Selecting the Right SQL Server IDE: Important Aspects to Consider Every Day

I'm guessing that you did not come here looking at the SQL Server IDE checklist. I assume that you just want to enjoy your work and have a productive day on your database.

Much like you, everything in my life depends on an IDE, and I need fast execution of the code and smooth deployment of changes. I know that tools can make us work faster, because I've worked with all sorts of IDEs from SQL Server 7.

Whereas some of them were merely a step up from the command prompt or Notepad, others offered automated processes, comfortable coding for modern developers, and even cross-platform support.

In this comparison, I'll review dbForge Studio for SQL Server, SSMS, and DataGrip in terms of aspects that I find the most important when working with SQL Server.

Let's get started.

Hands-On Evaluation Criteria

It is not the theoretical concept or a vision that makes one IDE better than another. It is the experience gained from years of working with these applications. I have personally designed schemas, tuned up queries, encountered deployment problems, and debugged issues that arise in those IDEs. The SQL Server development environment is well known to me.

The following reviews cover multiple aspects since sometimes I move away from my position of a developer and become an analyst and do some administration on our development machine. Thus, SQL Server development environments are evaluated from different perspectives – developer, database administrator, and data analyst.

Allow me to tell you upfront what is really important to me about SQL Server development environments.

Criteria for Selecting the Best SQL Server Development Environment

Your everyday tasks in connection with your job duties in SQL Server development may turn into routine activities. This is why it is important to choose the right IDE while creating, developing, optimizing, or administering databases. The following criteria will make you think about certain IDEs.

SQL Query Writing and Debugging

For us to work with SQL Server databases, there is an aspect of querying and executing them. However, how one should go about doing these queries should not be a matter of typing queries from SQLCMD or even using a normal text editor for coding purposes.

It would be best to write efficient queries, where auto-completion features and syntactical checks are available. It is also not advisable to debug our queries through print statements when issues arise.

Moreover, modern SQL IDEs feature Artificial Intelligence (AI) that aids in providing explanations of the queries we perform and possible error explanations.

How It Applies to Your Day-to-Day Life: Most of your day revolves around performing queries; therefore, you need to correct any mistakes promptly.

Database Schema Management

Any software product evolves, including its database. Thus, you might add or delete columns; you will create a whole new table sometimes, and probably you will write new or modify already written stored procedures and functions.

Diagrams are not static. You don’t need to write scripts to compare two schemas in development and live environments (at least I didn’t need to do that). Managing your database from version 1 through version x should not be hard for you; synchronization is a part of those things as well. Those should be included in any decent IDE for SQL Server.

Relevance in your routine work: You always make changes to the schema, and you want to simplify that process.

Query Performance Analysis and Optimization

You will never know what makes a particular query run so slowly. Hence, we will pick a particular SQL Server IDE based on the availability of graphical execution plans that will tell you how the query engine built such a plan and will give you metrics that can be used for the optimization of your queries.

Nowadays, IDEs use artificial intelligence to recommend performance optimizations, such as the addition of indexes.

Why It Is Important for You: Query optimization and tuning are critical activities for developers, database administrators, and data analysts. Therefore, you must use a tool that will provide you with detailed information on the behavior of queries and save you time on tuning.

Automation of Routine Tasks

Automated routine tasks, such as deployment, comparison, and backups of the database, will allow you to save precious time.

Why It Is Important for You: Routine actions that you perform manually are tedious and time-consuming, and they create the danger of errors. Automated actions will relieve you of them.

Supporting Cross-Platform & Remote Work

Cross-platform support lets you work from any platform that suits your preferences: Windows, Mac OS, or Linux.

Does your SQL Server run in the cloud? In that case, you’ll have to look for a cloud-based SQL Server IDE.

Why Is This Important to Your Everyday Life: Today’s modern teams are more often than not dispersed, so IDEs must be flexible enough to accommodate this environment.

SQL Server IDEs List

The best SQL Server IDE in this list is selected from among the three tools I tested personally. They include dbForge Studio for SQL Server, SSMS, and DataGrip. Other tools include DBeaver CE and Beekeeper Studio, but only the first three are the ones I’ve worked with personally.

All IDEs will be evaluated against similar criteria as previously mentioned. Consequently, you can rely on a good comparison from a professional perspective as a developer, DBA, and analyst.

dbForge Studio for SQL Server

The dbForge Studio for SQL Server is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE), and it was designed specifically for developing, managing, and analyzing SQL Server databases. It is a full-fledged Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool that supports both local SQL Server databases and SQL Server databases in cloud computing environments such as AWS RDS and Azure. Furthermore, the dbForge Studio for SQL Server is one of the several tools provided by the more extensive dbForge Edge package.

