In this post I want to share my thoughts about the Azure Data Studio retirement announcement.
For those who missed it, this week Microsoft announced that Azure Data Studio will be retired on February 28th 2026. So that Microsoft can focus on consolidating their efforts into Visual Studio Code.
Personal thoughts about the retirement announcement
For me the news is a bit like saying goodbye to an old friend. Because for many years I have shown Azure Data Studio in many sessions and blog posts. In fact, you could say that over the years I have been an advocate for Azure Data Studio.
I made a conscious decision to do this many years ago. Because there were a lot of demos and posts out there showing how to work with database projects in Visual Studio Professional or Enterprise.
So, for me it felt like it had been a bit overdone and I wanted to show a different way to work with database projects. In order to make my material more unique. Plus, it provided me with an alternative way to zoom in and out during sessions.
Do not take me out of context here. Because there is a lot of really good content by others out there who do some outstanding things with database projects in Visual Studio Professional or Enterprise.
Anyway, I have a lot of fond memories with Azure Data Studio. Including the many Duet sessions that Sander Stad and I did during lockdown. Plus, as of late I have been using it for my Microsoft Fabric and Azure DevOps related sessions.
In addition, I have used it in a lot of blog posts over the years. Eighty-three blog posts to be more exact. Including a post where I want into great depth about database projects for Microsoft Fabric Data Warehouses.
The move to Visual Studio Code
With that being said, I do understand why Microsoft made this decision. After all, Azure Data Studio was based on Visual Studio Code and both support the SQL Database Projects extension. Plus, there are way more extensions available in Visual Studio Code.
One thing I do want to stress is that is extremely easy to translate my old material based on Azure Data Studio to Visual Studio Code. In fact, all the material based on database projects is pretty much the same.
To highlight this, below are two screenshots showing a database project based on SQL database in Fabric. One working with the extension in Azure Data Studio and the other one working with the extension in Visual Studio Code.
As you can see, they are exactly the same. With this in mind, I hope you all understand why after next February I will not be updating eighty-three blog posts.
For those wondering, Microsoft provides further recommended alternatives for SQL Server capabilities in Azure Data Studio. Which will help those who worked a lot with Azure Data Studio solutions over the years.
Final words about the Azure Data Studio retirement announcement
So there are my thoughts about the Azure Data Studio retirement announcement.
Like I said it is a bit like saying goodbye to an old friend. However, time moves on and it provides me with a chance to provide some amazing Microsoft Fabric content ongoing. Due to the fact I can show more of the Visual Studio Code capabilities during my sessions.
So you can expect some new demos from me in the future. Of course, if you have any comments or queries about this post feel free to reach out me.
With the retirement of azure data studio, how can ou do schema compare besides using visual studio? Is there an extension in vs code?
Official stance appears to be Visual Studio SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT). In development for MSSQL extension for VS Code.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure-data-studio/whats-happening-azure-data-studio#recommended-alternatives-for-sql-server-capabilities-in-azure-data-studio
What about the Notebooks? Is there a good alternative for this in VSCode? I know the .NET interactive Notebooks. Anything else you can reccomend?
Official recommendation is to use Polyglot Notebooks in Visual Studio Code. Of course, it depends what you intend to use them for long-term.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure-data-studio/whats-happening-azure-data-studio#recommended-alternatives-for-sql-server-capabilities-in-azure-data-studio
I’m probably like a lot of SQL Devs / DBA’s, I stuck with SSMS for a long period finding the extensions in ADS and VS Code for SQL privative. hat changed massively in ADS for me personally in the past year or so and now ADS is my go to for SQL Projects and general SQL querying. I honestly can’t remember the last time I used what I call “bloatware SSMS”. But when I compare the SQL based in extensions in ADS to VS Code, the latter appear to be versions behind or missing the elegance of those in ADS. Until SQL extensions are greatly improved in VS Code, then all I’ll be using it for is IaC (Yaml, Bicep, TF). It’s sad to see ADS go and I was hoping over time it would be the long term replacement for SSMS. Let’s hope MS listens to feedback (as seen on other articles) and evolves the SQL Extensions in VS Code.
I’ve organized a mass of code and documentation in Jupyter Books. The Notebooks Tab in ADS is indispensible for my work.
None of the VSCode Extensions suggested for migration can open Jupyter Books.
In VSCode I see only loose md- and ipynb-files.
Do you know of any extension that could solve my problem?
Really gets sentimental here. It was more than an IDE.
For me it brought more Unix and OpenSource culture to the SQL Database development. By being platform agnostic, it helped learn and guided in setting CI/CD pipeline for database.
The transition went indeed not to bad. The only thing I’m missing is the way connection was accessed and organized.
I know what you mean. Hopefully steps will be taken in Visual Studio Code to fill in the void it will leave behind.