There's a new version of the Microsoft MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code that aims to make it easier to write VSCode apps for database use, specifically for Azure SQL, SQL Database in Fabric, and SQL Server. The update includes a connection dialog, table designer, new query results pane, query plan viewing, and object explorer filtering.

Visual Studio Code is Microsoft's open source code editor that shares part of a name, but not much else, with full Visual Studio. It is open source under a MIT license and development has been conducted on GitHub.

The MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code can be used by developers building applications in VSCode that use Azure SQL (including Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server on Azure VMs), SQL Database in Fabric (Preview) or SQL Server as backend databases. It comes with features for connecting to databases, designing and managing database schemas, exploring database objects, executing queries, and visualizing query plans.

This release has a new connection dialog that offers an easier way to connect to databases hosted in Azure SQL (including Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server on Azure VMs), SQL Database in Fabric (Preview) or SQL Server, with multiple input options. In addition to creating new connections, the dialog now includes a Saved Connections and Recent Connections panel, making it easier to reconnect to previously used servers. There's also an improved layout and an enhanced UI to make it easier to modify connection details or switch databases.

The Object Explorer, which can be used to navigate through database objects, such as databases, tables, views, and programmability items, has better filtering making it easier to locate specific objects within large and complex database hierarchies. There are new filtering options that can be applied at multiple levels, and you can now edit or update existing filters to further narrow down the object list.

The Table Designer has a new UI for creating and managing tables for your databases, with the ability to add and change columns, primary and foreign keys, and check constraints to enforce specific conditions on the data being entered.

The MSSQL extension provides an enhanced query results experience, designed to help developers visualize and understand data output efficiently. The query results are displayed within the same panel that also hosts the integrated terminal, output, debug console, and other tools, providing a unified interface for easy access.

The new query results pane shows results in a grid with options to work with the results including inline sorting. There's also an estimated plan option that lets you to generate an estimated execution plan without executing the query itself to gain an insight into query performance, helping identify potential bottlenecks and inefficiencies before running the actual query.

The updated extension is available on the Visual Studio marketplace and GitHub now.
 

More Information

MSSQL Extension On GitHub

MSSQL Extension on Visual Studio Marketplace

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