command-prompt-utility-reference-database-engine.md

title	SQL Command-Line Utilities (Database Engine)
description	Command prompt utilities enable you to script SQL Server operations. This article lists many command-line utilities that ship with SQL Server.
author	rwestMSFT
ms.author	randolphwest
ms.reviewer	maghan
ms.date	12/16/2025
ms.service	sql
ms.subservice	tools-other
ms.topic	concept-article
ms.collection	data-tools
helpviewer_keywords	command prompt utilities [SQL Server] command prompt utilities [SQL Server], about command prompt utilities command prompt [SQL Server] utilities [SQL Server], command prompt command prompt [SQL Server], utilities command-line utilities [SQL Server] command-line utilities [SQL Server], about command-line utilities command-line [SQL Server] utilities [SQL Server], command-line command-line [SQL Server], utilities
monikerRange	>=aps-pdw-2016 || =azuresqldb-current || =azure-sqldw-latest || >=sql-server-2016 || >=sql-server-linux-2017

SQL command-line utilities (Database Engine)

[!INCLUDE SQL Server Azure SQL Database Synapse Analytics PDW]

Command-line utilities enable you to script [!INCLUDE ssdenoversion-md] operations. The following table contains a list of several command-line utilities that ship with [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion].

For information on the main SQL graphical and command-line tools, see SQL tools overview.

Utility	Description	Installed in
bcp	Used to copy data between an instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] and a data file in a user-specified format.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Client SDK\ODBC\110\Tools\Binn
dta	Used to analyze a workload and recommend physical design structures to optimize server performance for that workload.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Tools\Binn
dtexec	Used to configure and execute an [!INCLUDE ssISnoversion] package. A user interface version of this command-line utility is called DTExecUI, which brings up the Execute Package Utility.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\DTS\Binn
dtutil	Used to manage SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) packages.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\DTS\Binn
Deploy Model Solutions with the Deployment	Used to deploy [!INCLUDE ssASnoversion] projects to instances of [!INCLUDE ssASnoversion].	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Tools\Binn\VShell\Common7\IDE
osql	Allows you to enter [!INCLUDE tsql] statements, system procedures, and script files at the command prompt.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Tools\Binn
Profiler	Used to start [!INCLUDE ssSqlProfiler] from a command prompt.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Tools\Binn
RS.exe (SSRS)	Used to run scripts designed for managing [!INCLUDE ssRSnoversion] report servers.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Tools\Binn
rsconfig (SSRS)	Used to configure a report server connection.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Tools\Binn
rskeymgmt (SSRS)	Used to manage encryption keys on a report server.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Tools\Binn
sqlagent application	Used to start [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Agent from a command prompt.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<instance_name>\MSSQL\Binn
sqlcmd	Allows you to enter [!INCLUDE tsql] statements, system procedures, and script files at the command prompt.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Client SDK\ODBC\110\Tools\Binn
SQLdiag	Used to collect diagnostic information for Customer Service and Support.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Tools\Binn
sqllogship	Used by applications to perform backup, copy, and restore operations and associated clean-up tasks for a log shipping configuration, without running the backup, copy, and restore jobs.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Tools\Binn
SqlLocalDB	An execution mode of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] targeted to program developers.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Tools\Binn
sqlmaint	Used to execute database maintenance plans created in previous versions of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion].	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\MSSQL\Binn
sqlps	Used to run PowerShell commands and scripts. Loads and registers the [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] PowerShell provider and cmdlets.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Tools\Binn
sqlservr	Used to start and stop an instance of [!INCLUDE ssDE] from the command prompt for troubleshooting.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL16.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Binn
ssms	Used to start [!INCLUDE ssManStudioFull] from a command prompt.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Tools\Binn\VSShell\Common7\IDE
tablediff	Used to compare the data in two tables for nonconvergence, which is useful when troubleshooting a replication topology.	<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\COM

Command-line utilities syntax conventions

Convention	Used for
UPPERCASE	Statements and terms used at the operating system level.
monospace	Sample commands and program code.
italic	User-supplied parameters.
bold	Commands, parameters, and other syntax that must be typed exactly as shown.

Related content

• Replication Distribution Agent
• Replication Log Reader Agent
• Replication Merge Agent
• Replication Queue Reader Agent
• Replication Snapshot Agent