ADS: SQL Tools

Author: rwestMSFT

docs/tools/sql-database-projects/concepts/data-tier-applications/unpack-dacpac-file.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: "Unpack a DACPAC file to review or examine the contents."
 author: dzsquared
 ms.author: drskwier
 ms.reviewer: randolphwest, maghan
-ms.date: 12/16/2025
+ms.date: 02/06/2026
 ms.service: sql
 ms.subservice: sql-database-projects
 ms.topic: how-to
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@ Deploying the `.dacpac` to a test instance results in the contents of the `.dacp
 > [!NOTE]  
 > One option for creating a test instance locally is with [SQL Server in Docker](../../../../linux/quickstart-install-connect-docker.md#pullandrun2022).
 
-### Deploy the DACPAC using Azure Data Studio
+### Deploy the DACPAC using Visual Studio Code
 
-1. Install the **SQL Server dacpac extension** in [Azure Data Studio](/azure-data-studio/extensions/sql-server-dacpac-extension).
+1. Install the [MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code](../../../visual-studio-code-extensions/mssql/mssql-extension-visual-studio-code.md), and follow the instructions to enable the [Data-tier Application (Preview)](../../../visual-studio-code-extensions/mssql/mssql-data-tier-application.md) experience.
 
 1. Connect to the desired instance. Right-click on the server node and select **Data-tier application wizard** from the menu.
 
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ Deploying the `.dacpac` to a test instance results in the contents of the `.dacp
 
 ### Other tools with DACPAC deployment capabilities
 
-Beyond Azure Data Studio and SqlPackage, many other tools can be used to deploy a `.dacpac` to a database. Some examples include:
+Beyond Visual Studio Code and SqlPackage, many other tools can be used to deploy a `.dacpac` to a database. Some examples include:
 
 - SQL Server Management Studio
 - Visual Studio: SQL Server Data Tools
@@ -119,5 +119,5 @@ namespace DacUnpack
 
 - [Data-tier applications (DAC) overview](overview.md)
 - [SqlPackage Publish parameters, properties, and SQLCMD variables](../../../sqlpackage/sqlpackage-publish.md)
-- [SQL Server dacpac extension in Azure Data Studio](/azure-data-studio/extensions/sql-server-dacpac-extension)
+- [Data-tier Application (Preview)](../../../visual-studio-code-extensions/mssql/mssql-data-tier-application.md)
 - [Install SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) for Visual Studio](../../../../ssdt/download-sql-server-data-tools-ssdt.md)

docs/tools/sql-database-projects/concepts/database-references.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: Extend a SQL project with references to additional database compone
 author: dzsquared
 ms.author: drskwier
 ms.reviewer: maghan, randolphwest
-ms.date: 10/10/2025
+ms.date: 02/06/2026
 ms.service: sql
 ms.subservice: sql-database-projects
 ms.topic: concept-article
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ FROM [$(WWIServer)].[$(WorldWideImporters)].[Purchasing].[Suppliers]
 
 To add a database reference to a SQL project in the SQL Database Projects extension, right-click the **Database References** node under the project in the **Database Projects** view and select **Add Database Reference**.
 
-:::image type="content" source="media/database-references/ads-add-reference.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Azure Data Studio add reference dialog.":::
+:::image type="content" source="media/database-references/ads-add-reference.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Visual Studio Code add reference dialog.":::
 
 The available reference types are:
 

docs/tools/sql-database-projects/concepts/schema-comparison.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: Visualize the difference in database models with schema compare.
 author: dzsquared
 ms.author: drskwier
 ms.reviewer: maghan, randolphwest, tsiddique
-ms.date: 10/10/2025
+ms.date: 02/06/2026
 ms.service: sql
 ms.subservice: sql-database-projects
 ms.topic: overview
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ The differences between source and target appear in a grid for easy review. Comp
 - SQL database project
 - `.dacpac` file
 
-In schema compare, you can drill into and review each difference in the results grid or in script form where details of the changes are available at a per-line level. You can also selectively exclude specific differences before updating the target. The schema compare tooling is available in Visual Studio, Azure Data Studio, and the command line.
+In schema compare, you can drill into and review each difference in the results grid or in script form where details of the changes are available at a per-line level. You can also selectively exclude specific differences before updating the target. The schema compare tooling is available in Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, and the command line.
 
