Microsoft will effectively discontinue Azure Data Studio, but there are alternatives
It will be discontinued in 2026.
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Azure Data Studio will officially be retired on February 28, 2026. Microsoft just announced the retirement in a blog post, recommending that all users try out the alternatives: Visual Studio Code and dozens of other options.
Azure Data Studio is a lightweight, cross-platform development tool that can be installed on ARM-based systems and macOS devices and is available on Linux. It is a lighter version of more complex platforms that still allow developers to work from basically anywhere. Azure Data Studio also allows the installation of extensions, GitHub Copilot, and more.
Microsoft says the main reason it’s retiring the platform is to simplify and enhance the SQL development experience.
The Redmond-based tech giant says Visual Studio Code is a good alternative for Azure Data Studio, and advises users to migrate to this platform.
Visual Studio Code, a widely adopted platform with exceptional community support and an extensive ecosystem of extensions, allows us to deliver advanced features like cutting-edge schema management tools and enhanced developer experiences. By consolidating efforts on Visual Studio Code, we can deliver advanced features and improved experiences more efficiently. This eliminates duplication, reduces maintenance costs, and accelerates feature delivery.
Additionally, the tech giant has also published a list of Azure Data Studio extensions and their replacements, as you can see below:
| Azure Data Studio extension | Description | Replacement |
|---|---|---|
| SQL Server Agent | Manage and automate SQL Server Agent jobs. | SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) |
| SQL Server Profiler | Trace and monitor SQL Server activity. | SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) |
| Database administration | Tools for managing databases on Windows. | SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) |
| Schema | Compare and synchronize database schemas. | Visual Studio SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT). In development for MSSQL extension for VS Code. |
| Flat-file import | Import .txt and .csv files into databases. | Bulk insert / PowerShell. In development for MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code. |
| DACPAC import/export | Deploy and extract DACPAC files. | SqlPackage / MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code. |
| Azure SQL migration | Migrate SQL Server to Azure SQL. | Azure portal (future updates planned). |
| Notebooks | SQL + Markdown interactive documents. | Polyglot Notebooks in Visual Studio Code. |
| SQL Database Projects | Create, manage, and deploy SQL database projects. | Fully supported in the MSSQL extension for VS Code and Visual Studio. |
You can read more about it here.
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