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Azure SQL Devs’ Corner  Introducing the enhanced MSSQL Extension for Visual Studio Code

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November 20th, 2024
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Introducing the enhanced MSSQL Extension for Visual
Studio Code Platform Development 

Data Development
Carlos Robles
Senior Product Manager

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The MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code is designed to support developers in building
applications that use Azure SQL (including Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance,
and SQL Server on Azure VMs), SQL Database in Fabric (Preview) or SQL Server as backend
databases. With a comprehensive suite of features for connecting to databases, designing and
managing database schemas, exploring database objects, executing queries, and visualizing query
plans, this extension transforms the SQL development experience within VS Code.

The latest enhancements to the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code are specifically aimed at
boosting productivity. Whether you’re working with databases running locally or in the cloud, the
extension equips you with advanced IntelliSense, efficient T-SQL script execution, and
customizable options. As a result, you can enjoy a modern and streamlined SQL development
workflow.

What’s New in the MSSQL Extension for Visual Studio Code?

We’re excited to introduce significant updates to the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code,
featuring a fresh set of UI enhancements designed to simplify and elevate your SQL development
experience. Overall, these updates make connecting to databases, managing objects, and
optimizing queries more intuitive than ever.
Table of contents

All the UI features described below are currently in Public Preview.

What’s New in the MSSQL Extension for Visual Studio Code?

Connection Dialog

Object Explorer
Connection Dialog
Table Designer
The Connection Dialog in the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code allows you to quickly
Query Results Pane
connect to databases hosted in Azure SQL (including Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed
Instance, andVisualizer
Query Plan SQL Server on Azure VMs), SQL Database in Fabric (Preview) or SQL Server through
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a simple and intuitive interface. It provides multiple input options to cater to different scenarios:
Enabling the New UI Features

Conclusion
 ReadParameters:
next Enter individual connection details such as server name, database name,
username, and password.

Connection
November String: Directly input a full connection string for more advanced configurations.
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In addition to creating new connections, the dialog now includes a Saved Connections and
Recent Connections panel, making it easier to reconnect to previously used servers. You can
efficiently edit and save your connections with an improved layout that offers better navigation
and usability. The enhanced UI makes modifying connection details or switching databases
smoother than ever.

Object Explorer

The Object Explorer in the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code enables you to navigate
through their database objects, such as databases, tables, views, and programmability items. The
enhanced filtering functionality makes it easier to locate specific objects within large and complex
database hierarchies:

Apply Filters: Filter database objects by properties like name, owner, or creation date. Filters
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can be applied at multiple levels, including databases, tables, views, and programmability.

Edit Filters: Refine or update existing filters to further narrow down the object list.
 Clear Filters: Easily remove applied filters to view all objects within the hierarchy.

These filters provide flexibility and control, making it easier to manage large databases and
quickly find the objects you need.

Table Designer

The Table Designer in the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code offers a new UI for creating
and managing tables for your databases, with advanced capabilities to customize every aspect of
the table’s structure:

Columns: Add new columns, set data types, define nullability, and specify default values. You
can also designate a column as a primary key or identity column directly within the interface.

Primary Key: Easily define one or more columns as the primary key for your table, ensuring
each row is uniquely identifiable.

Indexes: Create and manage indexes to improve query performance by adding additional
columns as indexes for faster data retrieval.

Foreign Keys: Define relationships between tables by adding foreign keys that reference
primary keys in other tables, ensuring data integrity across tables.
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Check Constraints: Set up rules to enforce specific conditions on the data being entered,
such as value ranges or patterns.
 Advanced Options: Configure more sophisticated properties and behaviors, such as system
versioning and memory optimized tables.

Within the designer, the Script As Create panel provides an automatically generated T-SQL script
that reflects your table design. You have the following options:

Publish: Apply your changes directly to the database by selecting Publish. This action is
powered by DacFx (Data-tier Application Framework), ensuring smooth and reliable
deployment of your schema updates.

Copy Script: You can either copy the generated T-SQL script from the preview panel for
manual execution, or open it directly in the editor for further adjustments and modifications
as needed.

Query Results Pane

The MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code provides an enhanced query results experience,
helping you efficiently visualize and understand your data output. The query results display within
the bottom panel of VS Code, which also hosts the integrated terminal, output, debug console,
and other tools, creating a unified interface for easy access.
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You can now open query results in a New Tab for an expanded view, similar to the previous
experience.
Key features of the query results pane include:

Grid View: Displays query results in a familiar grid format, allowing for easy inspection of the
data. You now have the option to display results in a New Tab for a clearer, more organized
view

Copy Options: Right-click within the results grid to access options like Select All, Copy, Copy
with Headers, and Copy Headers, making it convenient to transfer data for other uses.

Save Query Results: Includes the ability to save query results to multiple formats such as
JSON, Excel, and CSV, allowing you to work with the data outside of Visual Studio Code.

Inline Sorting: You can sort the data by clicking on the column headers directly in the query
results view. Sorting can be done in ascending or descending order to make it easier to
analyze specific subsets of the data.

Estimated Plan: The Estimated Plan button is located in the query toolbar, next to the Run
Query button. It appears as a flowchart icon and allows you to generate an estimated
execution plan without executing the query itself. This feature provides valuable insight into
query performance, helping identify potential bottlenecks and inefficiencies before running
the actual query.

