SQL Server Developer Edition – Download, Install and Get Started

Problem

I have several questions about Microsoft SQL Server Developer edition. I want to know how I can download this version, use this database engine on the Windows operating system and the overall product functionality?

Solution

Below are several questions and answers related to SQL Server Developer Edition such as:

What is the SQL Server Developer Edition?

It is a free edition of SQL Server for developers and/or testers. This SQL Server edition is used for non-production environments. The edition includes all the features of the Enterprise edition until SQL Server 2025 was released. With SQL Server 2025, there is now an Enterprise Developer Edition and Standard Developer Edition to match the functionality of the production editions.

What is this edition used for?

If you are a developer and you are working in a non-production environment, you can use this edition for free. If you are a QA tester, you can also use it.

The same for teachers or students. This version is the full version, so it has all the features available. This edition has all the features of the Enterprise edition which is the full edition for production.

For example, SQL Server Express edition is free database engine and you can use it in production, but it has limited features. Other editions like Standard Edition and Web Edition have fewer features than the Developer, but they are not free.

How can you use Developer edition legally?

Basically, if you are not using it in a production environment then it is legal to use for free in these use cases:

  • Teach with that version, learn, or use it for development or testing purposes.
  • Use for design, development, to make demos and test software solutions.
  • Build demos for customers of your software with non-production data and also do some acceptance testing of your programs.

What features does Developer edition include?

Prior to SQL Server 2025, all of the Enterprise features are available in the Developer edition. So, you can test for free all the features that SQL Server contains, but you cannot use it in production. If you have a SQL Developer edition and you need to upgrade to production. You will need to upgrade the edition. With SQL Server 2025, there is now an Enterprise Developer Edition and Standard Developer Edition to match the functionality of the production editions.

How do you download SQL Server Developer Edition?

Check out these download URLs:

Be sure to visit the MSSQLTips.com SQL Server Download Quick Links for all SQL Server resources.

For older SQL Server Developer versions, you may need to subscribe in the Visual Studio website: Visual Studio Subscriptions and Benefits.

Below shows the downloads available for SQL Server Developer Edition.

Download SQL Server older developer edtion

You may also need SQL Server Management Studio to administer SQL Server using the UI: Download SSMS.

How to install SQL Server Developer Edition?

The SQL Server installation of Developer edition is not a straightforward process because you need to select several components to install and it is hard for a newbie to know what are all these features for.

These articles will guide you step by step through the SQL Server install:

There are several components for the install. Here are some links to help with the installation and further understanding of these features.

How to get started with it?

Once installed, you will need to connect to your new instance of SQL Server using SSMS. SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) allows administering SQL Server database using the UI and perform development tasks – create database, create tables, write stored procedures and more with T-SQL. It is the best option for newbies and experience SQL Server users.

The following tutorials will help you get started with SSMS.

Configure SQL Developer Edition

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the Developer Edition to teach?

Yes, teaching is not considered a production workload. It is considered as a demonstration purpose, so you can use the free version for it.

How can I upgrade the Developer edition to the Enterprise edition?

The following article (Upgrade to SQL Server 2025 Enterprise Developer Edition) provides the instructions to upgrade your SQL Server to another edition.

How can I downgrade the Developer edition to the Express edition?

There is no wizard or option to downgrade. You can backup your user databases, system databases and save your system information. At that point, uninstall the Developer edition and install the Express edition.

Can I use the Developer edition for free, even if I produce commercial software that uses SQL Server?

Yes, the developer edition is free, and you can use it to develop software. The following guide may be useful to you: Downgrade from SQL Server Enterprise Edition to Standard Edition.

I have a SQL Server in production, and another server as a mirror. Can I use the Developer license there? It is used infrequently in case of emergencies.

You cannot use the Developer edition for disaster recovery in production. You can however use it as a testing environment before implementing in production.

It looks like the SQL Server Agent is disabled by default.

Yes, this is by default for security purposes. The SQL Agent is disabled by default. For more information about the SQL Server Agent, refer to: How to Create a SQL Server Agent Job in SSMS.

Does the SQL Server Enterprise edition perform better than the Developer edition?

No, they are basically the same database engine, but Enterprise edition does have additional capabilities – ability to address more resources, additional high availability options, etc.

Can I have multiple instances of SQL Server Developer edition 2025 for free?

Yes, you can have multiple instances in SQL Server Developer Edition. The limit of instances supported is 50 for a single server. If you use failover clusters 25 instances are supported if you use a shared cluster drive storage.

Is there a Developer edition for Linux?

Yes, you can install SQL Server Developer edition for Linux. Note that not all the Linux distros are supported. For more information about SQL Server on Linux, refer to: SQL Server 2019 Installation on RHEL 8.1.

What tool should I install to manage SQL Server Developer edition?

The most popular tool to administer SQL Server (any edition) is SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). If you do not have it or you do not know how to install it, refer to: SQL Server Management Studio 21 (SSMS) Quick Start Guide.

What is new in SQL Server Developer edition 2025?

All the new features in SQL Server 2025 are available in the Developer edition. For more information about new features, refer to the following links:
SQL Server 2025 New Features and Enhancements
The New JSON Index in SQL Server 2025
SQL Server 2025 Quick Reference Guide

Next Steps

If you want to learn more about Developer Edition, please refer to the following links:

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