Essential Azure Data Studio Extensions

Azure Data Studio’s extension ecosystem dramatically enhances its capabilities. This guide covers essential extensions for database developers and administrators working with Azure and SQL Server.

Top Extensions

Admin Pack for SQL Server

# Install via Extensions marketplace
# Search: "Admin Pack for SQL Server"

# Features:
# - SQL Server Agent management
# - SQL Profiler
# - Server Reports
# - Import/Export wizard

-- With Admin Pack, you can run Agent jobs directly
-- Right-click on SQL Server Agent > Jobs > Start Job

-- View server reports for quick insights
-- Right-click database > Reports

Schema Compare

# Install: "Schema Compare" extension

# Features:
# - Compare database schemas
# - Generate deployment scripts
# - Sync schemas between environments

// Schema compare workflow
// 1. Open command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
// 2. Search "Schema Compare: New Schema Comparison"
// 3. Select source and target
// 4. Run comparison
// 5. Generate update script or apply changes

DACPAC Extension

# Enables working with Data-tier Applications

# Extract DACPAC from database
# Right-click database > Data-tier Application Wizard > Extract

# Deploy DACPAC to database
# Right-click Databases > Data-tier Application Wizard > Deploy

SQL Database Projects

# Install: "SQL Database Projects" extension

# Create a new database project
# File > New Project > SQL Database Project

-- Project structure
/*
MyDatabaseProject/
├── dbo/
│   ├── Tables/
│   │   ├── Customers.sql
│   │   └── Orders.sql
│   ├── Views/
│   │   └── vw_CustomerOrders.sql
│   ├── Stored Procedures/
│   │   └── sp_GetCustomerOrders.sql
│   └── Functions/
│       └── fn_CalculateTotal.sql
├── Security/
│   ├── Roles/
│   └── Users/
├── MyDatabaseProject.sqlproj
└── .gitignore
*/

<!-- Sample .sqlproj file -->
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project DefaultTargets="Build" ToolsVersion="4.0">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <Name>MyDatabaseProject</Name>
    <DSP>Microsoft.Data.Tools.Schema.Sql.SqlAzureV12DatabaseSchemaProvider</DSP>
    <ModelCollation>1033, CI</ModelCollation>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <Build Include="dbo\Tables\Customers.sql" />
    <Build Include="dbo\Tables\Orders.sql" />
    <Build Include="dbo\Stored Procedures\sp_GetCustomerOrders.sql" />
  </ItemGroup>
</Project>

PostgreSQL Extension

# Install: "PostgreSQL" extension

# Connect to PostgreSQL databases
# Azure Database for PostgreSQL
# Amazon RDS PostgreSQL
# Local PostgreSQL

-- PostgreSQL queries in Azure Data Studio
SELECT
    table_name,
    pg_size_pretty(pg_total_relation_size(quote_ident(table_name))) AS size
FROM information_schema.tables
WHERE table_schema = 'public'
ORDER BY pg_total_relation_size(quote_ident(table_name)) DESC;

MySQL Extension

# Install: "MySQL" extension

# Connect to MySQL/MariaDB databases
# Azure Database for MySQL
# Local MySQL instances

SandDance for Data Exploration

# Install: "SandDance for Azure Data Studio"

# Visual data exploration
# Run a query, then click the SandDance icon in results

-- Query data, then visualize with SandDance
SELECT
    Category,
    Region,
    SUM(Sales) AS TotalSales,
    COUNT(*) AS TransactionCount
FROM dbo.SalesData
GROUP BY Category, Region;

-- After results appear, click SandDance icon for interactive visualization

PowerShell Extension

# Install: "PowerShell" extension

# Run PowerShell scripts directly in Azure Data Studio
# Integrate with dbatools for SQL Server management

# Example: Database backup script
Import-Module dbatools

$servers = @("server1", "server2", "server3")
$backupPath = "\\backup\sqlbackups"

foreach ($server in $servers) {
    $databases = Get-DbaDatabase -SqlInstance $server -ExcludeSystem

    foreach ($db in $databases) {
        Backup-DbaDatabase `
            -SqlInstance $server `
            -Database $db.Name `
            -Path $backupPath `
            -CompressBackup `
            -Checksum
    }
}

Redgate SQL Search

# Install: "Redgate SQL Search"

# Search across all database objects
# Find dependencies
# Navigate code quickly

Creating Custom Extensions

// package.json for a custom extension
{
    "name": "my-custom-extension",
    "displayName": "My Custom Extension",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "engines": {
        "vscode": "^1.50.0",
        "azdata": ">=1.25.0"
    },
    "categories": ["Other"],
    "activationEvents": [
        "onCommand:myExtension.runHealthCheck"
    ],
    "contributes": {
        "commands": [
            {
                "command": "myExtension.runHealthCheck",
                "title": "Run Database Health Check"
            }
        ],
        "menus": {
            "objectExplorer/item/context": [
                {
                    "command": "myExtension.runHealthCheck",
                    "when": "nodeType == Database",
                    "group": "myExtension"
                }
            ]
        }
    }
}

// extension.ts
import * as azdata from 'azdata';
import * as vscode from 'vscode';

export function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
    let disposable = vscode.commands.registerCommand(
        'myExtension.runHealthCheck',
        async () => {
            const connection = await azdata.connection.getCurrentConnection();

            if (!connection) {
                vscode.window.showErrorMessage('No active connection');
                return;
            }

            const provider = azdata.dataprotocol.getProvider<azdata.QueryProvider>(
                connection.providerId,
                azdata.DataProviderType.QueryProvider
            );

            const query = `
                SELECT
                    'Database Size' AS Metric,
                    CAST(SUM(size * 8 / 1024) AS VARCHAR) + ' MB' AS Value
                FROM sys.master_files
                WHERE database_id = DB_ID()
                UNION ALL
                SELECT
                    'Table Count',
                    CAST(COUNT(*) AS VARCHAR)
                FROM sys.tables
            `;

            // Execute and display results
            const uri = await azdata.queryeditor.connect(
                connection.connectionId,
                connection.options.database
            );

            await azdata.queryeditor.runQuery(uri, query);
        }
    );

    context.subscriptions.push(disposable);
}

Recommended Extension Pack

// Create an extension pack for your team
{
    "name": "dba-extension-pack",
    "displayName": "DBA Extension Pack",
    "description": "Essential extensions for database administrators",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "extensionPack": [
        "microsoft.admin-pack",
        "microsoft.schema-compare",
        "microsoft.sql-database-projects",
        "microsoft.dacpac",
        "redgate.sql-search",
        "microsoft.powershell"
    ]
}

Extension Management

# List installed extensions
azuredatastudio --list-extensions

# Install extension from command line
azuredatastudio --install-extension publisher.extension-name

# Uninstall extension
azuredatastudio --uninstall-extension publisher.extension-name

# Disable extension
# Preferences > Extensions > Find extension > Disable

Extensions transform Azure Data Studio into a comprehensive database development platform.