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mssql-data-tier-application.md

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title Overview of the Data-Tier Application Experience
titleSuffix MSSQL Extension for Visual Studio Code
description Learn how to use the Data-tier Application experience in the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code to work with DACPAC and BACPAC files.
author rwestMSFT
ms.author randolphwest
ms.reviewer tsiddique, roblescarlos
ms.date 03/13/2026
ms.service sql
ms.subservice vs-code-sql-extensions
ms.topic overview
ms.collection
data-tools
ai-usage ai-assisted

Data-tier Application (DACPAC and BACPAC) import and export

The Data-tier Application experience provides an easy-to-use experience to deploy and extract .dacpac files and import and export .bacpac files.

This experience makes it easier to manage .dacpac and .bacpac files. It simplifies the development and deployment of data-tier elements that support your application. For more information, see Data-tier applications (DAC) overview.

Features

  • Deploy a .dacpac file to a new or existing SQL database (Publish DACPAC)
  • Extract the schema from a SQL database to a .dacpac file (Extract DACPAC)
  • Import a .bacpac file to a new or empty database (Import BACPAC)
  • Export the schema and data from a SQL database to a .bacpac file (Export BACPAC)

Install the MSSQL extension

To use the Data-tier Application features, install the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code.

  1. In Visual Studio Code, select the Extensions icon to view available extensions.

    :::image type="content" source="media/mssql-data-tier-application/data-tier-application-install.png" alt-text="Screenshot of installing the MSSQL extension in Visual Studio Code.":::

  2. Search for the SQL Server (mssql) extension and select it to view its details. Select Install to add the extension.

  3. Once installed, Reload to enable the extension in Visual Studio Code (only required when installing an extension for the first time).

Tip

For a comprehensive overview of the MSSQL extension's features and capabilities, see the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code.

Launch the Data-tier Application experience

To launch the experience in the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code, right-click the Databases node, or right-click a specific database in the Object Explorer. Then, select Data-tier Application.

:::image type="content" source="media/mssql-data-tier-application/launch-data-tier-application.png" alt-text="Screenshot of launching the Data-tier Application experience in the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code.":::

Feedback and support

[!INCLUDE feedback]

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