Dataset production using SQL Server Management Studio, Visual Studio Code, Azure Data Studio, Visual Studio

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I regularly use SSMS to query data and build datasets, my IT department handle the database administration.

Recently I found out about Azure Data Studio and I liked:

  • intellisense
  • source code control (e.g. with Git)
  • extensions from the community
  • SQL snippets, automating code writing and are even customisable
  • Notebooks - the ability to run code alongside comments in markdown. Amazing for live documentation. It enables you execute code in different languages on the same page!

In addition to this I see Visual Studio Code (and Visual Studio). VS Code and ADS seem so similar especially once you add in extensions. The overlap between the products is confusing.

I don't have SQL Server 2019 and Big Data Clusters. I am looking for a program that has notebook functionality in SQL, R and Python. Although it seems like there are better products for developing R code e.g. R studio.

I'd like to be trying alternatives to SSMS to establish different future work flows. At the moment it feels hard to wholeheartedly recommend any options.

Does anyone have a good any idea about how this all fits together?

EDIT: If you've tried to find out Microsoft's strategy but are pretty bemused, responses are also welcome!

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1 Answers

Azure Data Studio is derived from Visual Studio Code or I prefer to say it is a clone of VS Code. It comes with the same aspects that VS Code has comparing to the IDE Visual Studio. It is free, open source, and cross-platform tool.

ADS is seeing some success thanks to the support of Git, work-spaces, notebooks, and extensions. The product seems to have a promising future like Visual Studio Code.

"In addition to this I see Visual Studio Code (and Visual Studio). VS Code and ADS seem so similar especially once you add in extensions. The overlap between the products is confusing." There is no overlap. ADS is dedicated for Data/AI mainly and not for coding. They share a lot of features because ADS is a clone of VS Code. For example, Visual Studio also has SQL Server Explorer, but is not overlapping with SSMS.

" Although it seems like there are better products for developing R code e.g. R studio." Each product has pros and cons, it is hard for me to compare R studio with ADS. One is dedicated for one prog.language mainly and the other one works with t-sql, PostgreSQL, PowerShell and Jupyter notebooks .

Personally, as software/data engineer, I have been using ADS for more than 1 year alongside SSMS, VS code and Visual Studio. They are all complementary to each other.

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