General
What are the minimum Windows permissions required to install and use ApexSQL Diff?
What are the minimum SQL Server permissions required to use ApexSQL Diff?
The minimum permissions required to compare SQL objects are:
- Public role membership on both the source and the destination SQL instances,
- CONNECT and
- VIEW DEFINITION on both the source and the destination databases
In addition to the above:
- CONTROL has to be granted on the destination database to execute the synchronization script
What is the difference between the Community, Standard and Professional edition of ApexSQL Diff?
To see the difference in supported features between Community, Standard and Professional edition go to the features comparison page
What types of database backups can ApexSQL Diff compare?
Either native or natively compressed full and differential database backups can be compared using ApexSQL Diff Professional edition
Can encrypted objects be compared and synchronized?
Yes. The minimum permissions required to compare encrypted objects are:
- Public role membership on both the source and the destination SQL instances,
- CONNECT on both the source and the destination databases
- VIEW ANY DEFINITION on both the source and the destination SQL instances
In addition to the above:
- CONTROL has to be granted on the destination database to synchronize encrypted objects
Are there any restrictions to the trial version of the tool?
No. The tool is fully functional for the 14 day period. After the trial period is over, you can continue using the FREE Community edition
Is there any limit to the number of database objects that ApexSQL Diff can compare or synchronize?
No. There is virtually no limit to the number of objects the tool can process
SQL Server support
What SQL Server editions are supported?
ApexSQL Diff supports SQL Server Express, Standard, and Enterprise editions
What SQL Server versions are supported?
Microsoft SQL Server 2017 CTP 2, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2008, and 2005
What SQL Server Management Studio versions does ApexSQL Diff integrate with?
ApexSQL Diff integrates into SQL Server Management Studio 17, 2016, 2014, or 2012
You can use the latest full-featured backwards compatible SQL Server Management Studio for free. Click here
Does ApexSQL Diff support Azure SQL Database V12?
Yes. ApexSQL Diff fully supports Azure SQL Database V12
Can all ApexSQL add-ins co-exist in a single SQL Server Management Studio instance?
The tool can be used directly from SSMS alongside any other ApexSQL add-in
Can I use ApexSQL Diff to restore from a backup to an older SQL Server version?
Yes. However, please note:
- This functionality is available in ApexSQL Diff Professional edition only
- The synchronization script will be compatible with the target SQL Server version. For instance, if you are synchronizing a SQL Server 2012 backup to a SQL Server 2005 database the synchronization script will not attempt to create FileTables in the destination database, even if they are present in the backup itself
Why is sometimes DROP/CREATE used instead of ALTER in the synchronization script?
The DROP/CREATE pair will be used instead of ALTER for the following scenarios:
- File group differences exist
- ANSI options are different
- Identically named columns contain incomparable data types
- Identity columns differences exist
- Columns are ordered differently
- XML column differences exist
Source control systems support
What source control systems are supported by ApexSQL Diff Professional edition?
- Git
- Mercurial
- Perforce
- Subversion
- Team Foundation Server
How can I build a database directly from my versioned objects?
Use ApexSQL Build to create a database containing the versioned objects from scratch in just a few clicks
