| title | Get started with SQL Server on Linux - SQL Server vNext CTP1 | Microsoft Docs |
|---|---|
| description | This topic provides a learning path for getting started with SQL Server vNext on Linux. It also includes links to other resources for each step. |
| author | rothja |
| ms.author | jroth |
| manager | jhubbard |
| ms.date | 11/07/2016 |
| ms.topic | article |
| ms.prod | sql-linux |
| ms.technology | database-engine |
| ms.assetid | 66d96e59-2ded-4460-b350-fda80d93d79b |
This topic is a guide for how to get started using SQL Server vNext CTP1 on Linux. It contains a suggested learning plan with links to other resources for each step.
If you do not already have a Linux machine, install Linux on a physical server or a virtual machine (VM). Review the Release notes on supported platforms and requirements.
Note
One option is to create use a pre-configured Linux VM in Azure. In addition to OS-only VMs, there is also a VM image with SQL Server vNext CTP1 already installed. For more information, see Provision a Linux VM in Azure for SQL Server.
Next, set up SQL Server vNext on your Linux machine using one of the following guides:
| Platform | Installation |
|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 | Installation guide |
| Red Hat Enterprise 7.2 | Installation guide |
You can also run SQL Server on a Docker image that can run on platforms that support Docker, including Linux, Mac, and Windows. For more information, see the Docker installation guide.
After installation, connect to the running SQL Server instance on your Linux machine. For a general discussion of connectivity, see Connect and query SQL Server on Linux. Then run some Transact-SQL queries using a client tool. Examples include:
| Tool | Tutorial |
|---|---|
| Sqlcmd | Use the Sqlcmd command-line utility on Linux |
| Visual Studio Code (VS Code) | Use the multi-platform VS Code tool for SQL Server on Linux |
| SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) | Use SSMS on Windows to connect to SQL Server on Linux |
SQL Server vNext has the same underlying database engine on all supported platforms, including Linux. So many existing features and capabilities operate the same way on Linux.
If you are already familiar with SQL Server, you'll want to review the Release notes for general guidelines and known issues for this release.
If you are new to SQL Server, there are a few additional resources to help you evaluate SQL Server:
For more information about this release of SQL Server vNext, see Overview of SQL Server on Linux.
For the complete set of SQL Server documentation, see the Microsoft SQL Server Documentation.