Enable Actual Plan: A new button labeled Enable Actual Plan, located right after Estimated
Plan button in the upper right corner of the results pane, lets you view the actual query plan
for executed queries. This addition provides deeper insight into query performance and
helps identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies.

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 You can customize the behavior of the query results pane by adjusting specific settings. For
more details on these configuration options, visit the official documentation.

Query Plan Visualizer

The Query Plan Visualizer in the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code allows developers to
analyze SQL query performance by displaying detailed execution plans. This tool provides insights
into how SQL queries are executed, helping developers identify bottlenecks and optimize their
queries.

Key features and capabilities include:

Node Navigation: Each step in the execution plan is represented as a node, allowing you to
interact with the plan in various ways. You can click on nodes to view tooltips or detailed
information about specific operations. Additionally, you can collapse or expand node trees
to simplify the view and focus on key areas of the query plan.

Zoom Controls: The visualizer offers flexible zoom options to help you analyze the plan in
detail. You can zoom in or out to adjust the level of detail, use the “zoom to fit” feature to
resize the view and fit the entire plan on your screen, or set custom zoom levels for more
precise examination of specific elements.

Metrics and Highlighting: The metrics toolbar allows you to analyze key performance
indicators and highlight expensive operations. You can select metrics such as Actual Elapsed
Time, Cost, Subtree Cost, or Number of Rows Read from the dropdown to identify
bottlenecks and use these metrics to search for specific nodes within the query plan for
deeper analysis.

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The right-hand sidebar provides quick access to additional actions:

Save Plan: Save the current execution plan for future reference.

Open XML: Open the XML representation of the query plan to inspect details at the code
level.

Open Query: View the query that generated the execution plan directly from the toolbar.

Toggle Tooltips: Enable or disable tooltips for additional details on each node.

Properties: View the properties of each node in the execution plan, with options to sort by
importance or alphabetically.

Enabling the New UI Features

To get started, follow the prompt when you first install the extension or update your VS Code
settings. Visit our official documentation for step-by-step instructions.
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Conclusion
The enhanced MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code offers a powerful and intuitive SQL
development experience. With features like the revamped Connection Dialog, advanced Object
Explorer filtering, a visual Table Designer, an updated Query Results Pane, and the Query Plan
Visualizer, it’s easier than ever to streamline your workflow and optimize performance—all from
within VS Code.

To see these features in action, check out our demo video on YouTube: https://aka.ms/vscode-
mssql-ignite-demo.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the new features! If you have any feedback or run into issues,
please let us know by creating a GitHub issue at https://aka.ms/vscode-mssql-bug. Alternatively,
join our community, participate in discussions, or contribute to the extension at
https://aka.ms/vscode-mssql-repo.

Happy coding!

Category

Azure SQL VS Code

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Topics
 Azure Sql Azure SQL Database Development SQL Database In Fabric VS Code

Author

Carlos Robles
Senior Product Manager

With 12+ years navigating the tech landscape, I've evolved from a Software Developer to a Data specialist and
later to a Solutions Architect, and now I work as a Product Manager at Microsoft. I've been honored with
prestigious awards, including Microsoft MVP, and recognition in the Redgate 100 for DevOps excellence.
Currently, I specialize in empowering developers to embrace Azure SQL. As an international speaker, author, and
mentor, I thrive on catalyzing the adoption of Azure SQL among ...

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5 comments
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‫יוסף מודי‬ December 8, 2024 1

I am excited for this. I prefer to not use the Azure Data Studio separately if I don’t have
to. Having everything in one place will be nice.

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Michael Taylor November 20, 2024 1

Isn't this just replicating the functionality of Azure Data Studio? ADS has a very similar
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UX to VSCode and, my understanding, is built on the same infrastructure. This sort of

reminds me of how VS included SSMS-lite features so developers didn't have to use
SSMS. But every developer working with DBs ultimately needs SSMS to do their work. Is
this the same thought
1 process here? Devs use VSCode for sql-lite
5 stuff like queries and
adding...
Read more

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Reinhard Lackner November 20, 2024 1

I don't get it either, ADS is based on VSCode anyways (but an older engine
version, that's why you can't install all the good extensions from VSCode in ADS
- which is a shame).
Why go the extra mile and have a separate thing like ADS, when all of it's
functionality could have been added to VSCode via a set of extensions (like the
C# Dev Kit).

As it is at the moment, neither VSCode nor...

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Michael Taylor November 21, 2024 1

I'd be fine if all this got consumed into VSCode. ADS is a broken mess.
ADS breaks with almost every release, the dev team is non-responsive to
bugs and there are some core editor bugs that shockingly have been
broken for a long time and nobody seems to be interested in fixing it.
They sure are happy adding new features though. VSCode seems more
stable, basic editor features like restoring sessions and showing stuff
actually...
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Carlos Robles Author November 20, 2024 1

Thanks for your feedback! At the moment, our focus is on enhancing the MSSQL
extension for VS Code to provide developers with a lightweight, streamlined,
and highly productive experience when working with Azure SQL, SQL database
in Fabric, or SQL Server as a backend. While it’s true that ADS and SSMS serve
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different, more comprehensive needs, the goal of the MSSQL extension is not to
replicate either of them. Instead, we aim to complement those...
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