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The official Microsoft Graph OpenAPI descriptions are https://aka.ms/graph/v1.0/openapi.yaml for v1.0 and https://aka.ms/graph/beta/openapi.yaml for beta. Use v1.0 for production work; beta describes preview APIs that can change in breaking ways. To create a smaller client for the operations your app needs, Microsoft documents using Kiota with path filters such as --include-path /me/todo/**. The Graph $metadata endpoint is useful for inspecting the OData data model, but it is not the OpenAPI description.
Find the official Microsoft Graph OpenAPI description
Microsoft’s Kiota generation guide links to both Graph OpenAPI YAML files:
- Generally available APIs: https://aka.ms/graph/v1.0/openapi.yaml
- Preview APIs: https://aka.ms/graph/beta/openapi.yaml
These are the descriptions Microsoft names for generating Graph clients with Kiota. The links use the aka.ms domain; when you download them, save the response as YAML and inspect the file you actually received rather than assuming an exact schema or operation based only on the link. Microsoft’s generation instructions are at Generate a client with Kiota.
Choose the version before generating
Microsoft says v1.0 contains generally available APIs and is the version to use for production applications. Beta contains preview APIs; Microsoft warns that they can change in breaking ways and recommends beta for applications still in development. A beta path appearing in a description is not a guarantee that it is suitable for a production feature. Verify the operation’s own documentation and permission requirements before adopting it. See Use the Microsoft Graph API.
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Graph requests follow the pattern https://graph.microsoft.com/{version}/{resource}?[query_parameters]. The version in the request path and the version of the OpenAPI description should match your intended API surface: for example, a v1.0 client should target the v1.0 service path rather than beta.
Download or inspect the YAML
You can open either official URL in a browser or save it from a terminal. The following commands retrieve the descriptions directly; choose one version by replacing the URL. These commands download the document only—they do not generate a client.
cURL
curl -L "https://aka.ms/graph/v1.0/openapi.yaml" -o graph-v1.0-openapi.yamlFor the preview description, substitute https://aka.ms/graph/beta/openapi.yaml and a filename such as graph-beta-openapi.yaml.
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Python
import requests
url = "https://aka.ms/graph/v1.0/openapi.yaml"
response = requests.get(url, timeout=60)
response.raise_for_status()
with open("graph-v1.0-openapi.yaml", "wb") as spec_file:
spec_file.write(response.content)Node.js
const url = "https://aka.ms/graph/v1.0/openapi.yaml";
const response = await fetch(url);
if (!response.ok) {
throw new Error(`Spec download failed: ${response.status} ${response.statusText}`);
}
const spec = new Uint8Array(await response.arrayBuffer());
await import("node:fs/promises").then(({ writeFile }) =>
writeFile("graph-v1.0-openapi.yaml", spec)
);Use the downloaded file as an inspectable input to your tooling. Avoid treating a successful download as proof that a specific operation is available or stable: confirm the operation in the selected description and consult its Graph reference.
Do not confuse OpenAPI with Graph $metadata
Microsoft Graph also exposes OData metadata at https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata and https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/$metadata. These metadata documents describe the service’s data model, including entity types and relationships. They can help when you need to understand how Graph data is structured, but they are distinct from the OpenAPI YAML files Microsoft points to for Kiota generation. See Calling the Microsoft Graph API.
- Use the OpenAPI description when inspecting API operations or generating a client through Kiota.
- Use
$metadatawhen you need the OData model’s types and relationships.
Generate a focused Graph client with Kiota
A generated client need not include every Graph path. Microsoft’s Kiota guide demonstrates passing the v1.0 description to Kiota and narrowing generation with --include-path /me/todo/**. That pattern selects the To Do path family under /me; it is Microsoft’s example, not a universal path for every app. Use paths that match the Graph operations your own application needs.
- List the operations first. Start from the Graph endpoint reference and identify the resources and methods your application will call. The path filter should reflect those needs, rather than choosing paths merely because they appear in a broad API description.
- Select the matching description. Choose v1.0 for production APIs, or beta when your application is still in development and specifically needs preview functionality.
- Inspect the path surface. Kiota’s
showcommand can display a path tree. Its include and exclude filters can help narrow what you inspect or generate. Consult Using the Kiota tool for the tool’s current usage. - Generate only what is relevant. Use an include filter such as Microsoft’s
--include-path /me/todo/**example when the required path family is known. Kiota also supports--exclude-path, which can be more practical when you want most paths but need to omit selected ones. - Integrate and maintain the result. Include the generated code in your application and revisit generation if requirements expand to new APIs. Microsoft notes that a client may need to be regenerated when later requirements add APIs.
- Implement authentication and permissions separately. The generated client does not register your application, obtain its token, or decide the permissions needed for each operation.
Microsoft’s guide supplies the v1.0 description URL and the --include-path example, while Kiota’s own usage page covers its commands and filtering. Use those official instructions together rather than copying an incomplete command assembled from examples. The exact operations and schemas in the YAML can change, particularly for beta, so verify the selected live file before relying on a generated surface.
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Microsoft publishes ready-to-use Graph SDKs. Their service libraries provide generated models and request builders; the core library supplies capabilities such as retry handling and authentication support. For applications calling only a small subset of Graph, Microsoft identifies a Kiota-generated client as an option when installation size matters. Compare the APIs required, package footprint, and whether the SDK’s core capabilities simplify your implementation. See the Microsoft Graph SDK overview and the Kiota generation guide.
Authentication and permissions remain application work
Graph requests require an app registration and an access token, and permission requirements vary by API method. Use Microsoft’s API guidance and the individual operation reference to determine the appropriate permissions and authentication flow for the app and operation. A path being present in the OpenAPI description says what the API surface describes; it does not grant access to that operation or establish that your app has consent.
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Troubleshoot common problems
The downloaded file is not the description you expected
Confirm that you used the exact v1.0 or beta URL and that the saved file is the response to that URL. If you are using Kiota’s registry-based description download, Kiota’s documentation says that downloading requires internet access. Check connectivity and retry the download before diagnosing the YAML or your generation filters.
The generated client does not contain a path
Check that you selected the intended version and that the include or exclude filter matches the path family in the chosen description. Microsoft’s example is /me/todo/**; another resource requires its own matching path. Use Kiota’s path display capability to inspect available paths, then adjust the filter and regenerate.
A Graph request is denied even though the client compiles
Compilation does not establish access. Verify that the application is registered, the request carries an appropriate token, and the app has the permission required for the specific method. Graph permission needs vary by operation.
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A beta operation or generated model changes
Beta is preview and may change in breaking ways. Recheck the live beta description and operation documentation, then update or regenerate the client as needed. For production requirements, prefer the v1.0 version when the needed functionality is generally available.
Or skip the browser setup
If you also need a clean screenshot of Microsoft’s Graph documentation while reviewing it, ScreenshotNeo can capture a page without setting up a browser automation script. It is a screenshot API, not a way to download the Graph OpenAPI YAML or generate a Graph client. Its [API documentation](https://screenshotneo.com/docs/) describes the options.
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curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/generate-with-kiota -o shot.webpFor screenshot captures, ScreenshotNeo accepts cookie and consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and response headers report the page verdict and billing status. An MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Learn more at ScreenshotNeo. Sign up free for 1,000 screenshots a month, with no card required.
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