---
title: SqlPackage.exe
description: Learn how to automate database development tasks with SqlPackage.exe. View examples and available parameters, properties, and SQLCMD variables.
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: sql-tools
ms.technology: tools-other
ms.topic: conceptual
ms.assetid: 198198e2-7cf4-4a21-bda4-51b36cb4284b
author: "dzsquared"
ms.author: "drskwier"
ms.reviewer: "maghan"
ms.date: 1/25/2022
---

# SqlPackage.exe

**SqlPackage.exe** is a command-line utility that automates the following database development tasks:  
  
- [Version](#version): Returns the build number of the SqlPackage application.  Added in version 18.6.

- [Extract](sqlpackage-extract.md): Creates a data-tier application (.dacpac) file containing the schema or schema and user data from a connected SQL database.  
  
- [Publish](sqlpackage-publish.md): Incrementally updates a database schema to match the schema of a source .dacpac file. If the database does not exist on the server, the publish operation creates it. Otherwise, an existing database is updated.  
  
- [Export](sqlpackage-export.md): Exports a connected SQL database - including database schema and user data - to a BACPAC file (.bacpac).  
  
- [Import](sqlpackage-import.md): Imports the schema and table data from a BACPAC file into a new user database.  
  
- [DeployReport](sqlpackage-deploy-drift-report.md): Creates an XML report of the changes that would be made by a publish action.  
  
- [DriftReport](sqlpackage-deploy-drift-report.md): Creates an XML report of the changes that have been made to a registered database since it was last registered.  
  
- [Script](sqlpackage-script.md): Creates a Transact-SQL incremental update script that updates the schema of a target to match the schema of a source.  
  
The **SqlPackage.exe** command line tool allows you to specify these actions along with action-specific parameters and properties.  

**[Download the latest version](sqlpackage-download.md)**. For details about the latest release, see the [release notes](release-notes-sqlpackage.md).
  
## Command-Line Syntax

**SqlPackage.exe** initiates the actions specified using the parameters, properties, and SQLCMD variables specified on the command line.  
  
```
SqlPackage {parameters}{properties}{SQLCMD Variables}  
```

### Usage examples

**Generate a comparison between databases by using .dacpac files with a SQL script output**

Start by creating a .dacpac file of your latest database changes:

```
sqlpackage.exe /TargetFile:"C:\sqlpackageoutput\output_current_version.dacpac" /Action:Extract /SourceServerName:"." /SourceDatabaseName:"Contoso.Database"
 ```
 
Create a .dacpac file of your database target (that has no changes):

 ```
 sqlpackage.exe /TargetFile:"C:\sqlpackageoutput\output_target.dacpac" /Action:Extract /SourceServerName:"." /SourceDatabaseName:"Contoso.Database"
 ```

Create a SQL script that generates the differences of two .dacpac files:

```
sqlpackage.exe /Action:Script /SourceFile:"C:\sqlpackageoutput\output_current_version.dacpac" /TargetFile:"C:\sqlpackageoutput\output_target.dacpac" /TargetDatabaseName:"Contoso.Database" /OutputPath:"C:\sqlpackageoutput\output.sql"
```

## Version

Displays the sqlpackage version as a build number.  Can be used in interactive prompts as well as in [automated pipelines](sqlpackage-pipelines.md).

```
sqlpackage.exe /Version
 ```

## Help

You can display sqlpackage usage information by using `/?` or `/help:True`.

```
sqlpackage.exe /?
```

For parameter and property information specific to a particular action, use the help parameter in addition to that action's parameter.

```
sqlpackage.exe /Action:Publish /?
```

## Exit codes

Commands that return the following exit codes:

- 0 = success
- non-zero = failure


## Parameters
Some parameters are shared between the SqlPackage actions. Below is a table summarizing the parameters, for more information click into the specific action pages.

