Entities

Configuration settings for database entities.

Health

Source

REST

GraphQL

Permissions

Relationships

Cache

Format overview

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "rest": {
        "enabled": <boolean> // default: true
        "path": <string> // default: "{entity-name}"
        "methods": ["GET", "POST"] // default: ["GET", "POST"]
      },
      "graphql": {
        "enabled": <boolean> // default: true
        "type": {
          "singular": <string>,
          "plural": <string>
        },
        "operation": "query" | "mutation" // default: "query"
      },
      "source": {
        "object": <string>,
        "type": "view" | "stored-procedure" | "table",
        "key-fields": [<string>], // primary keys for the view
        "parameters": { // only for stored-procedure
          "<parameter-name>": <string | number | boolean>,
          "<parameter-name>": <string | number | boolean>
        }
      },
      "mappings": {
        "<database-field-name>": <string>
      },
      "relationships": {
        "<relationship-name>": {
          "cardinality": "one" | "many",
          "target.entity": <string>,
          "source.fields": [<string>],
          "target.fields": [<string>],
          "linking.object": <string>,
          "linking.source.fields": [<string>],
          "linking.target.fields": [<string>]
        }
      },
      "permissions": [
        {
          "role": "anonymous" | "authenticated" | <custom-role>,
          "actions": ["create", "read", "update", "delete", "execute", "*"],
          "fields": {
            "include": [<string>],
            "exclude": [<string>]
          },
          "policy": {
            "database": <string>
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Source (entity-name entities)

The database source details of the entity.

Nested properties

• key-fields is only required when type is view. The value represents the primary keys.

** parameters is only required when type is stored-procedure. Optional parameters may be omitted.

Supported parameter data types:

1. string—includes ANSI and Unicode; also used for JSON/Date/DateTime types
2. number—includes integral and decimal
3. boolean—true or false

Format

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "source": {
        "object": <string>,
        "type": <"view" | "stored-procedure" | "table">,
        "key-fields": [ <string> ], // primary keys of the view
        "parameters": { // only for stored-procedure
          "<parameter-name-1>": <string | number | boolean>,
          "<parameter-name-2>": <string | number | boolean>
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Permissions (entity-name entities)

A string specifying the name of the role to which permissions apply.

Format

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "permissions": [
        {
          "role": <"anonymous" | "authenticated" | "custom-role">
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Example

This example defines the role custom-role with only read permissions on the User entity.

{
  "entities": {
    "User": {
      "permissions": [
        {
          "role": "custom-role",
          "actions": ["read"]
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Usage examples

GET https://localhost:5001/api/User
Authorization: Bearer <your_access_token>
X-MS-API-ROLE: custom-role

using System.Net.Http;
using System.Net.Http.Headers;

var client = new HttpClient();
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Authorization = new AuthenticationHeaderValue("Bearer", "<your_access_token>");
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("X-MS-API-ROLE", "custom-role");
var response = await client.GetAsync("https://localhost:5001/api/User");
// To read the response content:
// var content = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();

const response = await fetch('https://localhost:5001/api/User', {
  headers: {
    "Authorization": "Bearer <your_access_token>",
    "X-MS-API-ROLE": "custom-role"
  }
});
// To read the response body as JSON:
// const data = await response.json();

import requests

headers = {
    "Authorization": "Bearer <your_access_token>",
    "X-MS-API-ROLE": "custom-role"
}
response = requests.get('https://localhost:5001/api/User', headers=headers)
# To print the response JSON:
print(response.json())

Actions (string-array Permissions entity-name entities)

A string array detailing what operations are allowed for the associated role.

* Multiple operations are currently only supported in GraphQL.

Format

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "permissions": [
        {
          "actions": [ <string> ]
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Example

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "permissions": [
        {
          "actions": [ "*" ] // equivalent to create, read, update, delete
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Alternate format (string-only, when type=stored-procedure)

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "permissions": [
        {
          "actions": <string>
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Example

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "permissions": [
        {
          "actions": "*" // equivalent to execute
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Actions (object-array Permissions entity-name entities)

An object array detailing what operations are allowed for the associated role.

Nested properties

Format

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "permissions": [
        {
          "role": <string>,
          "actions": [
            {
              "action": <string>,
              "fields": <array of strings>,
              "policy": <object>
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  }

Example

This grants read permission to auditor on the User entity, with field and policy restrictions.

{
  "entities": {
    "User": {
      "permissions": [
        {
          "role": "auditor",
          "actions": [
            {
              "action": "read",
              "fields": {
                "include": ["*"],
                "exclude": ["last_login"]
              },
              "policy": {
                "database": "@item.IsAdmin eq false"
              }
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Policy notes

• Policies support OData operators like eq.
• Policies support compound predicates using and and or.
• Only supported for actions: create, read, update, and delete. (Not execute)
• Policies filter results but don't prevent query execution in the database.
• Field must use the field alias, if mapped.

Type (GraphQL entity-name entities)

Sets the naming convention for an entity within the GraphQL schema.

Format

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "graphql": {
        "type": {
          "singular": "<string>",
          "plural": "<string>"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Nested properties

Example

Configuration

{
  "entities": {
    "User": {
      "graphql": {
        "type": {
          "singular": "User",
          "plural": "Users"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

GraphQL query

{
  Users {
    items {
      id
      name
      age
      isAdmin
    }
  }
}

GraphQL response

{
  "data": {
    "Users": {
      "items": [
        {
          "id": 1,
          "name": "Alice",
          "age": 30,
          "isAdmin": true
        },
        {
          "id": 2,
          "name": "Bob",
          "age": 25,
          "isAdmin": false
        }
        // ...
      ]
    }
  }
}

Operation (GraphQL entity-name entities)

Designates whether the stored-procedure operation appears under the Query or Mutation.

