Connecting to SQL Server using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

 What is SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)?

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is an integrated environment for managing any SQL infrastructure. Use SSMS to access, configure, administer, and develop all components of SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, SQL Server on Azure VM, and Azure Synapse Analytics . SQL Server Management Studio provides one comprehensive utility that combines an extensive group of graphical tools with many rich script editors to provide access to SQL Server for developers and database administrators of all skill levels.

SSMS is a must have tool if you want to easily manage your SQL Server. You need a windows computer to use the tool, but it can connect to any SQL Server supported by Microsoft including SQL Server hosted in Linux OS. Almost all activities in SQL Server can be managed by using SSMS, and it provides GUI interface so it’s easier to get a good look on SQL Server.

Download SQL Server Management Studio: Download SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) (from Microsoft Website)

You can download and install SSMS from the link above, after you install it just open the application

When you open SSMS an option to connect to SQL Server will pop up. You can connect to the server by input the server name and the authentication method used when you install SQL Server (guide to install SQL Server can be seen in here). If the SQL Server is hosted on default port which is 1433 you can just type the server name, but if it's hosted in another port, then type the server name and comma then port number: "<server_name>,<port>"

Successful connection will make SSMS show the Server Instance in the Object Explorer, after this, you can use SSMS to do all things inside SQL Server, like creating database, table, views, or stored procedure, and etc. SSMS can be used to almost do all the things related to SQL Server managements and configurations. There are so many things that can be done with SSMS, but for all these features will be covered on each different part later, as for now it's to know that SSMS is the tool that is used to connect to SQL Server and manage SQL Server.