SQL Server (starting with 2008)Azure SQL DatabaseAzure SQL Data Warehouse Parallel Data Warehouse 
This article provides a list of available tools for working with SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, SQL Data Warehouse, and SQL Server-based applications.
If you want to jump right in and start creating tables, running queries, basically design and manage your database, then SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is most likely your go-to tool. SSMS is free, and runs on Windows.
If you're running Linux or macOS, try Visual Studio Code with the mssql for Visual Studio Code extension. These tools are for developing Microsoft SQL Server, Azure SQL Database and SQL Data Warehouse with a rich set of functionalities, and are also free. See Use Visual Studio Code to create and run Transact-SQL scripts for SQL Server.
SQL tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) | Use SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) to query, design, and manage your SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, and Azure SQL Data Warehouse. |
| SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) | Turn Visual Studio into a powerful development environment for SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, and Azure SQL Data Warehouse. |
| Visual Studio Code | Visual Studio Code works on Linux, macOS, and Windows. After installing Visual Studio Code, install the mssql extension for developing Microsoft SQL Server, Azure SQL Database and SQL Data Warehouse. |
| Configuration Manager | Use SQL Server Configuration Manager to configure SQL Server services and configure network connectivity. |
| SQL Server Migration Assistant | Use SQL Server Migration Assistant to automate database migration to SQL Server from Microsoft Access, DB2, MySQL, Oracle, and Sybase. |
| Distributed Replay | Use the Distributed Replay feature to help you assess the impact of future SQL Server upgrades. Also use Distributed Replay to help assess the impact of hardware and operating system upgrades, and SQL Server tuning. |
| ssbdiagnose | The ssbdiagnose utility reports issues in Service Broker conversations or the configuration of Service Broker services. |
SQL Command Prompt utilities
Command prompt utilities enable you to script SQL Server operations. The following table contains a list of command prompt utilities that ship with SQL Server.
| Utility | Description | Installed in |
|---|---|---|
| bcp Utility | Used to copy data between an instance of Microsoft SQL Server and a data file in a user-specified format. | <drive:>\Program Files\ Microsoft SQL Server\Client SDK\ODBC\110\Tools\Binn |
| dta Utility | Used to analyze a workload and recommend physical design structures to optimize server performance for that workload. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\Tools\Binn |
| dtexec Utility | Used to configure and execute an Integration Services package. A user interface version of this command prompt utility is called DTExecUI, which brings up the Execute Package Utility. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\DTS\Binn |
| dtutil Utility | Used to manage SSIS packages. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\DTS\Binn |
| Deploy Model Solutions with the Deployment Utility | Used to deploy Analysis Services projects to instances of Analysis Services. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\Tools\Binn\VShell\Common7\IDE |
| mssql-scripter (Public Preview) | Used to generate CREATE and INSERT T-SQL scripts for database objects in SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, and Azure SQL Data Warehouse. | See our GitHub repo for download and usage information. |
| osql Utility | Allows you to enter Transact-SQL statements, system procedures, and script files at the command prompt. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\Tools\Binn |
| Profiler Utility | Used to start SQL Server Profiler from a command prompt. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\Tools\Binn |
| RS.exe Utility (SSRS) | Used to run scripts designed for managing Reporting Services report servers. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\Tools\Binn |
| rsconfig Utility (SSRS) | Used to configure a report server connection. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\Tools\Binn |
| rskeymgmt Utility (SSRS) | Used to manage encryption keys on a report server. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\Tools\Binn |
| sqlagent90 Application | Used to start SQL Server Agent from a command prompt. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<instance_name>\MSSQL\Binn |
| sqlcmd Utility | Allows you to enter Transact-SQL statements, system procedures, and script files at the command prompt. | <drive:>\Program Files\ Microsoft SQL Server\Client SDK\ODBC\110\Tools\Binn |
| SQLdiag Utility | Used to collect diagnostic information for Microsoft Customer Service and Support. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\Tools\Binn |
| sqllogship Application | Used by applications to perform backup, copy, and restore operations and associated clean-up tasks for a log shipping configuration without running the backup, copy, and restore jobs. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\Tools\Binn |
| SqlLocalDB Utility | An execution mode of SQL Server targeted to program developers. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\Tools\Binn\ |
| sqlmaint Utility | Used to execute database maintenance plans created in previous versions of SQL Server. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Binn |
| sqlps Utility | Used to run PowerShell commands and scripts. Loads and registers the SQL Server PowerShell provider and cmdlets. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\Tools\Binn |
| sqlservr Application | Used to start and stop an instance of Database Engine from the command prompt for troubleshooting. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Binn |
| Ssms Utility | Used to start SQL Server Management Studio from a command prompt. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\Tools\Binn\VSShell\Common7\IDE |
| tablediff Utility | Used to compare the data in two tables for non-convergence, which is useful when troubleshooting a replication topology. | <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\nnn\COM |
SQL Command Prompt utilities syntax conventions
| Convention | Used for |
|---|---|
| UPPERCASE | Statements and terms used at the operating system level. |
monospace |
Sample commands and program code. |
| italic | User-supplied parameters. |
| bold | Commands, parameters, and other syntax that must be typed exactly as shown. |