Overview

Visual Studio

Stacks48.9K

Followers37.9K

Votes1.1K

Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio

Stacks504

Followers445

Votes0

Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio vs Visual Studio: What are the differences?

Key differences between Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio and Visual Studio

Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and Visual Studio (VS) are both popular software tools used by developers and database administrators. While they have some similarities, there are several key differences between them.

1. Purpose and Functionality: SSMS is primarily designed for managing and administering SQL Server databases. It provides a rich set of tools for writing and executing queries, managing database objects, and analyzing performance. On the other hand, VS is an integrated development environment (IDE) primarily used for creating software applications. It offers extensive features for coding, debugging, and testing various programming languages.

2. Database-centric vs. Application-centric: SSMS is focused on database-related tasks and is specifically tailored for working with SQL Server databases. It provides specialized tools for database design, schema modifications, and data management. VS, on the other hand, is more application-centric and flexible, supporting a wide range of programming languages and frameworks. It allows developers to build complete software solutions, including front-end interfaces, business logic, and database integration.

3. User Interface and Workflow: SSMS has a dedicated user interface optimized for managing databases. It provides a logical and intuitive workflow for performing common database operations. VS, being a more general-purpose IDE, has a more complex and customizable interface, with a broader range of functionalities. It is designed to support different development scenarios and can be tailored to individual preferences and project requirements.

4. Integrated Development Environment Features: While SSMS offers some basic development features like query editing and debugging, these are more limited compared to the comprehensive development capabilities of VS. VS includes advanced features like code refactoring, version control integration, unit testing frameworks, and extensive debugging options. These additional development tools make VS a preferred choice for developers working on complex software projects.

5. Extensibility and Ecosystem: SSMS has a relatively limited ecosystem with a focus on SQL Server. It provides a range of built-in tools and extensions specific to SQL Server, but the overall extension capabilities are somewhat restricted. VS, on the other hand, has a much larger and diverse ecosystem, with a vast collection of extensions, plugins, and integrations available. This makes VS more versatile and adaptable to different development scenarios and technologies.

6. Licensing and Cost: Both SSMS and VS have different licensing models. SSMS is generally available as a free download and is included with the SQL Server installation. Some advanced features may require a paid SQL Server license. VS, on the other hand, has multiple editions with different pricing models. The Community edition of VS is free for individual developers and small teams, but other editions may require a paid license. This difference in licensing can impact the overall cost for users.

In summary, Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio is a specialized tool for managing SQL Server databases, while Visual Studio is a powerful IDE for application development. SSMS has a database-centric focus, a dedicated user interface, and limited development features, while VS offers a more versatile and extensive set of development capabilities with support for various programming languages and frameworks. The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements of the project and the role of the user.

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Advice on Visual Studio, Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio

Aashwiin

Feb 6, 2020

Needs advice

I am looking to build an azure database that connects to my power bi application. Initially, I attempted to create an Azure SQL database, then realized I needed to have SQL Server Management Service in order to manage and connect between Azure SQL <=> Power BI, but since I am on a Mac, I had to use the complex installation as a workaround.

If MySQL Workbench can solve this (as the product is available on Mac), I am more than happy to proceed with this approach if it can achieve the same goal of connecting an azure database with my Power BI application

What I am trying to achieve is fairly simple: have an online cloud database that connects to my Power BI application

I am open to any other solutions as well

Thank you

227k views227k

Comments

William

Sep 10, 2019

Needs advice

The problem I have is whether to choose Android Studio or Visual Studio? I have to develop a simple app for a school project that can work on both iPhone and Android.

The most important factors for me are Android and iOS compatibility. Although note that i would like to become a Software Engineer when i finish my course. (I'd like to work for Apple, just saying!)

After that id like easy integration for Google Ads and such if i do develop another app that people actually use to support development. (I'd also like to stick with one easy programming language that's compatible with a wide variety of platforms since i'm a beginner and have only ever used Pascal)

565k views565k

Comments

Detailed Comparison

Visual Studio	Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio
Visual Studio is a suite of component-based software development tools and other technologies for building powerful, high-performance applications.	It is an integrated environment for managing any SQL infrastructure, from SQL Server to Azure SQL Database. It provides tools to configure, monitor, and administer instances of SQL Server and databases. Use it to deploy, monitor, and upgrade the data-tier components used by your applications, as well as build queries and scripts.
-	Integrated environment for managing any SQL infrastructure; Configure, monitor, and administer instances of SQL Server and databases; Deploy, monitor, and upgrade the data-tier components used by your applications, and build queries and scripts
Statistics
Stacks 48.9K	Stacks 504
Followers 37.9K	Followers 445
Votes 1.1K	Votes 0
Pros & Cons
Pros 305 Intellisense, ui 244 Complete ide and debugger 165 Plug-ins 104 Integrated 93 Documentation Cons 16 Bulky 14 Made by Microsoft 6 Sometimes you need to restart to finish an update 3 Too much size for disk 3 Only avalible on Windows	No community feedback yet
Integrations
No integrations available	Microsoft SQL Server

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