--- title: SQL tools overview description: SQL query and management tools for SQL Server, Azure SQL (Azure SQL database, Azure SQL managed instance, SQL virtual machines), and Azure SQL data warehouse. ms.prod: sql ms.prod_service: sql-tools ms.technology: tools-other ms.topic: conceptual ms.assetid: author: markingmyname ms.author: maghan ms.reviewer: "" ms.custom: seo-lt-2019 ms.date: 02/04/2020 monikerRange: ">=aps-pdw-2016||=azuresqldb-current||=azure-sqldw-latest||>=sql-server-2016||=sqlallproducts-allversions||>=sql-server-linux-2017" --- # SQL tools overview [!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-asdb-asdw-pdw-md](../includes/appliesto-ss-asdb-asdw-pdw-md.md)] To manage your database, you need a tool. Whether your databases run in the cloud, on Windows, on macOS, or on [Linux](../linux/sql-server-linux-overview.md), your tool doesn't need to run on the same platform as the database. You can view the links to the different SQL tools in the following tables. > [!Note] > To download SQL Server, see [Install SQL Server](../database-engine/install-windows/install-sql-server.md). ## Recommended tools The following tools provide a graphical user interface (GUI). | Tool | Description | Operating system | |:--|:--|:--| | [**![ADS image](../tools/media/overview-sql-tools/azure-data-studio.svg)

Azure Data Studio**](../azure-data-studio/download.md) | A light-weight editor that can run on-demand SQL queries, view and save results as text, JSON, or Excel. Edit data, organize your favorite database connections, and browse database objects in a familiar object browsing experience. | **Windows
macOS
Linux** | | [**![SSMS image](../tools/media/overview-sql-tools/ssms.svg)

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)**](../ssms/download-sql-server-management-studio-ssms.md) | Manage a SQL Server instance or database with full GUI support. Access, configure, manage, administer, and develop all components of SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, and SQL Data Warehouse. Provides a single comprehensive utility that combines a broad group of graphical tools with a number of rich script editors to provide access to SQl for developers and database administrators of all skill levels. | **Windows** | | [**![SSDT image](../tools/media/overview-sql-tools/ssdt.svg)
SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT)**](../ssdt/download-sql-server-data-tools-ssdt.md) | A modern development tool for building SQL Server relational databases, Azure SQL databases, Analysis Services (AS) data models, Integration Services (IS) packages, and Reporting Services (RS) reports. With SSDT, you can design and deploy any SQL Server content type with the same ease as you would develop an application in **[Visual Studio](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/)**. | **Windows** | | [**![VS Code image](../tools/media/overview-sql-tools/visual-studio-code.svg)

Visual Studio Code**](https://code.visualstudio.com/) | The **[mssql extension](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-mssql.mssql)** for Visual Studio Code is the official SQL Server extension that supports connections to SQL Server and rich editing experience for T-SQL in Visual Studio Code. Write T-SQL scripts in a light-weight editor. | **Windows
macOS
Linux** | ## Command-line tools The tools below are the main command-line tools. | Tool | Description | Operating system | |:--|:--|:--| |[**bcp**](bcp-utility.md)|The **b**ulk **c**opy **p**rogram utility (**bcp**) bulk copies data between an instance of [!INCLUDE[msCoName](../includes/msconame-md.md)] [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] and a data file in a user-specified format.| **Windows
macOS
Linux** | |[**mssql-cli (preview)**](mssql-cli.md)|**mssql-cli** is an interactive command-line tool for querying SQL Server. Also, query SQL Server with a command-line tool that features IntelliSense, syntax high-lighting, and more. | **Windows
macOS
Linux** | |[**mssql-conf**](../linux/sql-server-linux-configure-mssql-conf.md) | **mssql-conf** configures SQL Server running on Linux. | **Linux** | |[**mssql-scripter (preview)**](https://github.com/Microsoft/mssql-scripter) | **mssql-scripter** is a multi-platform command-line experience for scripting SQL Server databases. | **Windows
macOS
Linux** | | [**sqlcmd**](sqlcmd-utility.md) |**sqlcmd** utility lets you enter Transact-SQL statements, system procedures, and script files at the command prompt. | **Windows
macOS
Linux** | | [**sqlpackage**](sqlpackage.md) |**sqlpackage** is a command-line utility that automates several database development tasks. |**Windows
macOS
Linux** | |[**SQL Server PowerShell**](../powershell/sql-server-powershell.md)| **SQL Server PowerShell** provides cmdlets for working with SQL. | **Windows
macOS
Linux** | ## Migration and other tools These tools are used to migrate, configure, and provide other features for SQL databases. | Tool | Description | |:--|:--| | **[Configuration Manager](../tools/configuration-manager/sql-server-configuration-manager-help.md)** | Use SQL Server Configuration Manager to configure SQL Server services and configure network connectivity. Configuration Manager runs on Windows| | **[Database Experimentation Assistant](../dea/database-experimentation-assistant-overview.md)** | Use Database Experimentation Assistant to evaluate a targeted version of SQL for a given workload. | | **[Data Migration Assistant](../dma/dma-overview.md)** | The Data Migration Assistant tool helps you upgrade to a modern data platform by detecting compatibility issues that can impact database functionality in your new version of SQL Server or Azure SQL Database. | | **[Distributed Replay](../tools/distributed-replay/install-distributed-replay-overview.md)** | Use the Distributed Replay feature to help you assess the impact of future SQL Server upgrades. Also use Distributed Replay to help assess the impact of hardware and operating system upgrades, and SQL Server tuning. | | **[ssbdiagnose](../tools/ssbdiagnose/ssbdiagnose-utility-service-broker.md)** | The ssbdiagnose utility reports issues in Service Broker conversations or the configuration of Service Broker services. | | **[SQL Server Migration Assistant](../ssma/sql-server-migration-assistant.md)** | Use SQL Server Migration Assistant to automate database migration to SQL Server from Microsoft Access, DB2, MySQL, Oracle, and Sybase.| If you're looking for additional tools that aren't mentioned on this page, see [SQL Command Prompt Utilities](command-prompt-utility-reference-database-engine.md) and [Download SQL Server extended features and tools](download-sql-feature-packs.md)