Creating Data-tier Application Projects

Important

To create and manage databases using the latest version of Data Tier Applications (DACPAC), install the most recent release of SQL Server Data Tools from Get Started with Microsoft SQL Server Data Tools.

A data-tier application (DAC) project is used to manage the development of the SQL Server objects used by an application. Use the New project dialog box to select the Data-tier Application project type. After the project is created, set the project properties.

Data-tier Application Project Type

The structure and behavior of the DAC project is modeled on the SQL Server database projects. DAC project files share the same file extension as database projects: .dbproj.

There is no wizard for creating data-tier application projects. In the New project dialog box, select the Data-tier Application project template and specify the project name. Visual Studio creates a DAC project with that name and you then edit the project properties to configure the behaviors of the project. After the project has been created and the properties set, you can add objects to the project, build the project into a DAC package, and deploy the DAC package to an instance of the SQL Server Database Engine.

For more information on the steps for creating a project and editing the properties, see How to: Create a Data-tier Application Project.

For more information about the data-tier application project properties, see Data-tier Application Project Properties.

You can also convert a database project to a DAC project, or convert a DAC project to a database project. For more information, see Converting Between Data-tier Application Projects and Database Projects.

See Also

Concepts

Configuring the Server Selection Policy

Adding New Objects to Data-tier Applications

Building Data-tier Application Projects

Deploying Data-tier Application Packages

Lifecycle Management for Data-tier Applications