data-api-builder-mcp-mastery

name	data-api-builder-mcp-mastery
description	Polish Data API Builder SQL MCP Server surfaces with descriptions, curated tools, and role-gated DML for reliable agent use.
license	MIT

Data API Builder MCP Mastery

Use when

• An existing MCP endpoint works but agents pick wrong tools or hallucinate parameters.
• Tightening the tool surface: hiding entities and exposing curated stored procedures as custom tools.
• Hardening DML so writes only run under authenticated roles.

Workflow

1. Set runtime.mcp.description; DAB sends it as MCP instructions during initialization.
2. Add entity.description and fields[] entries with name, description, and primary-key where needed.
3. For stored procedures, describe the entity and source.parameters[] (name, description, required, default).
4. Prune with runtime.mcp.dml-tools globally and entity mcp.dml-tools: false locally.
5. For curated stored procedures, set entity mcp.custom-tool: true so the procedure appears as a named tool.
6. Validate with MCP Inspector: tool list, describe_entities, CRUD operations, and stored-procedure calls.

Guardrails

• Descriptions flow through describe_entities; missing fields[] metadata can leave agents with empty field arrays.
• DAB intentionally does not support NL2SQL; don't try to bolt it on — expose deterministic tools instead.
• Per-tool toggles exist only under runtime.mcp.dml-tools; entity mcp is a gate, not per-tool CRUD control.
• Entity RBAC, field include/exclude rules, and policies apply through MCP; hidden fields stay hidden.
• Avoid anonymous writes; if unauthenticated access is required, grant the narrowest read/execute actions.

Related skills

• data-api-builder-mcp
• data-api-builder-config
• data-api-builder-auth
• aspire-mcp-inspector
• azure-mcp-inspector

Microsoft Learn

• https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/data-api-builder/mcp/
• https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/data-api-builder/mcp/how-to-add-descriptions
• https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/data-api-builder/mcp/data-manipulation-language-tools