configure entities section in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities | | Configure entities section in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities | | Configure entities section in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities | | Configure entities section in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities | | Configure entities section in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities | | Configure entities section in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/entities | | Configure runtime settings for Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/runtime | | Configure runtime settings for Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/runtime | | Configure runtime settings for Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/runtime | | Configure runtime settings for 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 Data API builder runtime behavior | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/runtime | | Configure runtime settings for Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/runtime | | Configure runtime settings for 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 Data API builder runtime behavior | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/configuration/runtime | | Configure DAB for Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/how-to/set-up-cosmosdb | | Configure stdio transport mode for SQL MCP Server | 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 | | Start Data API builder runtime via CLI | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/command-line/dab-start | | Control upsert behavior with If-Match in DAB REST | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/api/http-if-match | | Use Location header for created resources in DAB | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/concept/api/http-location | | Use GraphQL filter argument in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/filter-graphql | | Use $filter in REST queries for Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/filter-rest | | Shape REST and GraphQL payloads with select | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/select-graphql | | Project REST responses with $select in Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/keywords/select-rest | | Use SQL MCP Server DML tools for AI agents | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/mcp/data-manipulation-language-tools | ### Deployment | Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Use the pre-deployment checklist for Data API builder | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/deployment/checklist | | Deploy Data API builder to Azure Container Apps | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/deployment/how-to-publish-container-apps | | Deploy Data API builder to Azure Container Instances | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/deployment/how-to-publish-container-instances | | Review Data API builder feature availability by platform | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/feature-availability | | Deploy Data API builder with Azure SQL using AZD | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/quickstart/azure-sql | | Deploy Data API builder to Container Apps using Azure CLI | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-api-builder/tutorial-deploy-container-app-cli | --- > Source: [atc-net/atc-agentic-toolkit](https://github.com/atc-net/atc-agentic-toolkit) — distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io).