SQL Server 2017 Express Download: A Guide for Beginners
If you are looking for a free, reliable, and powerful data management system for your desktop, web, or small server applications, you might want to consider SQL Server 2017 Express. In this article, we will explain what SQL Server 2017 Express is, what are its features and limitations, how to download and install it, and how to use it for your data needs.
What is SQL Server 2017 Express?
SQL Server 2017 Express is a free edition of SQL Server, a popular relational database management system (RDBMS) developed by Microsoft. SQL Server is used by millions of businesses and organizations around the world to store, process, and analyze data. SQL Server 2017 Express is designed for lightweight web sites and desktop applications that require a rich and reliable data store.
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Features and benefits of SQL Server 2017 Express
Some of the features and benefits of SQL Server 2017 Express are:
It supports up to 10 GB of database size per instance, which is enough for most small to medium-sized applications.
It supports up to 4 cores of CPU and 1 GB of memory per instance, which ensures good performance and scalability.
It supports the same core database engine as the other editions of SQL Server, which means it has the same security, reliability, availability, and compatibility features.
It supports advanced features such as encryption, compression, backup and restore, auditing, spatial data types, JSON support, graph data processing, temporal tables, and more.
It supports cross-platform development and deployment on Windows, Linux, and Docker containers.
It integrates with other Microsoft tools and services such as Visual Studio, Azure Data Studio, Power BI, Azure Data Services, and more.
Limitations and requirements of SQL Server 2017 Express
Some of the limitations and requirements of SQL Server 2017 Express are:
It does not support some of the advanced features that are available in the other editions of SQL Server, such as high availability, disaster recovery, business intelligence, data warehousing, machine learning, in-memory OLTP, columnstore indexes, distributed query processing, and more.
It does not support more than one instance per server or computer.
It requires at least Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012 (or higher) for Windows installation, or Ubuntu 16.04 or Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 7.3 (or higher) for Linux installation.
It requires at least .NET Framework 4.6.1 or .NET Core Runtime 2.0 (or higher) for Windows installation, or .NET Core Runtime 2.0 (or higher) for Linux installation.
It requires at least 6 GB of disk space for Windows installation, or 3.5 GB of disk space for Linux installation.
How to download and install SQL Server 2017 Express?
To download and install SQL Server 2017 Express on your computer or server, you need to follow these steps:
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Step 1: Choose the right edition and language for your needs
SQL Server 2017 Express comes in four editions: Express, Express with Tools, Express with Advanced Services, and LocalDB. Each edition has different features and capabilities, so you need to choose the one that suits your needs best. Here is a brief comparison of the four editions:
Edition
Description
Features
Express
The basic and lightweight edition of SQL Server 2017 Express. It only includes the core database engine.
Supports up to 10 GB of database size, 4 cores of CPU, and 1 GB of memory per instance. Supports cross-platform development and deployment. Supports encryption, compression, backup and restore, auditing, spatial data types, JSON support, graph data processing, temporal tables, and more.
Express with Tools
The same as Express, but also includes SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), a graphical tool for managing and querying databases.
Supports all the features of Express, plus SSMS.
Express with Advanced Services
The most complete edition of SQL Server 2017 Express. It includes the core database engine, SSMS, and additional features such as full-text search, reporting services, and basic data integration.
Supports all the features of Express with Tools, plus full-text search, reporting services, and basic data integration.
LocalDB
A special edition of SQL Server 2017 Express that runs in user mode and does not require installation or configuration. It is ideal for developers who need a local database for testing and prototyping purposes.
Supports up to 10 GB of database size, 4 cores of CPU, and 1 GB of memory per instance. Supports cross-platform development and deployment. Supports encryption, compression, backup and restore, auditing, spatial data types, JSON support, graph data processing, temporal tables, and more.
You also need to choose the language for your SQL Server 2017 Express installation. The default language is English (United States), but you can also select from other languages such as Chinese (Simplified), French, German, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish, and more.
Step 2: Download the SQL Server 2017 Express installer from Microsoft website
To download the SQL Server 2017 Express installer from Microsoft website, you need to visit this link: . You will see a page like this:
Scroll down to the section that says "Express edition" and click on the "Download now" button. You will be redirected to another page where you can choose the edition and language for your download. For example, if you want to download the Express with Tools edition in English (United States), you will see a page like this:
Select the checkbox next to the option that says "SQLServer2017-SSEI-Expr.exe" and click on the "Next" button. You will be prompted to save the file to your computer. The file size is about 1.5 GB.
