Azure Data Studio Installation and Setup Guide

Azure Data Studio is a free, open-source, and cross-platform database tool that allows you to connect to various data sources, including Azure SQL Database, SQL Server, and PostgreSQL.

To get started with Azure Data Studio, you'll need to download and install it from the official Microsoft website.

The installation process is straightforward and can be completed in a few minutes.

To install Azure Data Studio, you'll need to choose the right installation method for your operating system. You can install it on Windows, Linux, or even use the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

For Windows, you can install Azure Data Studio from the Microsoft Store or by downloading the installer from the Azure website. To start Azure Data Studio from a WSL terminal, use the azuredatastudio command.

Azure Data Studio is available for several Linux distributions, including Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES), Ubuntu, Debian, and Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). However, be aware that Azure Data Studio installation failure is a known issue on RHEL 8.

To resolve this issue, you'll need to manually install glibc-2.29 and add it to the Library Path. Once you've done this, you can re-install Azure Data Studio.

You can also install Azure Data Studio using a .tar.gz file, which is available for RHEL, SLES, Ubuntu, and Debian. To do this, download the file and extract it to a directory on your system. Then, add the directory to your PATH environment variable and restart your terminal.

Here are the installation steps for each Linux distribution:

Once you've installed Azure Data Studio, you can start it by running the azuredatastudio command in your terminal.

Azure Data Studio has received some exciting updates. Attach and detach databases are now supported, allowing you to easily manage your database connections.

The latest release also introduces support for custom cloud providers, making it easier to connect to your preferred cloud services. You can find configuration information in the Azure Data Studio - Azure Connectivity documentation.

Connection pooling is now enabled as the default behavior, which can improve performance and reduce resource usage. To clear inactive pooled connections, you can use the SQL Server: Clear Pooled Connections command.

Database properties can now be viewed, and server properties are also supported. These features are still in preview, but they'll help you better understand your database and server configurations.

A new progress dialog has been added when opening XEL files, making it easier to work with profiler extensions. You can also save result sets to Excel and be prompted to open the file location.

Here's a summary of the new features:

Azure Data Studio is a versatile tool that can run on multiple operating systems. It's supported on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Windows users can run Azure Data Studio on Windows 10 and later versions, as well as Windows Server 2016, 2019, and 2022. This means you can use it on your home computer or on a server.

macOS users can run Azure Data Studio on the latest release and the two previous versions, as long as they have Apple security update support. This ensures you have the latest security patches and features.

Linux users can run Azure Data Studio on Debian 9+, RHEL 7+, SLES 15, and Ubuntu 18.04+. However, be aware that incremental versions within a major operating system release may no longer be supported by the operating system.

Here are the supported operating systems:

If you're planning to install Azure Data Studio on Linux, you can do so on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES), Ubuntu, Debian, and Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

Azure Data Studio's Security and Fixes are a top priority, and the latest hotfix release is no exception. A Security Hotfix for ADS with BDC Support was released on January 10, 2024, and is now available in General Availability.

The hotfix addresses several security concerns, including improved screen reader prompts for various extensions and addressed issues with install button tooltips. This ensures a more accessible and secure experience for users.

Some notable fixes include improved query execution performance and improved read performance for large data sets. Additionally, the hotfix resolves problems with queries hanging when executing against Synapse Dedicated Pool.

Bug Fixes in 1.46.0 were a game-changer for many users, addressing a wide range of issues that had been plaguing the system. Improved screen reader prompts for SQL Database Projects extension, Database Migration Assessment for Oracle extension, SQL Agent extension, and when installing a new extension were a welcome addition.

Accessibility issues with the install button tool tip, new connection button, and new server group buttons were also fixed. This should make the system more user-friendly for everyone.

The color contrast for creating connections and notebooks, running queries, and deploying a server was also fixed to improve visibility. This is a small but important change that can make a big difference for users.

The system now refreshes prompt for Azure accounts when error AADSTS700082 occurs, which should prevent some frustrating errors. A notification is also displayed when a duplicate connection exists upon dragging a connection to a different group.

Other notable fixes include preventing the Dashboard server name from being replaced with profile name, adding retry logic to wait for resume when establishing connection to a serverless Azure database, and updating Cluster Server connection property to have the correct Boolean value for Cosmos DB.

The following table summarizes some of the key bug fixes in 1.46.0:

These bug fixes should make the system more stable and user-friendly, and we're excited to see the impact they'll have on our users.

A security hotfix was released on January 10, 2024, to address a specific issue related to ADS with BDC support.

This hotfix is now available for general use, making it a reliable solution for those affected.

The release date for this hotfix was January 10, 2024, marking the start of its availability.

Here are the key details about this security hotfix:

Azure Data Studio's Transact-SQL editor is a game-changer for developers who write code primarily. It offers a range of options that make writing T-SQL scripts a breeze.

Some of the key features of the Transact-SQL editor include searching for database objects, performing common tasks on database objects, editing table data, and more. Here are some of the specific features you can expect:

The editor's IntelliSense feature is particularly useful, as it simplifies code entry tasks with auto-completion and automated operations for checking and formatting code.

The Transact-SQL editor is a powerful feature in Azure Data Studio that simplifies writing and editing Transact-SQL scripts.

This editor offers a range of options, including searching for database objects, performing common tasks on database objects, and editing table data.

Some of the key features of the Transact-SQL editor include:

The editor opens when you open one of the connected databases, and you can also open it directly in the project by selecting the View Code option in the context menu.

Azure Data Studio comes with a list of default extensions that are installed by default. These extensions can be accessed by navigating to the Command Palette or the More Actions menu.

To view the installed extensions, apply the @installed filter by entering it into the search box at the top. This will help you manage extensions in your Azure Data Studio copy.

The system of filters makes it easy to manage extensions. You can check the list of available filters and commands by entering @ into the search field of the Extensions section.

To see the list of default extensions, navigate to the Extensions section in the View menu, or click the Extensions icon. This will give you a list of available extensions.

You can also use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows/Linux) or Command+Shift+X (Mac) to launch the extensions manager.