SqlPackage.exe

SqlPackage.exe is a command-line utility that automates the following database development tasks:

• Version: Returns the build number of the SqlPackage application. Added in version 18.6.

• Extract: Creates a data-tier application (.dacpac) file containing the schema or schema and user data from a connected SQL database.

• Publish: Incrementally updates a database schema to match the schema of a source .dacpac file. If the database does not exist on the server, the publish operation creates it. Otherwise, an existing database is updated.

• Export: Exports a connected SQL database - including database schema and user data - to a BACPAC file (.bacpac).

• Import: Imports the schema and table data from a BACPAC file into a new user database.

• DeployReport: Creates an XML report of the changes that would be made by a publish action.

• DriftReport: Creates an XML report of the changes that have been made to a registered database since it was last registered.

• Script: Creates a Transact-SQL incremental update script that updates the schema of a target to match the schema of a source.

The SqlPackage.exe command line tool allows you to specify these actions along with action-specific parameters and properties.

Download the latest version. For details about the latest release, see the release notes.

Command-Line Syntax

SqlPackage.exe initiates the actions specified using the parameters, properties, and SQLCMD variables specified on the command line.

SqlPackage {parameters}{properties}{SQLCMD Variables}  

Usage examples

Generate a comparison between databases by using .dacpac files with a SQL script output

Start by creating a .dacpac file of your latest database changes:

sqlpackage.exe /TargetFile:"C:\sqlpackageoutput\output_current_version.dacpac" /Action:Extract /SourceServerName:"." /SourceDatabaseName:"Contoso.Database"

Create a .dacpac file of your database target (that has no changes):

sqlpackage.exe /TargetFile:"C:\sqlpackageoutput\output_target.dacpac" /Action:Extract /SourceServerName:"." /SourceDatabaseName:"Contoso.Database"

Create a SQL script that generates the differences of two .dacpac files:

sqlpackage.exe /Action:Script /SourceFile:"C:\sqlpackageoutput\output_current_version.dacpac" /TargetFile:"C:\sqlpackageoutput\output_target.dacpac" /TargetDatabaseName:"Contoso.Database" /OutputPath:"C:\sqlpackageoutput\output.sql"

Version

Displays the sqlpackage version as a build number. Can be used in interactive prompts as well as in automated pipelines.

sqlpackage.exe /Version

Help

You can display sqlpackage usage information by using /? or /help:True.

sqlpackage.exe /?

For parameter and property information specific to a particular action, use the help parameter in addition to that action's parameter.

sqlpackage.exe /Action:Publish /?

Exit codes

Commands that return the following exit codes:

• 0 = success
• non-zero = failure

Parameters

Some parameters are shared between the SqlPackage actions. Below is a table summarizing the parameters, for more information click into the specific action pages.

Properties

Some properties are shared between the SqlPackage actions. Below is a table summarizing the properties, for more information click into the specific action pages.

Next steps

• Learn more about SqlPackage Extract
• Learn more about SqlPackage Publish
• Learn more about SqlPackage Export
• Learn more about SqlPackage Import