 ### Schema comparison options
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ The comparison definition for schema compare can be saved as an `.scmp` file, kn
 - comparison options
 - excluded object types
 
-An `.scmp` file can be opened in Visual Studio or Azure Data Studio to easily run the same comparison again later or to share the comparison with others.
+An `.scmp` file can be opened in Visual Studio to easily run the same comparison again later or to share the comparison with others.
 
 ## Launch and use schema compare
 
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ More in-depth information about schema comparison in Visual Studio Code is avail
 
    When the comparison is complete, the structural differences between the project and the database appear in the **Results** pane in the upper part of the window. By default, the comparison results group all the differences are grouped by action (such as Delete, Change, or Add). The **Results** pane displays a row for each database object that differs between the database definitions. Each row identifies the object in the source or target schema (or both) and the action that would be taken on the target schema to make the target object the same as the source object. If an object has been refactored and either renamed or moved to a new schema, the source and target names are different, and the source name appears in bold font to highlight the difference.
 
-   :::image type="content" source="media/schema-comparison/vs-code-schema-compare.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Schema comparison interface in Azure Data Studio comparing a database against a project." lightbox="media/schema-comparison/vs-code-schema-compare.png":::
+   :::image type="content" source="media/schema-comparison/vs-code-schema-compare.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Schema comparison interface in Visual Studio Code comparing a database against a project." lightbox="media/schema-comparison/vs-code-schema-compare.png":::
 
 5. By default all differences are included in the scope of the Update Target action. You can exclude differences that you don't want to synchronize. To do so, uncheck the **Action** column in the center of each row. When schema compare is used to update the target database, this row isn't considered for any pending changes.
 

docs/tools/sql-database-projects/howto/compare-database-project.md

@@ -4,16 +4,16 @@ description: "Compare a project and a database and with different approaches."
 author: dzsquared
 ms.author: drskwier
 ms.reviewer: maghan, randolphwest
-ms.date: 08/30/2024
+ms.date: 02/06/2026
 ms.service: sql
 ms.subservice: sql-database-projects
 ms.topic: how-to
 ms.collection:
   - data-tools
-zone_pivot_groups: sq1-sql-projects-tools
 ms.custom:
   - ignite-2024
   - sfi-ropc-nochange
+zone_pivot_groups: sq1-sql-projects-tools
 ---
 
 # Compare a database and a project
@@ -42,14 +42,14 @@ This article reviews methods for comparing a database and a SQL project using di
 
 ::: zone pivot="sq1-visual-studio-sdk"
 
-Graphical schema comparison isn't yet available in the SDK-style SQL projects preview in Visual Studio.  Use Azure Data Studio or Visual Studio to compare schemas.
+Graphical schema comparison isn't yet available in the SDK-style SQL projects preview in Visual Studio.  Use Visual Studio Code or Visual Studio to compare schemas.
 
 ::: zone-end
 
 ::: zone pivot="sq1-visual-studio-code"
 
 - [.NET 8 SDK](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/8.0)
-- [SQL Database Projects extension for Azure Data Studio](/azure-data-studio/extensions/sql-database-project-extension)
+- [SQL Database Projects extension](../../visual-studio-code-extensions/sql-database-projects/sql-database-projects-extension.md)
 
 ::: zone-end
 
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ An advantage of the deploy report XML operation is that it can be used to automa
 
 ## Import changes from a database
 
-As mentioned in the [schema compare section](#schema-compare-visualize-differences), schema compare can be used to apply changes from a database into a SQL project file set. Applying changes to a SQL project is a common scenario when you have a database that is actively developed in directly and a SQL project is used to manage the database objects in source control. Manually completing this operation through Visual Studio or Azure Data Studio can be time-consuming, especially when the database has many objects or sporadic changes. In this section, we review how to automate the extract of object definitions from a database into a SQL project file set.
+As mentioned in the [schema compare section](#schema-compare-visualize-differences), schema compare can be used to apply changes from a database into a SQL project file set. Applying changes to a SQL project is a common scenario when you have a database that is actively developed in directly and a SQL project is used to manage the database objects in source control. Manually completing this operation through Visual Studio or Visual Studio Code can be time-consuming, especially when the database has many objects or sporadic changes. In this section, we review how to automate the extract of object definitions from a database into a SQL project file set.
 