Step 3: Run the installer and follow the instructions
To run the installer and follow the instructions, you need to locate the file that you downloaded in the previous step and double-click on it. You will see a window like this:
Select the option that says "Basic" and click on the "Accept" button to agree to the license terms. The installer will then check for updates and prerequisites for your installation. This may take a few minutes.
Next, you will see a window like this:
Select the folder where you want to install SQL Server 2017 Express or use the default location. Click on the "Install" button to start the installation process. This may take several minutes depending on your system configuration.
When the installation is complete, you will see a window like this:
Congratulations! You have successfully installed SQL Server 2017 Express on your computer or server. Click on the "Close" button to exit the installer. You can now proceed to the next step.
Step 4: Verify the installation and connect to the database
To verify the installation and connect to the database, you need to open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), a graphical tool that comes with SQL Server 2017 Express. You can find it in the Start menu or search for it on your computer. You will see a window like this:
Enter the name of your server or computer in the "Server name" field. The default name is "(local)\SQLEXPRESS". You can also use "." or "localhost" as shortcuts. Leave the "Authentication" field as "Windows Authentication" and click on the "Connect" button. You will be connected to your SQL Server 2017 Express instance.
You will see a window like this:
On the left side, you will see the Object Explorer, where you can browse and manage your databases and other objects. On the right side, you will see the Query Editor, where you can write and execute SQL queries and scripts. You can also use other tools and options from the menu bar and toolbar.
You have successfully verified the installation and connected to the database. You can now start using SQL Server 2017 Express for your data needs.
How to use SQL Server 2017 Express?
SQL Server 2017 Express is a versatile and powerful data management system that you can use for various purposes. Here are some of the common ways to use SQL Server 2017 Express:
Create and manage databases with SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
One of the main tasks that you will perform with SQL Server 2017 Express is creating and managing databases. A database is a collection of tables, views, indexes, stored procedures, functions, triggers, and other objects that store and organize your data. You can create and manage databases with SSMS by following these steps:
In the Object Explorer, right-click on the "Databases" node and select "New Database..." from the context menu. You will see a window like this:
Enter a name for your database in the "Database name" field. You can also change other settings such as the owner, collation, recovery model, file locations, file sizes, file growth, etc. Click on the "OK" button to create your database.
Your database will appear under the "Databases" node in the Object Explorer. You can right-click on it and select various options to manage it, such as properties, backup, restore, shrink, delete, etc.
To create tables and other objects in your database, you can right-click on the corresponding nodes under your database and select "New" from the context menu. For example, to create a new table, you can right-click on the "Tables" node and select "New Table..." from the context menu. You will see a window like this:
You can use the graphical designer or the script editor to define your table structure, such as columns, data types, constraints, indexes, etc. Click on the "Save" button to save your table.
Your table will appear under the "Tables" node in the Object Explorer. You can right-click on it and select various options to manage it, such as properties, design, rename, delete, etc.
Develop and deploy applications with Visual Studio and SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT)
Another common way to use SQL Server 2017 Express is to develop and deploy applications that use it as a data source. An application is a software program that performs specific tasks for users or clients. You can develop and deploy applications with Visual Studio and SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT), which are integrated development environments (IDEs) that provide various tools and features for creating web, desktop, mobile, cloud, or other types of applications.
To develop and deploy applications with Visual Studio and SSDT, you need to follow these steps:
Download and install Visual Studio from . You can choose from different editions and workloads depending on your needs.
Download and install SSDT from . SSDT is an extension for Visual Studio that adds support for SQL Server projects.
Open Visual Studio and create a new project or open an existing one that uses SQL Server 2017 Express as a data source. You can choose from different templates and languages depending on your needs.
Add a SQL Server project to your solution by right-clicking on the solution node in the Solution Explorer and selecting "Add" > "New Project..." from the context menu. You will see a window like this:
Enter a name for your SQL Server project and click on the "OK" button. Your SQL Server project will appear under your solution node in the Solution Explorer. You can use it to create and manage database objects such as tables, views, stored procedures, functions, triggers, etc.