Below is a sample of its SQL coding assistance suggesting a table join:

Meanwhile, below is the Query Profiler. It comes with the graphical execution plan, I/O statistics, plan tree, and more in one place.

Then, there’s the Schema Compare:

And finally, the dbForge AI Assistant explaining the query in layman’s terms:

Advantages and Disadvantages

• Development and Debugging
• Advantage: Provides up-to-date coding comfort; IDE knows everything about SQL Server.
• Disadvantage: Debugger is specific to SQL Server. If you use another RDBMS - switch to dbForge Edge.
• Database and Schema Management
• Advantage: Database Diagram, Table Designer, Database Explorer; easy-to-use Schema/Data Comparisons.
• Disadvantage: Features such as the database schema and data comparison are offered in the Professional Edition. Meanwhile, version-control support along with command-line options and full automation of comparisons is provided in the Enterprise Edition.
• Performance Tuning
• Advantage: Query Profiler; graphical execution plan. Ability to compare execution plans while changing queries; Server Events Profiler.
• Disadvantage: Not included in Express Edition
• Tasks Automation
• Advantage: Automate deployments, back-ups, import/export operations, schema/data comparisons.
• Disadvantage: Paid license required for complete automation package.
• Cross-platform Support
• Advantage: Native for Windows. Works on macOS and Linux using compatibility technologies (Crossover or Wine).
• Disadvantage: Extra layer needed when working on cross-platforms.

Final Thoughts: I really appreciate the code generation for SQL, Query Profiler, Database Comparisons, and Data Generator. They save me lots of time.

Price

dbForge Studio for SQL Server is available as a free Express Edition with limited features, subscription/perpetual licensing with the Standard, Professional, and Enterprise Editions. There is a 30-day free trial for the paid version.

Features

There are numerous features in dbForge Studio for SQL Server useful for developers, DBAs, and analysts, such as:

• SQL coding features like syntax check, code completion, snippets, formatting, refactoring, etc. (features that I can’t do without)
• Database designing features including database diagrams, designer for tables and views, database documentation, object dependencies, etc.
• Sync options, such as schema/data comparison features.
• Source control compatible with Git, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure DevOps, SVN, and other VCS.
• SQL Profiler, debugger, and unit testing.
• Management options including database monitor, backup, restore, etc. (golden feature when I put on my DBA hat)
• Security Manager that helps in managing users, logins, roles, and permissions.
• DevOps Automation features using PowerShell cmdlets collection and Jenkins, Bamboo, TeamCity, Azure DevOps plugin options.
• Data generation feature (my favorite feature – generates near-realistic data for testing and sample data).
• Data manipulation/reporting with data editor, Visual Query Builder, Master-Detail, Pivot Tables, Report Creation with Automation capabilities. (For creating ad-hoc reports and analyses)
• AI Assistant integration, and more.

Compatibility

• dbForge Studio for SQL Server works with:
• SQL Server, which includes SQL Server 2000 onwards.
• SQL Server installed on Linux.
• On-premises deployment and cloud deployment on Amazon RDS, Azure, Heroku, Microsoft Fabric, and others.

I have used dbForge Studio for SQL Server on my local machines and in Azure.

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

SSMS is Microsoft’s own IDE for SQL Server. It has evolved from the ancient Query Analyzer and Enterprise Manager from SQL Server 7 to the powerful tool that we know now. I have had the longest experience with SSMS in development, testing, and production.

The following displays Object Explorer, a Query window, and the graphical execution plan of the query:

Below is an example of SSMS code suggestion when creating an INNER JOIN. You have to know the column keys to join yourself.

And below is the SSMS Table Designer:

Advantages and Disadvantages

• Query Creation and Debugging
• Advantage: Good editor with good T-SQL support.
• Drawback: Appears old-fashioned due to the lack of coding suggestions through add-ins such as dbForge SQL Complete.
• Schema/database Manipulation
• Advantage: Good for modifying databases and manipulating database objects.
• Drawback: Manually deploying any changes without additional software is necessary.
• Performance Tuning
• Advantage: Graphical plan and I/O statistics with comparison of showplans and extended events.
• Drawback: Lacks automation for performance diagnosis purposes.
• Automation
• Advantage: Well integrated with SQL Server Agent and can be used to run SQL Server Agent Jobs.
• Drawback: Lack of automatic schema/dataset comparisons.
• Cross Platform Compatibility
• Advantage: Runs natively on Windows.
• Drawback: Windows only

Conclusion: I have heavily used its actual execution plan and I/O statistics to discover bottlenecks in my apps; however, it would have been great to have dbForge SQL Complete back then.

Price

SSMS is free.

