Add default dab-config.json to Docker image

[Copilot]

Why make this change?

The Docker image shipped with no default configuration file, requiring users to supply one before the container would start — a poor out-of-the-box experience for first-time users.

What is this change?

• dab-config.json (new, repo root) — Default configuration baked into the image:
  • mssql database type; connection string resolved at runtime via @env('DAB_CONNSTRING') (no secrets committed)
  • REST (/api), GraphQL (/graphql), and MCP (/mcp) endpoints enabled
  • autoentities.default template with dml-tools enabled and explicit anonymous: ["create", "read", "update", "delete"] permissions
  • Authentication provider set to "Simulator" (valid dev-mode provider per schema)
  • Host mode: development
  • $schema points to releases/latest/download/dab.draft.schema.json (always current, never stale)
• Dockerfile — Copies the default config into the runtime image:

  # Add default dab-config.json to /App in the image
  COPY dab-config.json /App/dab-config.json

• .gitignore — Added !/dab-config.json exception; the existing dab-config*.json rule was silently excluding this file from version control.

How was this tested?

• Integration Tests
• Unit Tests

Container startup was manually verified: built an image using the compiled service binary and the default dab-config.json, then ran it with DAB_CONNSTRING set. Logs confirmed successful startup:

Loading config file from /App/dab-config.json.
Now listening on: http://[::]:5000
Application started.

JSON schema validation was also confirmed to pass against schemas/dab.draft.schema.json.

Sample Request(s)

Run the container with just a connection string — no config mount required:

docker run -e DAB_CONNSTRING="<your-connection-string>" -p 5000:5000 <image>

Override the default config by mounting your own:

docker run -e DAB_CONNSTRING="..." -v ./my-dab-config.json:/App/dab-config.json -p 5000:5000 <image>

Original prompt

---

This section details on the original issue you should resolve

<issue_title>Supplement Docker image with default configuration file (dab-config.json)</issue_title>
<issue_description>## Problem

The current Docker image does not include a default configuration file, making it less user-friendly for those getting started.

Proposal

• Add a default configuration file named dab-config.json to the Docker image.
• The file should be available in a standard location within the image, such as /App/dab-config.json (see the Dockerfile below).
• The file should contain the following settings:

{
  "$schema": "https://github.com/Azure/data-api-builder/releases/download/v1.7.86-rc/dab.draft.schema.json",
  "data-source": {
    "database-type": "mssql",
    "connection-string": "@env('DAB_CONNSTRING')",
    "options": {
      "set-session-context": false
    }
  },
  "runtime": {
    "rest": {
      "enabled": true,
      "path": "/api",
      "request-body-strict": false
    },
    "graphql": {
      "enabled": true,
      "path": "/graphql",
      "allow-introspection": true
    },
    "mcp": {
      "enabled": true,
      "path": "/mcp"
    },
    "host": {
      "cors": {
        "origins": [],
        "allow-credentials": false
      },
      "authentication": {
        "provider": "Unauthenticated"
      },
      "mode": "development"
    }
  },
  "entities": {},
  "autoentities": {
    "default": {
        "template": {
        "mcp": { "dml-tool": true },
        "rest": { "enabled": true},
        "graphql": { "enabled": true },
        "health": { "enabled": true },
        "cache": {
          "enabled": false
        }
      },
      "permissions": [
        {
          "role": "anonymous",
          "actions": [
           "*"
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Benefit

Including this configuration file will provide immediate guidance for users, improve out-of-the-box experience, and make Docker-based experimentation much easier.

Relevant code locations

Dockerfile
The Docker image is defined by Dockerfile:

FROM mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/sdk:8.0-cbl-mariner2.0. AS build

WORKDIR /src
COPY [".", "./"]
RUN dotnet build "./src/Service/Azure.DataApiBuilder.Service.csproj" -c Docker -o /out -r linux-x64

FROM mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/aspnet:8.0-cbl-mariner2.0 AS runtime
COPY --from=build /out /App
WORKDIR /App
ENV ASPNETCORE_URLS=http://+:5000
ENTRYPOINT ["dotnet", "Azure.DataApiBuilder.Service.dll"]

To add the default config, include a line such as:

# Add default dab-config.json to /App in the image
COPY dab-config.json /App/dab-config.json

References in deployment scripts and samples

• samples/aspire/apphost.cs binds dab-config.json into the container at /App/dab-config.json.
• samples/azure/bicep/dab-on-aca.bicep and
  samples/azure/azure-container-apps-deploy.sh
  reference mounting and passing dab-config.json.
• Documentation and deployment code often expect this file to be named dab-config.json and placed at /App/dab-config.json or a similar standard path.

Please ensure the Docker image has this default config at /App/dab-config.json, and consider documenting override patterns for cloud and local deployments.</issue_description>

<agent_instructions>refer to .github/copilot-instructions.md</agent_instructions>

Comments on the Issue (you are @copilot in this section)

• Fixes Supplement Docker image with default configuration file (dab-config.json) #3160

---

💬 We'd love your input! Share your thoughts on Copilot coding agent in our 2 minute survey.

[Copilot]

Pull request overview

Adds a default dab-config.json into the published Docker image to improve first-run experience (container can start without mounting a config file, relying on an env-provided connection string).

Changes:

• Added a new root-level dab-config.json intended to be baked into the Docker image as the default runtime configuration.
• Updated Dockerfile to copy dab-config.json into /App/dab-config.json in the runtime image.
• Updated .gitignore to ensure the root dab-config.json is not ignored by the existing dab-config*.json rule.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 2 out of 3 changed files in this pull request and generated 4 comments.

File	Description
dab-config.json	Introduces a default runtime config intended for Docker image consumption.
Dockerfile	Bakes the default config into the runtime image at /App/dab-config.json.
.gitignore	Ensures the root default config is tracked despite existing ignore patterns.

[Aniruddh25]

@copilot, test if a container started with this image runs accurately

[Copilot]

Tested in dc2bc0e. Built an image with the pre-compiled service and dab-config.json, then ran the container with DAB_CONNSTRING set. Startup logs confirm it works:

Loading config file from /App/dab-config.json.
...
Now listening on: http://[::]:5000
Application started.

Also fixed "provider": "Unauthenticated" → "Simulator" (the original value failed JSON schema validation and would throw NotSupportedException at startup since it was treated as a JWT provider requiring Audience/Issuer).

[Aniruddh25]

/azp run

[azure-pipelines]

Azure Pipelines successfully started running 6 pipeline(s).

[Copilot]

Just as a heads up, I was blocked by some firewall rules while working on your feedback. Expand below for details.

Warning

Firewall rules blocked me from connecting to one or more addresses (expand for details)

I tried to connect to the following addresses, but was blocked by firewall rules:

• http://api.nuget.org:443/DigiCertTrustedG4RSA4096SHA256TimeStampingCA.crl
  • Triggering command: /usr/bin/dotnet dotnet restore src/Azure.DataApiBuilder.sln (http block)

If you need me to access, download, or install something from one of these locations, you can either:

• Configure Actions setup steps to set up my environment, which run before the firewall is enabled
• Add the appropriate URLs or hosts to the custom allowlist in this repository's Copilot coding agent settings (admins only)

[Aniruddh25]

/azp run

[azure-pipelines]

Azure Pipelines successfully started running 6 pipeline(s).

[anushakolan]

why is there a /?