---
title: "External Scripts Enabled server configuration option"
description: Learn about the external scripts enabled option in SQL Server. After turning it on, you can execute external scripts in supported languages such as R or Python.
ms.date: "06/30/2020"
ms.prod: sql
ms.technology: machine-learning-services
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.topic: language-reference
f1_keywords: 
  - "external scripts enabled"
  - "external_scripts_enabled_TSQL"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "external scripts enabled option"
ms.assetid: 9d0ce165-8719-4007-9ae8-00f85cab3a0d
author: dphansen
ms.author: davidph
monikerRange: ">=sql-server-2016||>=sql-server-linux-ver15"
---
# External Scripts Enabled server configuration option
[!INCLUDE [SQL Server 2016 and later](../../includes/applies-to-version/sqlserver2016.md)]

Use the **external scripts enabled** option to enable the execution of scripts with certain remote language extensions. This property is OFF by default. When **Machine Learning Services** is installed, setup can optionally set this property to true.

## Remarks

You must enable the external script enabled option before you can execute an external script using the [sp_execute_external_script](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-execute-external-script-transact-sql.md) procedure. Use **sp_execute_external_script** to execute scripts written in a supported language such as R or Python. 

+ For [!INCLUDE[ssSQL15](../../includes/sssql15-md.md)]

    [!INCLUDE[rsql_productname](../../includes/rsql-productname-md.md)] includes support for the R language in [!INCLUDE[ssSQL15](../../includes/sssql15-md.md)], and a set of R workstation tools and connectivity libraries.

    Install the **R Services** feature during [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] setup to enable the execution of R scripts.

+ For [!INCLUDE[sssql17-md](../../includes/sssql17-md.md)] and later

    [!INCLUDE[rsql-productnamenew-md](../../includes/rsql-productnamenew-md.md)] has support for both the R and Python languages.

    Install the **Machine Learning Services** feature during [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] setup to enable the execution of external scripts. Be sure to select at least one language during initial setup: either R or Python, or both.
    
+ For [!INCLUDE[ssSQL15](../../includes/sssqlv15-md.md)] and later[!INCLUDE[rsql-productnamenew-md](../../includes/rsql-productnamenew-md.md)] has support for all R, Python, Java and other third party languages.

Install the Machine Learning Services and Language Extensions feature during [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] setup to enable the execution of external scripts for any supported language.

## Additional requirements

After setup, to enable external scripts, execute the following script:

```sql
sp_configure 'external scripts enabled', 1;
RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE;  
```

For more information, see [Install SQL Server Machine Learning Services (Python and R) on Windows](../../machine-learning/install/sql-machine-learning-services-windows-install.md) or [Linux](../../linux/sql-server-linux-setup-machine-learning-docker.md?toc=/sql/machine-learning/toc.json).

## See also

+ [sp_configure (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-configure-transact-sql.md)
+ [RECONFIGURE (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/language-elements/reconfigure-transact-sql.md)
+ [sp_execute_external_script (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-execute-external-script-transact-sql.md)
+ [SQL machine learning documentation](../../machine-learning/index.yml)