SQL Server Express

Last updated
Microsoft SQL Server Express
Developer(s) Microsoft
Stable release
SQL Server 2022 Express / November 4, 2019;4 years ago (2019-11-04)
Written in C, C++
Operating system Microsoft Windows, Linux
Platform .NET Framework 4.0 [1]
Available inEnglish, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish
Type Relational database management system
License Proprietary software [2]
Website www.microsoft.com

Microsoft SQL Server Express is a version of Microsoft's SQL Server relational database management system that is free to download, distribute and use. It comprises a database specifically targeted for embedded and smaller-scale applications. The product traces its roots to the Microsoft Database Engine (MSDE) product, which was shipped with SQL Server 2000. The "Express" branding has been used since the release of SQL Server 2005.

Contents

Microsoft SQL Server Express LocalDB is a version of Microsoft SQL Server Express, on-demand managed instance of the SQL Server engine. It is targeted to developers, and has the following restrictions: up to 10 GB database size and only local connections (network connections are not supported). [3] [4] [5]

Capabilities

SQL Server Express provides many of the features of the paid, full versions of Microsoft SQL Server database management system. [6] However it has technical restrictions that make it unsuitable for some large-scale deployments. Differences in the Express product include:

Unlike the predecessor product, MSDE, the Express product does not include a concurrent workload-governor to "limit performance if the database engine receives more work than is typical of a small number of users." [13]

SQL Server Express includes several GUI tools for database management. These include:

The predecessor product MSDE generally lacked basic GUI management tools, [15]

Features available in SQL Server "Standard" and better editions but absent from SQL Server Express include:

LocalDB

SQL Server Express LocalDB announced at 2011. [16]

This version supports silent installation, [4] requires no management and it is compatible with other editions of SQL Server at the API level. [16]

LocalDB runs as non-admin user, requires no configuration or administration. [16] [4]

LocalDB limits to local system only and supports no remote connections. [16] To connect this version it is needs special connection string. [3]

It is possible create several instances of the LocalDB for different applications. [16] Default instance names 'SqlLocalDB'.

Variants

Microsoft makes SQL Server Express N1 available as:

In the Free 2005 Express version, for example, a standard approach to installation options was provided, as follows. Generally, the SQL 2005 Express installers are packaged with the following consistent naming convention:

SQLEXPR.EXE
Has installers for BOTH 32-bit and 64-bit processors, but is a basic install
SQLEXPR32.EXE
Has ONLY the installer for 32-bit processors (still the basic install)
SQLEXPRWT.EXE
Has installers for BOTH 32-bit and 64-bit processors and SQL Server Management Studio Express (SSMSE) (2008 R2)
SQLEXPR_ADV.EXE
Has the basics and SQL Server Management Studio Express (SSMSE) + Reporting and Full Text Queries
SQLEXPR_TOOLKIT.EXE
Has the basics and SSMSE and Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS)

These optional variants have gone through several service packs (SP), and each SP installer can be used without using the older ones first:

SqlLocalDB.msi
Microsoft® SQL Server Express LocalDB Installer. [4]
SQLLocalDB.exe
CLI Microsoft® SQL Server Express LocalDB (LocalDB manipulation tool). [4]

Version history

Microsoft SQL Server Express version history
VersionRelease dateMainstream support end dateExtended support end dateSupported operating systems
SQL Server 2005 Express Edition2005-11-07 [17] 2011-04-12 [18] 2016-04-12 [18] Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows Server 2003 Service Pack, Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (only SQL Server 2005 Express Edition SP4) [19]
SQL Server 2008 Express2009-02-08 [20] 2014-07-08 [21] 2019-07-09 [21] Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows XP Service Pack 3, Windows Vista, Windows Vista Service Pack 1, Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2, Windows Server 2008 [22]
SQL Server 2008 R2 Express2010-04-16 [23] 2014-07-08 [24] 2019-07-09 [24] Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2 [25]
SQL Server 2012 Express2012-05-14 [26] 2017-07-11 [27] 2022-07-12 [27] Windows Vista Service Pack 2, Windows 7, Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008, [28] Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2 [29]
SQL Server 2014 Express2014-04-01 [30] 2019-07-09 [31] 2024-07-09 [31] Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008 SP2, [32] Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2 [33]
SQL Server 2016 Express2016-06-01 [34] 2021-07-13 [35] 2026-07-14 [35] Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016
SQL Server 2017 Express2017-09-29 [36] 2022-10-11 [37] 2027-10-12 [37] Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016*,
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.3 or 7.4, SUSE Enterprise Linux Server v12 SP2, Ubuntu 16.04LTS,
Docker Engine 1.8+ (on Windows, Mac, or Linux)
SQL Server 2019 Express2019-11-04 [38] 2025-01-07 [39] 2030-01-08 [39] Windows 10 TH1 1507 or greater, Windows Server 2016 or greater, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.3 or greater, SUSE Enterprise Linux Server v12 SP2, Ubuntu 16.04LTS, Docker Engine 1.8+ (on Windows, Mac, or Linux)
SQL Server 2022 Express2022-11-16 [40] 2028-01-11 [40] 2033-01-11 [40]

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