What is Visual Studio Code and why SQL server enthusiasts (Developer and DBAs) must know about it?
Let’s first understand what is Visual Studio Code:-
Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a lightweight and efficient code editor developed by Microsoft, and the most important thing, it is completely FREE. It has inbuilt AI capabilities for future ready coding practices. It has strong built-in support for JavaScript, TypeScript & JSON and extendable to nearly all languages: Python, C++, Java, Go, Rust, PHP, T-SQL etc. This can be installed on Windows, MAC and Linux on all three Operating systems.
So why to wait, let’s download and start playing with it.
If you go to VS Code website they say “Visual Studio Code
combines the simplicity of a source code editor with powerful developer
tooling, like IntelliSense code completion and debugging. First and foremost,
it is an editor that gets out of your way. The delightfully frictionless
edit-build-debug cycle means less time fiddling with your environment, and more
time executing on your ideas.”
This is enough for introduction and if you want to know more about it, follow this link:
Why did we build
Visual Studio Code?
Now let’s understand, as a SQL Developer or a DBA why should
we bother about it?
To figure this out, let’s move a step back and remember our coding and migration companion "Azure Data Studio" which we must have used alternatively for SSMS. It had few outstanding features including direct integration with Azure, Database migration capabilities by using Migration extensions for Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Database engines and many more. But unfortunately, Microsoft is retiring Azure Data Studio on 28th February 2026 which is the main cause we should start focusing on VS Code. Microsoft also recommends migrating to VS Code from ADS.
Below list is how we can use VS Code in our day-to-day activities
for maximum benefit:
⭐ Top VS Code Features for SQL
Server Developers & DBAs
The official SQL Server
extension turns VS Code into a lightweight SSMS alternative with:
Key features:
- Connect to SQL Server, Azure SQL, and Linux SQL
Server
- Run and save .sql scripts
- IntelliSense for T-SQL (tables, columns, functions,
keywords)
- Query results in grid/JSON format
- Connection profiles for multiple instances
- Save query history
- Execute stored procedures directly
🟦 2. SQLTools + SQLTools
SQL Server Driver
For some developers, SQLTools
provides an even richer UI than the Microsoft extension.
Benefits:
- Database explorer panel (view tables, indexes,
columns)
- Query bookmarks
- Connection switching
- Result sets export to CSV, JSON
- Query history timeline
- IntelliSense autocomplete
Great for DBAs who want a quick,
SSMS-lite experience inside VS Code.
🟦 3. IntelliSense,
Snippets & T-SQL Formatting
VS Code supports:
- Smart autocomplete for T-SQL
- Custom snippets (SELECT * FROM ... WHERE ...)
- Extensions like SQL Formatter or Prettify
SQL for clean formatting
DBA benefit:
Standardized formatting makes
scripts easier to audit and maintain.
🟦 4. Git Integration for
Database Code
Built-in Git support is a
major win for database DevOps.
Useful for:
- Version-controlling stored procedures, views,
functions, migrations
- Branch-based development
- Code reviews and diffs for SQL scripts
- GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps support
DBAs love this for tracking
schema changes over time.
🟦 5. Notebooks (SQL
Notebooks)
Using Azure Data Studio
notebooks inside VS Code (with extensions), you get:
- Rich text + SQL cells
- Executable queries with inline results
- Audit/playbook style review scripts
- Runbook automation
Great for:
- Troubleshooting guides
- Performance tuning reports
- Teaching or documenting DBA routines
🟦 6. Docker &
Containers Integration
For developers using SQL Server on
Linux or DevContainers:
VS Code supports:
- Launching SQL Server containers
- Developing inside a container with Dev Containers
extension
- Integrated Docker management
Great for:
- Quickly provisioning dev/test SQL environments
- Reproducible builds
🟦 7. Azure Data Tools
Integration
Using Azure Account, Azure
SQL, and deployment extensions:
- Deploy to Azure SQL
- Import/export databases
- Connect to Azure Arc-enabled SQL
- ARM/Bicep templates for database infrastructure
Useful for hybrid cloud DBAs.
🟦 8. Database Projects
(DACPAC/SQLProj)
The SQL Database Projects
extension brings SSDT-style functionality to VS Code.
You can:
- Build SQL database projects
- Compare schema against a database
- Generate deployment scripts
- Publish DACPACs
Ideal for:
- CI/CD pipelines
- Schema versioning
- Controlled releases
🟦 9. REST Client for
Testing API Calls
If you work with SQL Server +
microservices:
- Test REST endpoints from .http files in VS Code
- Validate app behavior alongside SQL queries
Great when troubleshooting
app-to-database interactions.
🟦 10. Code Runner
Extension
Lets you quickly execute:
- PowerShell
- Bash
- Python
- SQL scripts (limited)
- Maintenance scripts & automation tools
Perfect for DBAs who write:
- Backup/restore scripts
- Maintenance jobs
- Automation tasks
🟦 11. Integrated Terminal
for PowerShell & DB Tools
Run:
- sqlcmd
- PowerShell modules (SqlServer, dbatools)
- bcp
- Bulk operations
All without leaving VS Code.
So, let's start using VS Code and share your experiences in comment sections.
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