 ### Prerequisites
 

docs/tools/sql-database-projects/howto/convert-original-sql-project.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: "Create an SDK-style SQL project from an existing project."
 author: dzsquared
 ms.author: drskwier
 ms.reviewer: maghan, randolphwest
-ms.date: 09/25/2025
+ms.date: 02/06/2026
 ms.service: sql
 ms.subservice: sql-database-projects
 ms.topic: how-to
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ SDK-style projects aren't supported in SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) in Visual St
 
 - the command line
 - the SQL Database Projects extension in Visual Studio Code
-- the SQL Database Projects extension in Azure Data Studio
 - the SQL Server Data Tools, SDK-style (preview) in Visual Studio 2022
 
 > [!NOTE]  
@@ -66,8 +65,8 @@ SDK-style projects aren't supported in SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) in Visual St
 ::: zone pivot="sq1-visual-studio-code"
 
 - [.NET 8 SDK](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/8.0)
-- [VS Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/Download)
-- [SQL Database Projects extension](/azure-data-studio/extensions/sql-database-project-extension) or [SQL Database Projects extension for VS Code](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-mssql.sql-database-projects-vscode)
+- [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/Download)
+- [SQL Database Projects extension](../../visual-studio-code-extensions/sql-database-projects/sql-database-projects-extension.md)
 
 ::: zone-end
 
@@ -103,7 +102,7 @@ Build the project in Visual Studio by right-clicking on the database node in **S
 
 ::: zone pivot="sq1-visual-studio-code"
 
-Open the project folder in VS Code or Azure Data Studio. In the **Database Projects** view of VS Code or Azure Data Studio, right-click the project node and select **Build**.
+Open the project folder in Visual Studio Code. In the **Database Projects** view of Visual Studio Code, right-click the project node and select **Build**.
 
 ::: zone-end
 
@@ -255,7 +254,6 @@ The SQL project is no longer compatible with Visual Studio 2022. To build or edi
 
 - the command line
 - the SQL Database Projects extension in Visual Studio Code
-- the SQL Database Projects extension in Azure Data Studio
 - the SQL Server Data Tools, SDK-style (preview) in Visual Studio 2022
 
 ::: zone-end
@@ -268,7 +266,7 @@ The project file is now in the SDK-style format, but to open it in Visual Studio
 
 ::: zone pivot="sq1-visual-studio-code"
 
-Open the project folder in VS Code or Azure Data Studio. In the **Database Projects** view of VS Code or Azure Data Studio, right-click the project node and select **Build**.
+Open the project folder in Visual Studio Code. In the **Database Projects** view of Visual Studio Code, right-click the project node and select **Build**.
 
