What is SQL Server Management Studio used for?

SQL Server Management Studio is a free Microsoft Windows tool for configuring, managing and querying SQL Server and Azure SQL databases. It is a good fit for administering SQL Server instances, and writing and running T-SQL queries.

Is SQL Server Management Studio free?

Yes. SQL Server Management Studio is free to use.

Is SQL Server Management Studio open source?

No. SQL Server Management Studio is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to SQL Server Management Studio include Chat2DB, Dbx and DBeaver.

Can I self-host SQL Server Management Studio?

Yes. Although SQL Server Management Studio is closed source, it can be self-hosted on your own servers.

What are some alternatives to SQL Server Management Studio?

SQL Server Management Studio competes with DataGrip, dbForge Studio and Navicat. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source SQL Server Management Studio alternatives.

SQL Server Management Studio: pricing and alternatives

About SQL Server Management Studio

SQL Server Management Studio, usually called SSMS, is Microsoft's free graphical tool for working with SQL Server and Azure SQL. It combines an object browser, a query editor and administration features, so database professionals can write T-SQL, manage security, jobs and backups, and monitor their servers.

SSMS is a proprietary Microsoft application that installs on Windows and connects to SQL Server instances on premises or in Azure. It is distributed free of charge through Microsoft's download pages on its Learn site, which also hold documentation, release notes and instructions for downloading the current version.

Key features

Object browser for SQL Server and Azure SQL
T-SQL query editor
Server and database administration tools
Management of security, jobs and backups
Free download from Microsoft

Good fit for

→Administering SQL Server instances
→Writing and running T-SQL queries

Tags: sql-server; microsoft; database-client; t-sql; database-administration; windows; free

SQL Server Management Studio: questions and answers

What is SQL Server Management Studio used for?: SQL Server Management Studio is a free Microsoft Windows tool for configuring, managing and querying SQL Server and Azure SQL databases. It is a good fit for administering SQL Server instances, and writing and running T-SQL queries.
Is SQL Server Management Studio free?: Yes. SQL Server Management Studio is free to use.
Is SQL Server Management Studio open source?: No. SQL Server Management Studio is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to SQL Server Management Studio include Chat2DB, Dbx and DBeaver.
Can I self-host SQL Server Management Studio?: Yes. Although SQL Server Management Studio is closed source, it can be self-hosted on your own servers.
What are some alternatives to SQL Server Management Studio?: SQL Server Management Studio competes with DataGrip, dbForge Studio and Navicat. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source SQL Server Management Studio alternatives.