---
title: "Support for LocalDB"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "03/03/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: native-client
ms.topic: "reference"
ms.assetid: 127569d1-a9f7-49bf-a561-c084986a8871
author: markingmyname
ms.author: maghan
monikerRange: ">=aps-pdw-2016||=azuresqldb-current||=azure-sqldw-latest||>=sql-server-2016||=sqlallproducts-allversions||>=sql-server-linux-2017||=azuresqldb-mi-current"
---
# SQL Server Native Client Support for LocalDB
[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-asdb-asdw-pdw-md](../../../includes/appliesto-ss-asdb-asdw-pdw-md.md)]

  Beginning in [!INCLUDE[ssSQL11](../../../includes/sssql11-md.md)], a lightweight version of SQL Server, called LocalDB, will be available. This topic discusses how to connect to a database in a LocalDB instance.  
  
## Remarks  
 For more information about LocalDB, including how to install LocalDB and configure your LocalDB instance, see:  
  
-   [SQL Server Express LocalDB Reference](../../../relational-databases/sql-server-express-localdb-reference.md)  
  
-   [SQL Server 2016 Express LocalDB](../../../database-engine/configure-windows/sql-server-2016-express-localdb.md)  
  
 To summarize, LocalDB allows you to:  
  
-   Use **sqllocaldb.exe i** to discover the name of the default instance.  
  
-   Use the **AttachDBFilename** connection string keyword to specify which database file the server should attach. When using **AttachDBFilename**, if you do not specify the name of the database with the **Database** connection string keyword, the database will be removed from the LocalDB instance when the application closes.  
  
-   Specify a LocalDB instance in your connection string:  
  
```  
SERVER=(localdb)\v11.0  
```  
  
 If necessary, you can create a LocalDB instance with sqllocaldb.exe. You can also use sqlcmd.exe to add and modify databases in a LocalDB instance. For example, **sqlcmd -S (localdb)\v11.0**.  
  
## See Also  
 [SQL Server Native Client Features](../../../relational-databases/native-client/features/sql-server-native-client-features.md)