Configure query timeout for Data API builder

Query timeout errors occur when database operations exceed the configured timeout. Data API builder doesn't have a global timeout setting—you configure timeouts through your database connection string or MCP-specific settings.

Note

There's no runtime.query-timeout or similar setting in the DAB configuration file. Configure timeouts using database-specific connection string parameters.

Database timeout configuration

Configure timeout by adding the appropriate parameter to your connection string. The timeout applies to REST, GraphQL, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) endpoints.

Important

Increasing timeouts can mask performance issues. Optimize queries, add indexes, and implement pagination before raising timeout limits.

SQL Server

Add Command Timeout=<seconds> to your connection string:

{
  "data-source": {
    "database-type": "mssql",
    "connection-string": "Server=myServer;Database=myDb;Trusted_Connection=True;Encrypt=True;Command Timeout=240;"
  }
}

Provider default: 30 seconds

PostgreSQL

Add CommandTimeout=<seconds> to your connection string:

{
  "data-source": {
    "database-type": "postgresql",
    "connection-string": "Host=myServer;Database=myDb;Username=myUser;Password=myPassword;CommandTimeout=240"
  }
}

Provider default: 30 seconds

MySQL

Add DefaultCommandTimeout=<seconds> to your connection string:

{
  "data-source": {
    "database-type": "mysql",
    "connection-string": "Server=myServer;Database=myDb;User=myUser;Password=myPassword;DefaultCommandTimeout=240"
  }
}

Provider default: 30 seconds

Cosmos DB

Service-level settings (not connection string parameters) control Cosmos DB timeout:

{
  "data-source": {
    "database-type": "cosmosdb_nosql",
    "options": {
      "database": "myDatabase",
      "container": "myContainer"
    },
    "connection-string": "AccountEndpoint=https://myaccount.documents.azure.com:443/;AccountKey=myKey;"
  }
}

For long-running queries, consider:

• Partitioning strategy optimization
• Query optimization with indexes
• Using continuation tokens for large result sets

MCP aggregate-records timeout

MCP operations use both the connection string timeout and an extra MCP-specific timeout. Whichever is shorter triggers first.

Note

The aggregate-records feature is part of Data API builder 2.0, which is currently in preview.

{
  "runtime": {
    "mcp": {
      "dml-tools": {
        "aggregate-records": {
          "query-timeout": 120
        }
      }
    }
  }
}