typespec api operations

Author's original introduction

Add GET, POST, PATCH, and DELETE operations to a TypeSpec API plugin with proper routing, parameters, and adaptive cards

SkillPi interpretation

Tasks

typespec api operations

Audience

Use the scenarios stated in the author's introduction.

Inputs and outputs

See the complete author document; outputs have not been runtime verified by SkillPi.

Software, accounts and paid services

Check required software, accounts, costs and permissions in the full document; confirm and authorize actual file access and external services in your host. Domains referenced in the documents (not a runtime allowlist): adaptivecards.io, api.example.com, example.com

Limits and differences

Functionality, version status and outcome statements in the introduction are author claims. Only pinned source and static attachment evidence were checked; runtime behavior, external services and compatibility are not guaranteed.

Testing

Not tested

Security rating and access scope

caution · Static evidence review; not a runtime safety guarantee.

Check required software, accounts, costs and permissions in the full document; confirm and authorize actual file access and external services in your host. Domains referenced in the documents (not a runtime allowlist): adaptivecards.io, api.example.com, example.com

Before use, confirm and authorize actual file access, external services and network destinations in your host. This review grants no runtime permissions.

Original SKILL.md

---
name: typespec-api-operations
description: 'Add GET, POST, PATCH, and DELETE operations to a TypeSpec API plugin with proper routing, parameters, and adaptive cards'
---

# Add TypeSpec API Operations

Add RESTful operations to an existing TypeSpec API plugin for Microsoft 365 Copilot.

## Adding GET Operations

### Simple GET - List All Items
```typescript
/**
 * List all items.
 */
@route("/items")
@get op listItems(): Item[];
```

### GET with Query Parameter - Filter Results
```typescript
/**
 * List items filtered by criteria.
 * @param userId Optional user ID to filter items
 */
@route("/items")
@get op listItems(@query userId?: integer): Item[];
```

### GET with Path Parameter - Get Single Item
```typescript
/**
 * Get a specific item by ID.
 * @param id The ID of the item to retrieve
 */
@route("/items/{id}")
@get op getItem(@path id: integer): Item;
```

### GET with Adaptive Card
```typescript
/**
 * List items with adaptive card visualization.
 */
@route("/items")
@card(#{
  dataPath: "$",
  title: "$.title",
  file: "item-card.json"
})
@get op listItems(): Item[];
```

**Create the Adaptive Card** (`appPackage/item-card.json`):
```json
{
  "type": "AdaptiveCard",
  "$schema": "http://adaptivecards.io/schemas/adaptive-card.json",
  "version": "1.5",
  "body": [
    {
      "type": "Container",
      "$data": "${$root}",
      "items": [
        {
          "type": "TextBlock",
          "text": "**${if(title, title, 'N/A')}**",
          "wrap": true
        },
        {
          "type": "TextBlock",
          "text": "${if(description, description, 'N/A')}",
          "wrap": true
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "actions": [
    {
      "type": "Action.OpenUrl",
      "title": "View Details",
      "url": "https://example.com/items/${id}"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Adding POST Operations

### Simple POST - Create Item
```typescript
/**
 * Create a new item.
 * @param item The item to create
 */
@route("/items")
@post op createItem(@body item: CreateItemRequest): Item;

model CreateItemRequest {
  title: string;
  description?: string;
  userId: integer;
}
```

### POST with Confirmation
```typescript
/**
 * Create a new item with confirmation.
 */
@route("/items")
@post
@capabilities(#{
  confirmation: #{
    type: "AdaptiveCard",
    title: "Create Item",
    body: """
    Are you sure you want to create this item?
      * **Title**: {{ function.parameters.item.title }}
      * **User ID**: {{ function.parameters.item.userId }}
    """
  }
})
op createItem(@body item: CreateItemRequest): Item;
```

## Adding PATCH Operations

### Simple PATCH - Update Item
```typescript
/**
 * Update an existing item.
 * @param id The ID of the item to update
 * @param item The updated item data
 */
@route("/items/{id}")
@patch op updateItem(
  @path id: integer,
  @body item: UpdateItemRequest
): Item;

model UpdateItemRequest {
  title?: string;
  description?: string;
  status?: "active" | "completed" | "archived";
}
```

### PATCH with Confirmation
```typescript
/**
 * Update an item with confirmation.
 */
@route("/items/{id}")
@patch
@capabilities(#{
  confirmation: #{
    type: "AdaptiveCard",
    title: "Update Item",
    body: """
    Updating item #{{ function.parameters.id }}:
      * **Title**: {{ function.parameters.item.title }}
      * **Status**: {{ function.parameters.item.status }}
    """
  }
})
op updateItem(
  @path id: integer,
  @body item: UpdateItemRequest
): Item;
```

## Adding DELETE Operations

### Simple DELETE
```typescript
/**
 * Delete an item.
 * @param id The ID of the item to delete
 */
@route("/items/{id}")
@delete op deleteItem(@path id: integer): void;
```

### DELETE with Confirmation
```typescript
/**
 * Delete an item with confirmation.
 */
@route("/items/{id}")
@delete
@capabilities(#{
  confirmation: #{
    type: "AdaptiveCard",
    title: "Delete Item",
    body: """
    ⚠️ Are you sure you want to delete item #{{ function.parameters.id }}?
    This action cannot be undone.
    """
  }
})
op deleteItem(@path id: integer): void;
```

## Complete CRUD Example

### Define the Service and Models
```typescript
@service
@server("https://api.example.com")
@actions(#{
  nameForHuman: "Items API",
  descriptionForHuman: "Manage items",
  descriptionForModel: "Read, create, update, and delete items"
})
namespace ItemsAPI {
  