Add a reference to your SQL Server project from your application project by right-clicking on the application project node in the Solution Explorer and selecting "Add" > "Reference..." from the context menu. You will see a window like this:
Select the checkbox next to your SQL Server project and click on the "OK" button. This will allow your application to access the database objects defined in your SQL Server project.
Write the code for your application using Visual Studio's code editor, debugger, testing tools, and other features. You can use various libraries and frameworks to simplify your development process.
Deploy your application and database to your target environment using Visual Studio's publishing tools, such as Web Deploy, ClickOnce, or Azure DevOps. You can also use other tools and methods to deploy your application and database.
Connect and query data with Transact-SQL (T-SQL) and other tools
The third common way to use SQL Server 2017 Express is to connect and query data with Transact-SQL (T-SQL) and other tools. T-SQL is a dialect of SQL, a standard language for interacting with relational databases. T-SQL allows you to perform various operations on your data, such as selecting, inserting, updating, deleting, joining, aggregating, filtering, sorting, grouping, etc. You can also use T-SQL to create and execute stored procedures, functions, triggers, and other programmable objects.
To connect and query data with T-SQL and other tools, you need to follow these steps:
Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and connect to your SQL Server 2017 Express instance as described in step 4 of the previous section.
In the Object Explorer, expand the node of your database and select the object that you want to query, such as a table or a view. Right-click on it and select "Select Top 1000 Rows" from the context menu. You will see a window like this:
You will see a T-SQL query that selects the top 1000 rows from your object. You can modify this query or write your own query in the Query Editor. You can also use other options from the menu bar and toolbar to format, execute, save, or export your query.
To run your query, click on the "Execute" button or press F5 on your keyboard. You will see the results of your query in the Results pane below the Query Editor. You can also see other information such as messages, execution plan, statistics, etc.
You can also use other tools to connect and query data with T-SQL or other languages, such as Azure Data Studio, PowerShell, Python, R, Excel, Power BI, etc.
Conclusion
In this article, we have learned what SQL Server 2017 Express is, what are its features and limitations, how to download and install it, and how to use it for various purposes. We have also seen some examples of how to create and manage databases with SSMS, develop and deploy applications with Visual Studio and SSDT, and connect and query data with T-SQL and other tools.
SQL Server 2017 Express is a free edition of SQL Server that offers a rich and reliable data store for lightweight web sites and desktop applications. It supports cross-platform development and deployment on Windows , Linux, and Docker containers. It supports advanced features such as encryption, compression, backup and restore, auditing, spatial data types, JSON support, graph data processing, temporal tables, and more. It integrates with other Microsoft tools and services such as Visual Studio, Azure Data Studio, Power BI, Azure Data Services, and more.
If you are interested in learning more about SQL Server 2017 Express or other editions of SQL Server, you can visit the official website at .
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about SQL Server 2017 Express:
What is the difference between SQL Server 2017 Express and SQL Server 2017 Developer?
SQL Server 2017 Developer is another free edition of SQL Server that offers the same features and capabilities as SQL Server 2017 Enterprise, the most advanced and comprehensive edition of SQL Server. However, SQL Server 2017 Developer is only intended for development and testing purposes, not for production use. SQL Server 2017 Express is intended for production use for lightweight web sites and desktop applications.
How can I upgrade from SQL Server 2017 Express to another edition of SQL Server?
You can upgrade from SQL Server 2017 Express to another edition of SQL Server by using the SQL Server Installation Center or the command-line setup tool. You can find more information and instructions at .
How can I migrate from another database system to SQL Server 2017 Express?
You can migrate from another database system to SQL Server 2017 Express by using various tools and methods, such as the SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA), the Import and Export Wizard, the Bulk Copy Program (BCP), or the Integration Services (SSIS). You can find more information and guidance at .
How can I get help or support for SQL Server 2017 Express?
You can get help or support for SQL Server 2017 Express by using various resources and channels, such as the official documentation, the online forums, the blogs, the videos, the webinars, the events, or the feedback portal. You can find more information and links at .
How can I learn more about SQL Server 2017 Express or other editions of SQL Server?
You can learn more about SQL Server 2017 Express or other editions of SQL Server by taking various courses and certifications, such as the Microsoft Learn modules, the Microsoft Virtual Academy courses, the edX courses, or the Microsoft Certified Professional exams. You can find more information and options at .
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