| Parameter | Short Form | [Extract](sqlpackage-extract.md#parameters-for-the-extract-action) | [Publish](sqlpackage-publish.md#parameters-for-the-publish-action) | [Export](sqlpackage-export.md#parameters-for-the-export-action) | [Import](sqlpackage-import.md#parameters-for-the-import-action) | [DeployReport](sqlpackage-deploy-drift-report.md#deployreport-action-parameters) | [DriftReport](sqlpackage-deploy-drift-report.md#driftreport-action-parameters) | [Script](sqlpackage-script.md#parameters-for-the-script-action) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**/AccessToken:**|**/at**| x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
|**/ClientId:**|**/cid**| | x | | | | | |
|**/DeployScriptPath:**|**/dsp**| | x | | | | | x |
|**/DeployReportPath:**|**/drp**| | x | | | | | x |
|**/Diagnostics:**|**/d**| x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
|**/DiagnosticsFile:**|**/df**| x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
|**/MaxParallelism:**|**/mp**| x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
|**/OutputPath:**|**/op**|  |  |  | | x | x | x |
|**/OverwriteFiles:**|**/of**| x | x | x | | x | x | x |
|**/Profile:**|**/pr**| | x | | | x | | x |
|**/Properties:**|**/p**| x | x | x | x | x | | x |
|**/Quiet:**|**/q**| x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
|**/Secret:**|**/secr**| | x | | | | | |
|**/SourceConnectionString:**|**/scs**| x | x | x | | x | | x |
|**/SourceDatabaseName:**|**/sdn**| x | x | x | | x | | x |
|**/SourceEncryptConnection:**|**/sec**| x | x | x | | x | | x |
|**/SourceFile:**|**/sf**| | x | | x | x | | x |
|**/SourcePassword:**|**/sp**| x | x | x | | x | | x |
|**/SourceServerName:**|**/ssn**| x | x | x | | x | | x |
|**/SourceTimeout:**|**/st**| x | x | x | | x | | x |
|**/SourceTrustServerCertificate:**|**/stsc**| x | x | x | | x | | x |
|**/SourceUser:**|**/su**| x | x | x | | x | | x |
|**/TargetConnectionString:**|**/tcs**| | | | x | x | x | x |
|**/TargetDatabaseName:**|**/tdn**| | x | | x | x | x | x |
|**/TargetEncryptConnection:**|**/tec**| | x | | x | x | x | x |
|**/TargetFile:**|**/tf**| x | | x | | x | | x |
|**/TargetPassword:**|**/tp**| | x | | x | x | x | x |
|**/TargetServerName:**|**/tsn**| | x | | x | x | x | x |
|**/TargetTimeout:**|**/tt**| | x | | x | x | x | x |
|**/TargetTrustServerCertificate:**|**/ttsc**| | x | | x | x | x | x |
|**/TargetUser:**|**/tu**| | x | | x | x | x | x |
|**/TenantId:**|**/tid**| x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
|**/UniversalAuthentication:**|**/ua**| x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
|**/Variables:**|**/v**| | | | | x | | x |

## Properties
Some properties are shared between the SqlPackage actions.  Below is a table summarizing the properties, for more information click into the specific action pages.

