Data API builder for Azure Databases

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About Data API builder

Data API builder (DAB) is an open-source, no-code tool that creates secure, full-featured REST and GraphQL endpoints for your database. It’s a CRUD data API engine that runs in a container—on Azure, any other cloud, or on-premises. DAB is built for developers with integrated tooling, telemetry, and other productivity features.

[!IMPORTANT] Data API builder (DAB) is open source and always free.

Which databases does Data API builder support?

| | Azure SQL | SQL Server | SQLDW | Cosmos DB | PostgreSQL | MySQL | | :-----------: | :-------: | :--------: | :---: | :-------: | :--------: | :---: | | Supported | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |

Which environments does Data API builder support?

| | On-Prem | Azure | AWS | GCP | Other | | :-----------: | :-----: | :---: | :--: | :--: | :---: | | Supported | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |

Which endpoints does Data API builder support?

| | REST | GraphQL | MCP | | :-----------: | :--: | :-----: | :---------: | | Supported | Yes | Yes | Coming soon |

Getting started

Use the Getting Started tutorial to quickly explore the core tools and concepts.

1. Install the dotnet command line

https://get.dot.net

[!NOTE] You may already have .NET installed!

The Data API builder (DAB) command line requires the .NET runtime version 8 or later.

Validate your installation

dotnet --version

2. Install the dab command line

The Data API builder (DAB) command line is cross-platform and intended for local developer use.

dotnet tool install microsoft.dataapibuilder -g

Validate your installation

dab --version

3. Create your database (example: Azure SQL database / T-SQL)

This example uses a single table for simplicity.

CREATE TABLE dbo.Todo
(
    Id INT PRIMARY KEY IDENTITY,
    Title NVARCHAR(500) NOT NULL,
    IsCompleted BIT NOT NULL DEFAULT 0
);
INSERT dbo.Todo (Title, IsCompleted)
VALUES
    ('Walk the dog', 0),
    ('Feed the fish', 0),
    ('Clean the cat', 1);

4. Prepare your connection string

Data API builder (DAB) supports .env files for testing process-level environment variables.

PowerShell (Windows)

echo "my-connection-string=$env:database_connection_string" > .env

cmd.exe (Windows)

echo my-connection-string=%database_connection_string% > .env

bash (macOS/Linux)

echo "my-connection-string=$database_connection_string" > .env

Resulting .env file

The file .env is automatically created through this process. These are the resulting contents:

"my-connection-string=$env:database_connection_string" 

[!NOTE] Be sure and replace database_connection_string with your actual database connection string.

[!IMPORTANT] Adding .env to your .gitignore file will help ensure your secrets are not a

... View full README on GitHub