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title: "CREATE EXTERNAL LIBRARY (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
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---
# CREATE EXTERNAL LIBRARY (Transact-SQL)  
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ssvnxt-xxxx-xxxx-xxx](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ssvnxt-xxxx-xxxx-xxx.md)]  

Uploads R packages to a database from the specified byte stream or file path.

This statement serves as a generic mechanism for the database administrator to upload artifacts needed for any new external language runtimes (R, Python, Java, etc.) and OS platforms supported by [!INCLUDE[ssnoversion](../../includes/ssnoversion.md)]. Currently only the R language and Windows platform are supported.

## Syntax

```
CREATE EXTERNAL LIBRARY library_name  
    [ AUTHORIZATION owner_name ]  
FROM <file_spec> [,…2]  
WITH ( LANGUAGE = 'R' )  
[ ; ]  

<file_spec> ::=  
{  
(CONTENT = { <client_library_specifier> | <library_bits> }  
[, PLATFORM = WINDOWS ])  
}  

<client_library_specifier> :: =  
  '[\\computer_name\]share_name\[path\]manifest_file_name'  
| '[local_path\]manifest_file_name'  
| '<relative_path_in_external_data_source>'  

<library_bits> :: =  
{ varbinary_literal | varbinary_expression }  
```

### Arguments

**library_name**

Libraries are added to the database scoped to the user. That is, library names are considered unique within the context of a specific user or owner, and library names must be unique per user. For example, two users **RUser1** and **RUser2** can both individually and separately upload the R library `ggplot2`. 

**owner_name**

Specifies the name of the user or role that owns the external library. If not specified, ownership is given to the current user.

The libraries owned by database owner are considered global to the database and runtime. In other words, database owners can create libraries that contain a common set of libraries or packages that are shared by many users. When an external library is created by a user other than the `dbo` user, the external library is private to that user only.   

When the user **RUser1** executes an R script, the value of `libPath` can contain multiple paths. The first path is always the path to the shared library created by the database owner. The second part of `libPath` specifies the path containing packages uploaded individually by **RUser1**.

**file_spec**

Specifies the content of the package for a specific platform. Only one file artifact per platform is supported. 

The file can be specified in the form of a local path, or network path.

Optionally, an OS platform for the file can be specified. Only one file artifact or content is permitted for each OS platform for a specific language or runtime.

**PLATFORM = WINDOWS**

Specifies the platform for the content of the library. The value defaults to the host platform on which SQL Server is running. Therefore, the user doesn’t have to specify the value. It is required in case where multiple platforms are supported, or the user needs to specify a different platform. Windows is the only supported platform.

## Remarks

For the R language, packages must be prepared in the form of zipped archive files with the .ZIP extension for Windows. Currently, only the Windows platform is supported.  

The `CREATE EXTERNAL LIBRARY` statement only uploads the library bits to the database. The library is not actually installed until a user runs an external script afterwards, by executing [sp_execute_external_script](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-execute-external-script-transact-sql.md).  

## Permissions  
Requires the `CREATE EXTERNAL LIBRARY` permission.  

## Examples

### A. Add an external library to a database  
The following example adds an external library called customPackage to a database.   
```sql
CREATE EXTERNAL LIBRARY customPackage 
FROM 
  (CONTENT = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.MSSQLSERVER\customPackage.zip')
WITH (LANGUAGE = 'R');
```  
Then execute the `sp_execute_external_script` procedure, to install the library.  
```sql
EXEC sp_execute_external_script 
@language =N'R', 
@script=N'
# load customPackage
library(customPackage)

# call customPackageFunc
OutputDataSet <- customPackageFunc()
'
with result sets (([result] int));    
```

### B. Installing packages with dependencies

If `packageB` has a dependency on `packageA`, then the code for example follows these general principals:   
```
CREATE EXTERNAL LIBRARY packageA 
FROM 
  (CONTENT = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.MSSQLSERVER\ggplot2.zip') 
WITH (LANGUAGE = 'R'); 

CREATE EXTERNAL LIBRARY packageB FROM 
  (CONTENT = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.MSSQLSERVER\ggplot2.zip') 
WITH (LANGUAGE = 'R');
```

`packageA` and `packageB` are both installed when `sp_execute_external_script` is first run.   
```sql
EXEC sp_execute_external_script 
@language =N'R', 
@script=N'
# load packageB
library(packageB)

# call customPackageBFunc
OutputDataSet <- customPackageBFunc()
'
with result sets (([result] int));    
```

For this to work, the folder where the packages are saved must be accessible to the server. 

### Change an existing package library

The `ALTER EXTERNAL LIBRARY` DDL statement can be used to add new library content or modify existing library content.   

### Delete a package library

To delete a package library from the database, run the statement:

```sql
DROP EXTERNAL LIBRARY ggplot2 <user_name>;
```

> [!NOTE]
> Unlike other `DROP` statements in [!INCLUDE[ssnoversion](../../includes/ssnoversion.md)], this statement supports an optional parameter that specifies the user authority. This option allows users with ownership roles to delete libraries uploaded by regular users. 

## See also  
[ALTER EXTERNAL LIBRARY (Transact-SQL)](alter-external-library-transact-sql.md)  
[DROP EXTERNAL LIBRARY (Transact-SQL)](drop-external-library-transact-sql.md)  
[sys.external_library_files](../../relational-databases/system-catalog-views/sys-external-library-files-transact-sql.md)  
[sys.external_libraries](../../relational-databases/system-catalog-views/sys-external-libraries-transact-sql.md)