| Property | [Extract](sqlpackage-extract.md#properties-specific-to-the-extract-action) | [Publish](sqlpackage-publish.md#properties-specific-to-the-publish-action) | [Export](sqlpackage-export.md#properties-specific-to-the-export-action) | [Import](sqlpackage-import.md#properties-specific-to-the-import-action) | [DeployReport](sqlpackage-deploy-drift-report.md#deployreport-action-properties) | [Script](sqlpackage-script.md#properties-specific-to-the-script-action) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|AdditionalDeploymentContributorArguments=(STRING)| | x | | | x | x |
|AdditionalDeploymentContributors=(STRING)| | x | | | x | x |
|AdditionalDeploymentContributorPaths=(STRING)| | x | | | x | x |
|AllowDropBlockingAssemblies=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|AllowIncompatiblePlatform=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|AllowUnsafeRowLevelSecurityDataMovement=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|AzureSharedAccessSignatureToken=(STRING)| | x | | | | |
|AzureStorageBlobEndpoint=(STRING)| x | x | | | | |
|AzureStorageContainer=(STRING)| x | x | | | | |
|AzureStorageKey=(STRING)| x | x | | | | |
|AzureStorageRootPath=(STRING)| x | x | | | | |
|BackupDatabaseBeforeChanges=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|BlockOnPossibleDataLoss=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|BlockWhenDriftDetected=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|CommandTimeout=(INT32 '60')| x | x | x | x | x | x |
|CommentOutSetVarDeclarations=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|CompareUsingTargetCollation=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|CompressionOption=(ENUM 'Normal')| x | | x | | | |
|CreateNewDatabase=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|DacApplicationDescription=(STRING)| x | | | | | |
|DacApplicationName=(STRING)| x | | | | | |
|DacMajorVersion=(INT32 '1')| x | | | | | |
|DacMinorVersion=(INT32 '0')| x | | | | | |
|DatabaseEdition=(ENUM 'Default')| | x | | x | x | x |
|DatabaseLockTimeout=(INT32 '60')| x | x | x | | x | x |
|DatabaseMaximumSize=(INT32)| | x | | x | x | x |
|DatabaseServiceObjective=(STRING)| | x | | x | x | x |
|DeployDatabaseInSingleUserMode=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|DisableAndReenableDdlTriggers=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|DisableIndexesForDataPhase=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | | | x | | |
|DoNotAlterChangeDataCaptureObjects=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|DoNotAlterReplicatedObjects=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|DoNotDropObjectType=(STRING)| | x | | | x | x |
|DoNotDropObjectTypes=(STRING)| | x | | | x | x |
|DropConstraintsNotInSource=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|DropDmlTriggersNotInSource=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|DropExtendedPropertiesNotInSource=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|DropIndexesNotInSource=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|DropObjectsNotInSource=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|DropPermissionsNotInSource=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|DropRoleMembersNotInSource=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|DropStatisticsNotInSource=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|EnclaveAttestationProtocol=(STRING)| | x | | | | |
|EnclaveAttestationUrl=(STRING)| | x | | | | |
|ExcludeObjectType=(STRING)| | x | | | x | x |
|ExcludeObjectTypes=(STRING)| | x | | | x | x |
|ExtractAllTableData=(BOOLEAN)| x | | | | | |
|ExtractApplicationScopedObjectsOnly=(BOOLEAN 'True')| x | | | | | |
|ExtractReferencedServerScopedElements=(BOOLEAN 'True')| x | | | | | |
|ExtractUsageProperties=(BOOLEAN)| x | | | | | |
|GenerateSmartDefaults=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreAnsiNulls=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreAuthorizer=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreColumnCollation=(BOOLEAN)| | | | | x | x |
|IgnoreColumnOrder=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreComments=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreCryptographicProviderFilePath=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreDdlTriggerOrder=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreDdlTriggerState=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreDefaultSchema=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreDmlTriggerOrder=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreDmlTriggerState=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreExtendedProperties=(BOOLEAN)| x | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreFileAndLogFilePath=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreFilegroupPlacement=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreFileSize=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreFillFactor=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreFullTextCatalogFilePath=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreIdentitySeed=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreIncrement=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreIndexOptions=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreIndexPadding=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreKeywordCasing=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreLockHintsOnIndexes=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreLoginSids=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreNotForReplication=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreObjectPlacementOnPartitionScheme=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnorePartitionSchemes=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnorePermissions=(BOOLEAN 'True')| x | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreQuotedIdentifiers=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreRoleMembership=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreRouteLifetime=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreSemicolonBetweenStatements=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreTableOptions=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreTablePartitionOptions=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreUserLoginMappings=(BOOLEAN)| x | | | | | |
|IgnoreUserSettingsObjects=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreWhitespace=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|IgnoreWithNocheckOnCheckConstraints=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | |
|IgnoreWithNocheckOnForeignKeys=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | |
|ImportContributorArguments=(STRING)| | | | x | | |
|ImportContributors=(STRING)| | | | x | | |
|ImportContributorPaths=(STRING)| | | | x | | |
|IncludeCompositeObjects=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|IncludeTransactionalScripts=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|LongRunningCommandTimeout=(INT32)| x | x | x | x | x | x |
|NoAlterStatementsToChangeClrTypes=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|PopulateFilesOnFileGroups=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|RebuildIndexesOfflineForDataPhase=(BOOLEAN 'False')| | | | x | | |
|RegisterDataTierApplication=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|RunDeploymentPlanExecutors=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|ScriptDatabaseCollation=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|ScriptDatabaseCompatibility=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|ScriptDatabaseOptions=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|ScriptDeployStateChecks=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|ScriptFileSize=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|ScriptNewConstraintValidation=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|ScriptRefreshModule=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|Storage=({File|Memory})| x | x | x | x | x | x |
|TableData=(STRING)| x | | x | | | |
|TargetEngineVersion=(ENUM 'Latest')| | | x | | | |
|TempDirectoryForTableData=(STRING)| x | | x | | | |
|TreatVerificationErrorsAsWarnings=(BOOLEAN)| | x | | | x | x |
|UnmodifiableObjectWarnings=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|VerifyCollationCompatibility=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|VerifyDeployment=(BOOLEAN 'True')| | x | | | x | x |
|VerifyExtraction=(BOOLEAN)| x | | | | | |
|VerifyFullTextDocumentTypesSupported=(BOOLEAN)| | | x | | | |


## Next steps

- Learn more about [SqlPackage Extract](sqlpackage-extract.md)
- Learn more about [SqlPackage Publish](sqlpackage-publish.md)
- Learn more about [SqlPackage Export](sqlpackage-export.md)
- Learn more about [SqlPackage Import](sqlpackage-import.md)