Find your SQL tools
tip zero
before you start writing database code, find, acquire and install the SQL tools that will make your life easier
because
you may as well admit it (if only to yourself), you could be writing quite a lot of database code
free stuff
if you’re learning this at home, or if your place of work doesn’t already have SQL Server then you can download SQL Server Developer Edition here
the obvious free tool for writing code on SQL Server is SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). Not everybody is aware that you don’t have to match SSMS to the version of SQL Server that you’re using – always install the latest version, whatever that is.
also well worth acquiring is the excellent VS Code IDE. VS Code has an extension, mssql, that enables you to edit and run Transact-SQL code
not-so-free stuff
database code development can be a little clunky if you don’t have the right tools. For a start, reading query plans in SSMS can be no fun at all (unless you really like scrolling). I would say that there are two pieces of paid software that can improve matters immensely. These are good but not cheap, so only really available if they’re paid for by someone who isn’t you.
Redgate’s SQL Data Compare is hugely beneficial for testing and comparing data
SentryOne’s Plan Explorer is a really great tool for traversing and understanding query plans
I should point out that I’m not being paid to recommend these (or any other) products. It’s not a great way to make money, but it does ensure that statements on this blog are more true than they otherwise might be