Developer Edition License Terms

Wes Miller analyzes and writes about Microsoft’s security, identity management, and systems management technologies. Before joining Directions on Microsoft, Wes... more

SQL Server Developer edition provides exactly the same technical features as SQL Server Enterprise edition. (Beginning with the release of SQL Server 2025, Microsoft has made a version of SQL Server Developer edition based on Standard edition features as well.) Developer edition includes the same software license terms whether it is licensed through VS/MSDN Platforms, downloaded from Microsoft’s Web site, or installed using the SQL Server installer.

These terms have not materially changed with the release of SQL Server 2025.

License terms in all cases include the following:

Terms of use. The Developer edition license terms allow users to deploy an unlimited number of copies on any number of devices, including VMs hosted on servers at a multitenant service provider, such as Azure. (Note that the licensing terms of Visual Studio/MSDN Platforms may include additional limitations on the hosting environment where that software—including installs of SQL Server Developer edition—can be used.)

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