Features

SSMS has integrated functionality for query editing, administration of databases, and tuning of their performance. This IDE has the following features:

• Object Explorer - for administration of one or multiple instances of SQL Server
• Template Explorer - for generating boilerplate text files for queries and scripts
• Visual Database tools – for building databases, diagrams, tables and queries.
• Query Editor
• Git integration
• GitHub Copilot in SSMS (Preview)
• Migration component of SQL Server (using SSMA)
• Graphical execution plan
• Connection with SQL Server Agent for jobs, SSIS, SSRS and SSAS
• Administrative features such as backup/restoring and Monitoring of activities
• Extension possibility for third-party extension developers.
• Without extensions, it is used mainly for administrative tasks.
• Without extensions, it can be used mostly for administrative purposes.

Compatibility

Works exclusively on Windows. It works seamlessly with SQL Server and Azure SQL Database, although there is no support for macOS or Linux.

SSMS 22 supports SQL Server 2014 and later.

DataGrip

DataGrip is the database IDE by JetBrains that supports multi-engine databases like SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, and so forth. It is an IDE with excellent cross-platform capabilities. I have used this application in some of my cross-platform development projects, and it serves the purpose wonderfully.

Now, let us understand what is DataGrip. It is a universal database IDE. You may get confused with its database explorer. The organization is different from SSMS. It is Database > Schema > Tables, Views, and so forth. If you have worked with PostgreSQL databases, then this structure is very much usual for you.

Check out DataGrip’s smart editor below. It suggests joins in a SELECT statement:

This is my DataGrip with a non-commercial license installed in Ubuntu Linux.

Below is the continuation of the query and its Operations Tree for query optimization:

And below is the corresponding graphical execution plan:

Advantages and Disadvantages

• Query Development & Debugging
• Advantage: Excellent editor with powerful code-completion capabilities and refactoring.
• Disadvantage: Lack of SQL Server SP debugger support. Supports Oracle debugging only up to this moment.
• Schemas & Database Management
• Advantage: Provides unified management experience with many DBMS engines.
• Disadvantage: Less specific to SQL Server capabilities. No built-in functionality for database backups and restoration.
• Performance Monitoring & Tuning
• Advantage: Graphical visual execution plans and operations tree visualization.
• Disadvantage: Lacks execution plans history and comparison feature. No extended events interface.
• Repetitive Actions
• Advantage: Integrated with version control system and the JetBrains ecosystem.
• Disadvantage: Limited deployment automation.
• Operating System Compatibility
• Advantage: Works natively on Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms.
• Disadvantage: Needs to install JDBC drivers which can be troublesome. E.g., version compatibility issues.

Takeaway: DataGrip runs smoothly on my computer with Ubuntu Linux, and I am also using it for my SQLite mobile database projects. The availability of a free non-commercial version with all the functionality is great for students of any database platform.

Cost

There is a free non-commercial version of DataGrip with all functionality. Then there is a commercial product for organizations and individual commercial development purposes.

Features

• Advanced SQL editor with code completion, refactoring, and navigation.
• Schema management for multiple databases.
• Execution plan visualization and operations tree.
• Integrated version control systems such as Git.
• Cross-platform development with native installations on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Integration with the entire JetBrains ecosystem such as Toolbox and artificial intelligence capabilities.

Compatibility

• Natively runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Supports multiple databases like SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, SQLite, and many others.
• Multiple connectivity methods include SQL Server JDBC connector and JetBrains .NET

SQL Server IDE Comparison Table

For simpler comparison, here are the three IDEs again:

How to Select the Best IDE for SQL Server Based on Your Job Responsibilities

The choice of the best IDE for SQL Server depends on the job position you have at work. In case you are a developer, code completion, debugging, etc., will be required features. As for the DBA, the main functions will relate to backups and restores, user management, and monitoring. Reporting, profiling, and visualization will be the core responsibilities of the analyst.

I can share my personal experience since I am an IT specialist who changes jobs from time to time. In most cases, I act as a developer, but sometimes I perform the duties of a database analyst and even database administrator. Thus, I have concluded that each IDE has its pros and cons. The tool with the best support for administrative tasks is SSMS. DbForge Studio for SQL Server combines the functions of development, DBA, and analytics. And DataGrip helps me greatly while developing software applications in different environments.

Select an IDE based on its functionality and do not focus only on its popularity.

Choosing the IDE to Support Your Daily Work with SQL Server

Your choice of the SQL Server IDE should simplify your routine work. An appropriate SQL Server IDE will minimize the occurrence of mistakes, optimize your development process, and even help you address administrative problems faster.

The ideal SQL Server IDE for any specialist is the one that will develop along with you. A good code editor and the ability to build a database schema will be most helpful to developers, but DBAs will surely appreciate support for backups and monitoring.

Make sure that the solution corresponds to your daily routine. It will become your partner rather than a barrier if you choose an appropriate SQL Server IDE that supports your daily work.