Implement solutions that interact with Microsoft Graph
5 minutes
5 Questions
Microsoft Graph is a unified API endpoint that provides access to data and intelligence in Microsoft 365, Windows, and Enterprise Mobility + Security. As an Azure Developer, implementing solutions that interact with Microsoft Graph is essential for building integrated applications that leverage Mic…Microsoft Graph is a unified API endpoint that provides access to data and intelligence in Microsoft 365, Windows, and Enterprise Mobility + Security. As an Azure Developer, implementing solutions that interact with Microsoft Graph is essential for building integrated applications that leverage Microsoft cloud services.
To interact with Microsoft Graph, you must first register your application in Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). This registration provides your app with an Application ID and allows you to configure authentication settings. You can register applications through the Azure Portal under App registrations.
Authentication is handled through OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect protocols. You can use the Microsoft Authentication Library (MSAL) to acquire access tokens. MSAL supports various authentication flows including authorization code flow for web apps, client credentials flow for daemon services, and device code flow for devices with limited input capabilities.
When configuring permissions, you must choose between delegated permissions (acting on behalf of a signed-in user) and application permissions (acting as the application itself). These permissions are defined in the app registration and may require admin consent for sensitive operations.
To make API calls, you send HTTP requests to the Microsoft Graph endpoint (https://graph.microsoft.com). The Microsoft Graph SDK simplifies this process by providing strongly-typed models and fluent API methods in multiple programming languages including C#, JavaScript, and Python.
Common operations include reading user profiles, managing calendar events, sending emails, accessing OneDrive files, and working with Teams data. You can also use batch requests to combine multiple operations into a single HTTP call, improving performance.
For production applications, implement proper error handling, token caching, and respect rate limiting. Use the $select query parameter to retrieve only needed properties, reducing payload size and improving response times. Understanding these concepts enables you to build powerful integrations with Microsoft 365 services.
Implement Solutions That Interact with Microsoft Graph
Why Is This Important?
Microsoft Graph is the unified API gateway to data and intelligence in Microsoft 365. For the AZ-204 exam, understanding Microsoft Graph is crucial because it enables developers to build applications that access vast amounts of organizational data including users, groups, mail, calendars, files, and more. Modern enterprise applications frequently need to integrate with Microsoft 365 services, making this a practical and heavily tested topic.
What Is Microsoft Graph?
Microsoft Graph is a RESTful web API that provides a single endpoint (https://graph.microsoft.com) to access data across Microsoft 365 services, Windows 10, and Enterprise Mobility + Security. It acts as a unified programmability model that allows you to:
• Access user profiles, emails, calendars, and contacts • Work with files in OneDrive and SharePoint • Manage groups and team channels • Retrieve organizational data and directory information • Access security and compliance information
How Does Microsoft Graph Work?
Authentication and Authorization: Microsoft Graph uses OAuth 2.0 for authentication through Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). Applications must be registered in Azure AD and request appropriate permissions. There are two types of permissions:
• Delegated permissions - Used when a signed-in user is present; the app acts on behalf of the user • Application permissions - Used for background services or daemons; no signed-in user required
API Structure: The Graph API follows a consistent pattern: https://graph.microsoft.com/{version}/{resource}?{query-parameters}
Common versions are v1.0 (production) and beta (preview features).
SDKs and Libraries: Microsoft provides SDKs for various languages including .NET, JavaScript, Java, and Python. The Microsoft Graph SDK simplifies authentication and API calls.
Key Concepts for the Exam:
• Access Tokens: Required for all Graph API calls; obtained through MSAL (Microsoft Authentication Library) • Scopes: Define the level of access requested (e.g., User.Read, Mail.Send, Files.ReadWrite) • Batching: Combine multiple requests into a single HTTP call for efficiency • Change Notifications: Subscribe to webhooks to receive notifications when data changes • Delta Queries: Track changes to resources over time to sync data efficiently
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Microsoft Graph
1. Know the permission types: Understand when to use delegated vs. application permissions. Delegated requires user sign-in; application permissions are for daemon apps or services.
2. Memorize common endpoints: Be familiar with endpoints like /me, /users, /groups, /drives, and /messages.
3. Understand MSAL: Know that MSAL is the recommended library for acquiring tokens to call Microsoft Graph.
4. Remember consent types: Admin consent is required for certain high-privilege permissions, while user consent works for lower-privilege scenarios.
5. Query parameters: Know OData query parameters like $select, $filter, $orderby, $top, and $expand for filtering and shaping responses.
6. Error handling: Understand common HTTP status codes (401 Unauthorized, 403 Forbidden, 429 Too Many Requests) and throttling behavior.
7. Versioning: Use v1.0 for production applications; beta endpoints may change and are not suitable for production.
8. Watch for scenario-based questions: Questions often present a business requirement and ask which permission type, scope, or endpoint to use.
9. Graph Explorer: While not coding in the exam, understanding that Graph Explorer is a tool for testing queries is helpful context.
10. Secure token handling: Never expose tokens in client-side code or logs; always use secure storage mechanisms.