The MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code now introduces Azure SQL Database provisioning in public preview, starting with the free tier so you can create and connect to a fully managed cloud database directly from your editor at no cost.
With a guided wizard on the Deployments page, you authenticate with your Azure account, then configure your subscription, resource group, server, and database on a single page. Your connection is added automatically the moment provisioning completes. You never leave Visual Studio Code, and you don't have to pay to get started. You choose what happens when the free monthly limit is reached: auto-pause until the next calendar month or continue at standard serverless rates.
Whether you are prototyping a new application, validating a proof of concept, or experimenting with vector search and AI-ready workloads, you now have a fully managed Azure SQL Database ready to query in minutes. From there, you can continue into Schema Designer, where GitHub Copilot helps you design and evolve your data model visually. You can then go to data API builder, where GitHub Copilot generates back-end endpoints directly from your schema. Together, these experiences give you an end-to-end path from a provisioned database to a working back end, all inside Visual Studio Code.