Format

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "graphql": {
        "operation": "query" | "mutation"
      }
    }
  }
}

Example: operation

When operation is set to query

type Query {
  executeGetUserDetails(userId: Int!): GetUserDetailsResponse
}

When operation is set to mutation

type Mutation {
  executeGetUserDetails(userId: Int!): GetUserDetailsResponse
}

Enabled (GraphQL entity-name entities)

Lets developers selectively include entities in the GraphQL schema.

Format

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "graphql": {
        "enabled": <true> (default) | <false>
      }
    }
  }
}

REST (entity-name entities)

* The methods property is only for stored-procedure endpoints.

Format

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "rest": {
        "enabled": <true> (default) | <false>,
        "path": <string; default: "{entity-name}">
      }
    }
  }
}

Mappings (entity-name entities)

Enables custom aliases, or exposed names, for database object fields.

Format

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "mappings": {
        "<field-1-name>": "<field-1-alias>",
        "<field-2-name>": "<field-2-alias>",
        "<field-3-name>": "<field-3-alias>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Examples

Database Table

CREATE TABLE Books
(
  id INT,
  sku_title VARCHAR(50),
  sku_status VARCHAR(50),
)

Configuration

{
  "entities": {
    "Books": {
      ...
      "mappings": {
        "sku_title": "title",
        "sku_status": "status"
      }
    }
  }
}

Cache (entity-name entities)

Enables and configures caching for the entity.

Nested properties

Format

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "cache": {
        "enabled": <true> (default) | <false>,
        "ttl-seconds": <integer; default: 5>
      }
    }
  }
}

Example

{
  "entities": {
    "Author": {
      "cache": {
        "enabled": true,
        "ttl-seconds": 30
      }
    }
  }
}

Relationships (entity-name entities)

Configures how GraphQL entities are related to other exposed entities. For more information, see Data API builder relationships breakdown.

Nested properties

These properties are used in different combinations depending on the relationship cardinality.

Format

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "relationships": {
        "<relationship-name>": {
          "cardinality": "one" | "many",
          "target.entity": "<string>",
          "source.fields": ["<string>"],
          "target.fields": ["<string>"],
          "linking.object": "<string>",
          "linking.source.fields": ["<string>"],
          "linking.target.fields": ["<string>"]
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Example: One-to-one cardinality

Each Profile is related to exactly one User, and each User has exactly one related Profile.

{
  "entities": {
    "User": {
      "relationships": {
        "user_profile": {
          "cardinality": "one",
          "target.entity": "Profile",
          "source.fields": [ "id" ],
          "target.fields": [ "user_id" ]
        }
      }
    },
    "Profile": {
      ...
    }
  }
}

GraphQL schema

type User
{
  id: Int!
  ...
  profile: Profile
}

Command-line

dab update User \
  --relationship profile \
  --target.entity Profile \
  --cardinality one \
  --relationship.fields "id:user_id"

Example: One-to-many cardinality

A Category can have one or more related Book entities, while each Book can have one related Category.

{
  "entities": {
    "Book": {
      ...
    },
    "Category": {
      "relationships": {
        "category_books": {
          "cardinality": "many",
          "target.entity": "Book",
          "source.fields": [ "id" ],
          "target.fields": [ "category_id" ]
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

GraphQL schema

type Category
{
  id: Int!
  ...
  books: [BookConnection]!
}

Command line

dab update Category \
  --relationship category_books \
  --target.entity Book \
  --cardinality many \
  --relationship.fields "id:category_id"

Example: Many-to-one cardinality

Many Book entities can have one related Category, while a Category can have one or more related Book entries.

{
  "entities": {
    "Book": {
      "relationships": {
        "books_category": {
          "cardinality": "one",
          "target.entity": "Category",
          "source.fields": [ "category_id" ],
          "target.fields": [ "id" ]
        }
      },
      "Category": {
        ...
      }
    }
  }
}

GraphQL schema

type Book
{
  id: Int!
  ...
  category: Category
}

Command line

dab update Book \
  --relationship books_category \
  --target.entity "Category" \
  --cardinality one \
  --relationship.fields "category_id:id"

Example: Many-to-many cardinality

Many Book entities can have many related Author entities, while many Author entities can have many related Book entries.

{
  "entities": {
    "Book": {
      "relationships": {
        ...,
        "books_authors": {
          "cardinality": "many",
          "target.entity": "Author",
          "source.fields": [ "id" ],
          "target.fields": [ "id" ],
          "linking.object": "dbo.books_authors",
          "linking.source.fields": [ "book_id" ],
          "linking.target.fields": [ "author_id" ]
        }
      },
      "Category": {
        ...
      },
      "Author": {
        ...
      }
    }
  }
}

GraphQL schema

type Book
{
  id: Int!
  ...
  authors: [AuthorConnection]!
}

type Author
{
  id: Int!
  ...
  books: [BookConnection]!
}

Command line

dab update Book \
  --relationship books_authors \
  --target.entity "Author" \
  --cardinality many \
  --relationship.fields "id:id" \
  --linking.object "dbo.books_authors" \
  --linking.source.fields "book_id" \
  --linking.target.fields "author_id"

Health (entity-name entities)

Enables and configures health checks for the entity.

Nested properties

Format

{
  "entities": {
    "{entity-name}": {
      "health": {
        "enabled": true,
        "first": 5,
        "threshold-ms": 2000
      }
    }
  }
}

Example

{
  "entities": {
    "Book": {
      "health": {
        "enabled": true,
        "first": 3,
        "threshold-ms": 500
      }
    }
  }
}