SQL Change Automation allows you to develop and deploy changes to a SQL Server database. It enables you to automate validation and testing, which can be performed on build and release management systems such as Azure DevOps, TeamCity and Octopus Deploy.

When developing a database, SQL Change Automation keeps track of the changes in a project folder. When it comes to release a new version, SQL Change Automation can use the project folder to produce a deployment package which can be run on the database to update it. One way of thinking about the deployment process is 'make my database look like what's described in this SQL Change Automation project'. The state of the database is primarily represented as a set of scripts that describe how to take the database from one state to another. SQL Change Automation evaluates which scripts to run on any given database to update it. Therefore, the project folder is considered the single source of truth for how the database ought to look. This process is the same regardless of the database environment, which means deployments are repeatable and consistent.

A SQL Change Automation project consists of files, mainly SQL scripts, stored under a specific folder structure. Therefore, projects can be tracked with source control without any extra configuration.

IDE extensions

SQL Change Automation includes an SSMS extension, along with a Visual Studio extension. This allows SQL Change Automation projects to be created and managed within either SSMS or Visual Studio.

Other components

SQL Change Automation includes PowerShell Build and Release components for deploying SQL Change Automation projects.

There are also add-ons to allow you to use SQL Change Automation in third-party continuous integration and release management systems.