 ::: zone-end
 
@@ -303,7 +301,7 @@ The syntax for DacpacVerify is to specify the filepath to two `.dacpac` files as
 DacpacVerify original_project.dacpac modified_project.dacpac
 ```
 
-You can use the schema compare tool in Visual Studio or Azure Data Studio to compare objects in the `.dacpac` files.
+You can use the schema compare tool in Visual Studio to compare objects in the `.dacpac` files.
 
 ::: zone pivot="sq1-visual-studio"
 
@@ -313,23 +311,23 @@ Launch Visual Studio without a project loaded. Go to **Tools** > **SQL Server**
 
 ::: zone pivot="sq1-visual-studio-sdk"
 
-Graphical schema comparison isn't yet available in the SDK-style SQL projects preview in Visual Studio. Use Azure Data Studio to compare schemas.
+Graphical schema comparison isn't yet available in the SDK-style SQL projects preview in Visual Studio. Use Visual Studio Code to compare schemas.
 
 ::: zone-end
 
 ::: zone pivot="sq1-visual-studio-code"
 
-Schema comparison isn't available in Visual Studio Code. Use Azure Data Studio or Visual Studio to compare schemas.
+Use Visual Studio or Visual Studio Code to compare schemas.
 
-In Azure Data Studio, install the **SQL Server Schema Compare** extension if it isn't already installed. Launch a new schema comparison from the command palette by opening the command palette with `Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+P` and typing `Schema Compare`.
+In Visual Studio Code, install the **SQL Server Schema Compare** extension if it isn't already installed. Launch a new schema comparison from the command palette by opening the command palette with `Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+P` and typing `Schema Compare`.
 
 Select the original `.dacpac` file as the source and the modified `.dacpac` file as the target.
 
 ::: zone-end
 
 ::: zone pivot="sq1-command-line"
 
-Graphical schema comparison is available in Visual Studio and Azure Data Studio.
+Graphical schema comparison is available in Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code.
 
 ::: zone-end
 

docs/tools/sql-database-projects/sql-database-projects.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: "This overview introduces SQL database projects, which enable datab
 author: dzsquared
 ms.author: drskwier
 ms.reviewer: maghan, randolphwest
-ms.date: 12/03/2025
+ms.date: 02/06/2026
 ms.service: sql
 ms.subservice: sql-database-projects
 ms.topic: overview
@@ -34,15 +34,15 @@ The SQL database projects framework around your database code that adds two foun
 
 :::image type="content" source="media/sql-database-projects/sqlproj-summary.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Summary of SQL Database Projects containing pre-deployment and post-deployment scripts as well as database objects." lightbox="media/sql-database-projects/sqlproj-summary.png":::
 
-The functionality for SQL database projects is provided by the [Microsoft.SqlServer.DacFx](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.SqlServer.DacFx/) .NET library and is surfaced in several [tools for SQL development](sql-projects-tools.md). DacFx has multiple extensibility points, such as modification of deployment steps and the ability to create custom rules for code analysis. The project SDK for SQL projects is [Microsoft.Build.Sql](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.Build.Sql/), is [advised for new development](#original-projects-vs-sdk-style-projects) and is the format used by the SQL Database Projects extension for Azure Data Studio and VS Code. Support for SDK-style SQL projects in Visual Studio is in preview.
+The functionality for SQL database projects is provided by the [Microsoft.SqlServer.DacFx](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.SqlServer.DacFx/) .NET library and is surfaced in several [tools for SQL development](sql-projects-tools.md). DacFx has multiple extensibility points, such as modification of deployment steps and the ability to create custom rules for code analysis. The project SDK for SQL projects is [Microsoft.Build.Sql](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.Build.Sql/), is [advised for new development](#original-projects-vs-sdk-style-projects) and is the format used by the SQL Database Projects extension for Visual Studio Code. Support for SDK-style SQL projects in Visual Studio is in preview.
 
 ### Validation
 
 When a SQL project is built, the relationships between objects are validated. For example, a view definition can't contain a table or columns that don't exist in the SQL project.
 
 Additionally, a SQL project contains a property in its `.sqlproj` file called the "[target platform](concepts/target-platform.md)". This information is used during the build process to validate that the functions and T-SQL syntax exists in that version of SQL. For example, the JSON functions added in SQL Server 2022 can't be used in a SQL project set to the Sql140 (SQL Server 2017) target platform.
 
-To build a SQL project, we run dotnet build from the command line. In graphical tools that support SQL projects (Azure Data Studio, VS Code, and Visual Studio), there's a menu item to build the SQL project.
+To build a SQL project, we run dotnet build from the command line. In graphical tools that support SQL projects (Visual Studio Code and Visual Studio), there's a menu item to build the SQL project.
 
 The console output of the build process might contain errors (build failure) or warnings. Build warnings can include inconsistent casing in object names and other [customizable best practices](concepts/sql-code-analysis/sql-code-analysis.md), but don't fail the build.
 
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ SQL database projects are used to track the source of truth for database state,
 
 :::image type="content" source="media/sql-database-projects/project-files.png" alt-text="Screenshot of VS Code with AdventureWorks SQL project open, displaying a table in the editor." lightbox="media/sql-database-projects/project-files.png":::
 
-SQL database projects support the SQL Server and Azure SQL family of databases, including Azure SQL Database and Azure Synapse Analytics. Whether you're developing an application or a data warehouse, SQL database projects can be used to manage the schema of your database. SQL projects can be developed from [tools](sql-projects-tools.md) in Visual Studio, VS Code, and Azure Data Studio.
+SQL database projects support the SQL Server and Azure SQL family of databases, including Azure SQL Database and Azure Synapse Analytics. Whether you're developing an application or a data warehouse, SQL database projects can be used to manage the schema of your database. SQL projects can be developed from [tools](sql-projects-tools.md) in Visual Studio, and Visual Studio Code.
 
 ## Original projects vs SDK-style projects
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ The exception to the functionality coverage is support for SQLCLR objects, which
 ## Related content
 
 - [Project-Oriented Offline Database Development](../../ssdt/project-oriented-offline-database-development.md)
-- [SQL Database Projects extension](/azure-data-studio/extensions/sql-database-project-extension)
+- [SQL Database Projects extension](../visual-studio-code-extensions/sql-database-projects/sql-database-projects-extension.md)
 - [SqlPackage](../sqlpackage/sqlpackage.md)
 - [Sample CI/CD pipelines for SQL projects](https://github.com/Azure-Samples/sql-projects-devops-samples)
 - [GitHub sql-action](https://github.com/azure/sql-action)