What is Microsoft SQL Server used for?

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database server for Windows and Linux, offered in free Express and Developer editions and paid editions for production. It is a good fit for backend for .NET and line-of-business apps, departmental data warehouses and reporting, and local development with the free Developer edition.

Is Microsoft SQL Server free?

Yes. Microsoft SQL Server has a free plan.

Is Microsoft SQL Server open source?

No. Microsoft SQL Server is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Microsoft SQL Server include PostgreSQL, MySQL and MariaDB.

Can I self-host Microsoft SQL Server?

Yes. Although Microsoft SQL Server is closed source, it can be self-hosted on your own servers, and the vendor also offers a hosted version.

What are some alternatives to Microsoft SQL Server?

Microsoft SQL Server competes with Oracle Database, Amazon RDS and Amazon Aurora. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Microsoft SQL Server alternatives.

Microsoft SQL Server: features, pricing and alternatives

About Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system built around the T-SQL dialect of SQL. It is widely used for line-of-business applications, data warehouses and reporting, especially in organizations that already run on Microsoft's tooling and .NET applications.

Beyond the core database engine, the product family includes components for integration, analysis and reporting, along with options for high availability and encryption. It can run on your own servers, on Windows or Linux, or through Microsoft's managed Azure offerings. The Express edition is free with size limits and Developer is free for non-production use, while production-grade editions are licensed commercially.

Key features

Relational database engine using T-SQL
Runs on Windows and Linux servers
Integration, analysis and reporting components
High availability with availability groups
Free Express and Developer editions
Encryption and role-based security

Good fit for

→Backend for .NET and line-of-business apps
→Departmental data warehouses and reporting
→Local development with the free Developer edition

Tags: relational-database; sql-server; t-sql; microsoft; enterprise; rdbms; windows

Microsoft SQL Server: questions and answers

What is Microsoft SQL Server used for?: Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database server for Windows and Linux, offered in free Express and Developer editions and paid editions for production. It is a good fit for backend for .NET and line-of-business apps, departmental data warehouses and reporting, and local development with the free Developer edition.
Is Microsoft SQL Server free?: Yes. Microsoft SQL Server has a free plan.
Is Microsoft SQL Server open source?: No. Microsoft SQL Server is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Microsoft SQL Server include PostgreSQL, MySQL and MariaDB.
Can I self-host Microsoft SQL Server?: Yes. Although Microsoft SQL Server is closed source, it can be self-hosted on your own servers, and the vendor also offers a hosted version.
What are some alternatives to Microsoft SQL Server?: Microsoft SQL Server competes with Oracle Database, Amazon RDS and Amazon Aurora. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Microsoft SQL Server alternatives.