microsoft-code-reference

MicrosoftDocs's avatarfrom MicrosoftDocs

Look up Microsoft API references, find working code samples, and verify SDK code is correct. Use when working with Azure SDKs, .NET libraries, or Microsoft APIs—to find the right method, check parameters, get working examples, or troubleshoot errors. Catches hallucinated methods, wrong signatures, and deprecated patterns by querying official docs.

⭐1.2kstars🔀134forks📁View on GitHub🕐Updated Dec 26, 2025
[API Helpers]

When & Why to Use This Skill

The Microsoft Code Reference skill is a specialized developer tool designed to provide instant access to official Microsoft API documentation, Azure SDK references, and verified code samples. It serves as a real-time validation layer that prevents AI hallucinations by checking method signatures, parameter types, and package names against the Microsoft Learn database. This skill is essential for developers working with .NET, Azure, and Microsoft Graph who require high-precision code implementation and efficient troubleshooting.

Use Cases

  • 1. Azure SDK Integration: Quickly locate the correct classes and methods for Azure services (e.g., Blob Storage, Service Bus) to ensure compatibility between different SDK versions like v11 and v12.
  • 2. Code Verification & Hallucination Check: Validate AI-generated code snippets against official docs to catch non-existent methods, incorrect parameter orders, or deprecated API patterns before deployment.
  • 3. Cross-Language Sample Discovery: Retrieve working, official code examples for specific tasks such as 'Managed Identity authentication' across multiple languages including C#, Python, and JavaScript.
  • 4. Technical Troubleshooting: Resolve complex errors like 'Method not found' or '403 Forbidden' by fetching full API reference pages to verify required RBAC permissions and method overloads.
namemicrosoft-code-reference
descriptionLook up Microsoft API references, find working code samples, and verify SDK code is correct. Use when working with Azure SDKs, .NET libraries, or Microsoft APIs—to find the right method, check parameters, get working examples, or troubleshoot errors. Catches hallucinated methods, wrong signatures, and deprecated patterns by querying official docs.
compatibilityRequires Microsoft Learn MCP Server (https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp)

Microsoft Code Reference

Tools

Need Tool Example
API method/class lookup microsoft_docs_search "BlobClient UploadAsync Azure.Storage.Blobs"
Working code sample microsoft_code_sample_search query: "upload blob managed identity", language: "python"
Full API reference microsoft_docs_fetch Fetch URL from microsoft_docs_search (for overloads, full signatures)

Finding Code Samples

Use microsoft_code_sample_search to get official, working examples:

microsoft_code_sample_search(query: "upload file to blob storage", language: "csharp")
microsoft_code_sample_search(query: "authenticate with managed identity", language: "python")
microsoft_code_sample_search(query: "send message service bus", language: "javascript")

When to use:

  • Before writing code—find a working pattern to follow
  • After errors—compare your code against a known-good sample
  • Unsure of initialization/setup—samples show complete context

API Lookups

# Verify method exists (include namespace for precision)
"BlobClient UploadAsync Azure.Storage.Blobs"
"GraphServiceClient Users Microsoft.Graph"

# Find class/interface
"DefaultAzureCredential class Azure.Identity"

# Find correct package
"Azure Blob Storage NuGet package"
"azure-storage-blob pip package"

Fetch full page when method has multiple overloads or you need complete parameter details.

Error Troubleshooting

Use microsoft_code_sample_search to find working code samples and compare with your implementation. For specific errors, use microsoft_docs_search and microsoft_docs_fetch:

Error Type Query
Method not found "[ClassName] methods [Namespace]"
Type not found "[TypeName] NuGet package namespace"
Wrong signature "[ClassName] [MethodName] overloads" → fetch full page
Deprecated warning "[OldType] migration v12"
Auth failure "DefaultAzureCredential troubleshooting"
403 Forbidden "[ServiceName] RBAC permissions"

When to Verify

Always verify when:

  • Method name seems "too convenient" (UploadFile vs actual Upload)
  • Mixing SDK versions (v11 CloudBlobClient vs v12 BlobServiceClient)
  • Package name doesn't follow conventions (Azure.* for .NET, azure-* for Python)
  • Using an API for the first time

Validation Workflow

Before generating code using Microsoft SDKs, verify it's correct:

  1. Confirm method or package exists — microsoft_docs_search(query: "[ClassName] [MethodName] [Namespace]")
  2. Fetch full details (for overloads/complex params) — microsoft_docs_fetch(url: "...")
  3. Find working sample — microsoft_code_sample_search(query: "[task]", language: "[lang]")

For simple lookups, step 1 alone may suffice. For complex API usage, complete all three steps.