| Feature | SSMS 20 | Azure Data Studio | |--------|---------|-------------------| | | Full database administration | Query development & visualization | | Query execution | ✔️ | ✔️ | | Server management (jobs, security) | ✔️ | ❌ | | Built-in charting | Basic | Advanced | | Cross-platform | ❌ (Windows only) | ✔️ (Win, Mac, Linux) | | Lightweight | ❌ (~1GB) | ✔️ (~200MB) |
Click “More info” and then “Run anyway” (the installer is digitally signed by Microsoft).
: Right-click the downloaded executable and select Run as Administrator to prevent permission issues during the installation of shared components. ssms 20 download
Use SSMS 20 for traditional DBA tasks. Use Azure Data Studio alongside it for data exploration.
Save it to an easily accessible location (e.g., your Downloads folder or a dedicated Tools directory). | Feature | SSMS 20 | Azure Data
The brings the tool into the modern era of security-first development. Just remember the golden rule for this release: Encryption is now mandatory by default. Check your certificates, or check that "Trust Server Certificate" box, and you’ll be up and running in no time.
A: Usually, newer SSMS versions remain backward compatible with SQL Server 2012 and later. Check the official docs for confirmation. Use Azure Data Studio alongside it for data exploration
If you are managing production environments or moving to Azure SQL, SSMS 20 is the best version yet for security and performance. The move to the VS2022 shell makes it snappier and more future-proof.
Installing SSMS 20 or previous installations. Version 20.x works independently on your desktop. This allows developers to handle modern TLS 1.3 databases alongside legacy setups. Official Release Timeline & Build Numbers