  // Models
  model Item {
    @visibility(Lifecycle.Read)
    id: integer;
    
    userId: integer;
    title: string;
    description?: string;
    status: "active" | "completed" | "archived";
    
    @format("date-time")
    createdAt: utcDateTime;
    
    @format("date-time")
    updatedAt?: utcDateTime;
  }

  model CreateItemRequest {
    userId: integer;
    title: string;
    description?: string;
  }

  model UpdateItemRequest {
    title?: string;
    description?: string;
    status?: "active" | "completed" | "archived";
  }

  // Operations
  @route("/items")
  @card(#{ dataPath: "$", title: "$.title", file: "item-card.json" })
  @get op listItems(@query userId?: integer): Item[];

  @route("/items/{id}")
  @card(#{ dataPath: "$", title: "$.title", file: "item-card.json" })
  @get op getItem(@path id: integer): Item;

  @route("/items")
  @post
  @capabilities(#{
    confirmation: #{
      type: "AdaptiveCard",
      title: "Create Item",
      body: "Creating: **{{ function.parameters.item.title }}**"
    }
  })
  op createItem(@body item: CreateItemRequest): Item;

  @route("/items/{id}")
  @patch
  @capabilities(#{
    confirmation: #{
      type: "AdaptiveCard",
      title: "Update Item",
      body: "Updating item #{{ function.parameters.id }}"
    }
  })
  op updateItem(@path id: integer, @body item: UpdateItemRequest): Item;

  @route("/items/{id}")
  @delete
  @capabilities(#{
    confirmation: #{
      type: "AdaptiveCard",
      title: "Delete Item",
      body: "⚠️ Delete item #{{ function.parameters.id }}?"
    }
  })
  op deleteItem(@path id: integer): void;
}
```

## Advanced Features

### Multiple Query Parameters
```typescript
@route("/items")
@get op listItems(
  @query userId?: integer,
  @query status?: "active" | "completed" | "archived",
  @query limit?: integer,
  @query offset?: integer
): ItemList;

model ItemList {
  items: Item[];
  total: integer;
  hasMore: boolean;
}
```

### Header Parameters
```typescript
@route("/items")
@get op listItems(
  @header("X-API-Version") apiVersion?: string,
  @query userId?: integer
): Item[];
```

### Custom Response Models
```typescript
@route("/items/{id}")
@delete op deleteItem(@path id: integer): DeleteResponse;

model DeleteResponse {
  success: boolean;
  message: string;
  deletedId: integer;
}
```

### Error Responses
```typescript
model ErrorResponse {
  error: {
    code: string;
    message: string;
    details?: string[];
  };
}

@route("/items/{id}")
@get op getItem(@path id: integer): Item | ErrorResponse;
```

## Testing Prompts

After adding operations, test with these prompts:

**GET Operations:**
- "List all items and show them in a table"
- "Show me items for user ID 1"
- "Get the details of item 42"

**POST Operations:**
- "Create a new item with title 'My Task' for user 1"
- "Add an item: title 'New Feature', description 'Add login'"

**PATCH Operations:**
- "Update item 10 with title 'Updated Title'"
- "Change the status of item 5 to completed"

**DELETE Operations:**
- "Delete item 99"
- "Remove the item with ID 15"

## Best Practices

### Parameter Naming
- Use descriptive parameter names: `userId` not `uid`
- Be consistent across operations
- Use optional parameters (`?`) for filters

### Documentation
- Add JSDoc comments to all operations
- Describe what each parameter does
- Document expected responses

### Models
- Use `@visibility(Lifecycle.Read)` for read-only fields like `id`
- Use `@format("date-time")` for date fields
- Use union types for enums: `"active" | "completed"`
- Make optional fields explicit with `?`

### Confirmations
- Always add confirmations to destructive operations (DELETE, PATCH)
- Show key details in confirmation body
- Use warning emoji (⚠️) for irreversible actions

### Adaptive Cards
- Keep cards simple and focused
- Use conditional rendering with `${if(..., ..., 'N/A')}`
- Include action buttons for common next steps
- Test data binding with actual API responses

### Routing
- Use RESTful conventions:
  - `GET /items` - List
  - `GET /items/{id}` - Get one
  - `POST /items` - Create
  - `PATCH /items/{id}` - Update
  - `DELETE /items/{id}` - Delete
- Group related operations in the same namespace
- Use nested routes for hierarchical resources

## Common Issues

### Issue: Parameter not showing in Copilot
**Solution**: Check parameter is properly decorated with `@query`, `@path`, or `@body`

### Issue: Adaptive card not rendering
**Solution**: Verify file path in `@card` decorator and check JSON syntax

### Issue: Confirmation not appearing
**Solution**: Ensure `@capabilities` decorator is properly formatted with confirmation object

### Issue: Model property not appearing in response
**Solution**: Check if property needs `@visibility(Lifecycle.Read)` or remove it if it should be writable

Copyright and license notice

MIT License

Copyright GitHub, Inc.

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.