DAB Agent (Data API Builder)

GitHub Copilot chat participant @dab for Data API Builder - create REST, GraphQL, and MCP APIs from your database without writing code.

What is Data API Builder?

Data API Builder (DAB) is a free, open-source tool from Microsoft that instantly creates:

All from a single JSON configuration file - no code required! DAB is a foundational component of Microsoft Fabric, making it enterprise-ready and high-performance.

Supported Databases: SQL Server, Azure SQL, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Cosmos DB

Features

@dab Chat Participant

Use @dab in GitHub Copilot Chat for expert DAB assistance:

• Natural language: Just describe what you need - "Add the Products table"
• Intent detection: Automatically routes to the right handler
• Context-aware: Uses your workspace files and DAB configuration
• LLM-powered: Falls back to AI for complex questions with full DAB context

Bundled DAB Developer Agent

This extension automatically includes the DAB Developer coding agent - no setup required! The agent is bundled directly in the extension and available immediately after installation.

The bundled agent provides:

Plus comprehensive documentation on:

• Entity configuration and permissions
• Relationship setup (one-to-many, many-to-many)
• MCP server integration
• Best practices and troubleshooting

Usage Examples

Initialize DAB

@dab Initialize a new DAB configuration

Creates a new configuration with auto-detected connection string from .env.

Add Database Objects

@dab Add the Products table with read permissions

Add tables, views, or stored procedures as API entities.

Configure Relationships

@dab Set up a relationship where Author has many Books

Set up one-to-many, many-to-many, or self-referencing relationships.

Enable MCP for AI

@dab Enable MCP and expose my stored procedures as AI tools

Configure MCP endpoints so AI assistants can query your database.

Troubleshoot Issues

@dab I'm getting a connection error, help me fix it

Get targeted help for common DAB problems.

Ask Questions

@dab How do I implement row-level security?

Get expert guidance powered by AI with full DAB documentation context.

Quick Start

1. Install the DAB CLI:

   dotnet tool install -g Microsoft.DataApiBuilder
   

2. Create a .env file with your connection string:

   DATABASE_CONNECTION_STRING=Server=localhost;Database=MyDb;Integrated Security=true;TrustServerCertificate=true
   

3. Initialize: Type @dab Initialize DAB in Copilot Chat

4. Add entities: Type @dab Add the Products table with read permissions

5. Start the API: Type @dab Start the server

6. Access your API:

   • REST: http://localhost:5000/api/Products
   • GraphQL: http://localhost:5000/graphql

Commands

Requirements

• Visual Studio Code 1.95.0 or higher
• GitHub Copilot Chat extension
• DAB CLI (recommended)

MCP Integration

Enable MCP to let AI assistants (Claude, Copilot, Cursor, etc.) interact with your database:

@dab Enable MCP for my database

After enabling, configure your AI client with:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-database": {
      "url": "http://localhost:5000/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Expose Stored Procedures as AI Tools

# Add the stored procedure
dab add GetBookById --source dbo.usp_GetBookById --source.type stored-procedure --permissions "anonymous:execute"

# Enable as MCP tool
dab update GetBookById --mcp.custom-tool true

Now AI assistants can call your stored procedure as a tool!

Learn More

Related Extensions

This extension is part of the Data API Builder Extension Suite:

• DAB Omnibus - All commands in one package
• DAB Init - Initialize configurations
• DAB Add - Add entities
• DAB Start - Start/stop engine
• DAB Validate - Validate configs
• DAB Health - Health checks
• DAB Visualize - Visualize entities
• DAB POCO - Generate C# classes

License

MIT - See LICENSE.txt