Get Morden Data Experience with Azure Data Studio

We have been using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) for many years so it’s a time for change for someone who runs SQL queries, creates database objects and visualizes result sets in chart form. This tool is integrated with sqlcmd.exe to deal with administrative tasks, but you would not get wizard experience as SSMS.

Features

• Quick intelliSense and multiple query result sets
• Code snippets for SQL objects and T-SQL support
• Supports server group to manage database connections more efficiently
• In built Source control integration.
• Multiple integrated terminals like PowerShell, SQLCmd etc.
• Extensibility and extension support. For example – PostgreSQL, Data Virtualization and Machine Learning.
• Save query results in Excel, CSV, JSON and XML format
• Display data in various chart, widely used by data visualization. For Example – Bar, Pie and Line etc.

Download and Install

Download Windows Azure Data Studio installer from here.

So, you got the package, now you just need to install it. Go to download location and install it as an administrator of your computer.

The macOS and Linux compatible Azure Data Studio package is also available and can be downloaded from here.

After installation completes, open Azure Data Studio and add database connection to connect. Click on the Connections option, enter details of your server and click on Connect.

Let’s suppose, you have an Azure SQL Server with a database and have some tables. Of course, it works with local SQL Server databases as well 🙂

Note : You need to add your machine IP address in Firewall Settings of Azure SQL Server to establish connection

Click on the New Query, an editor will open to run SQL statements on database tables. You can use your tables in SQL statements.

Sample Scripts

Create table Employees (
  EmployeeID int,
  FirstName varchar(255),  
  LastName varchar(255),  
  City varchar(50),
  DateOfBirth date
);

Create table Departments (
  DepID int,
  DepName varchar(255)  
);

INSERT INTO Employees 
Values(1, 'James' , 'David' , 'New York' , '12/01/1991')
INSERT INTO Employees 
Values(2, 'Mike' , 'Jane' , 'Singapore' , '06/03/1992')
INSERT INTO Employees 
Values(3, 'Juan' , 'James' , 'Tokyo' , '06/26/1980')
INSERT INTO Employees 
Values(4, 'Sarah' , 'Carlos' , 'London' , '08/12/1986')
INSERT INTO Employees 
Values(5, 'Garcia' , 'Paul' , 'Barlin' , '01/31/1996')
INSERT INTO Employees 
Values(6, 'Brown' , 'Daniel' , 'New York' , '09/22/1988')
INSERT INTO Employees
Values(7, 'Williams' , 'James' , 'New York' , '10/25/1981')

INSERT INTO Departments (DepID,DepName) VALUES(1, 'Human Resource')
INSERT INTO Departments (DepID,DepName) VALUES(2, 'Finance and Tax')
INSERT INTO Departments (DepID,DepName) VALUES(3, 'Information Technology')
INSERT INTO Departments (DepID,DepName) VALUES(4, 'Communication')

Data Visualization

Data visualization is very simple in Azure Data Studio. You just need to click on highlighted icon in previous screenshot.

There are many more cool feature in Azure Data Studio and best part is, it doesn’t take much time to open and you can customize the features by adding extensions and using its extensibility.

Some Useful Extensions

• Machine Learning
• SQL Profiler
• SQL Server dacpac extension
• SQL Server Import
• Data Virtualization
• PostgreSQL

Hope, Azure Data Studio and its extensions would be useful for you as well. 🙂

If you have any suggestions/feedback, please put them in the comment box.

Happy Learning 🙂