Compact edition

Rapidly build and deploy applications with SQL Server Compact, the embedded database engine. Use Visual Studio 2010 SP1 and WebMatrix to build and deploy standalone and ASP.NET web applications.

Compact is a free, embedded database that software developers can use for building ASP.NET websites and Windows desktop applications.

Top Compact Features

  • Default Database for WebMatrix

    Compact is the default database for WebMatrix, a web development tool that includes everything you need for website development.

    Integration with Visual Studio

    For enhanced development and debugging capabilities, Visual Studio can be used to develop ASP.NET web apps and websites.

    Hosting Options

    Compact can be easily deployed along with the website to third party website hosting service providers.

    Easy Deployment

    Private deployment simplified by having all the required managed assemblies and DLLs in a single private folder in the install location.

  • Improved Data Security

    Stronger data security with the use of the SHA2 encryption algorithms for encrypting the databases.

    Support for OFFSET and FETCH

    T-SQL syntax enhancement by adding support for OFFSET and FETCH that can be used to write paging queries and new APIs.

    Things You Can Do

    • Use with WebMatrix to Build and Deploy Websites

      WebMatrix is a free web development tool from Microsoft that includes everything you need for website development. Start from open source web applications, built-in web templates or just start writing code yourself. It’s all-inclusive, simple and best of all free. Developing websites has never been easier.

      Everything you need to build web sites using Windows
      • Microsoft WebMatrix is a new Web development tool that includes IIS Express (a development Web server), ASP.NET (a Web framework), and SQL Server Compact (an embedded database).
      WebMatrix makes Web site development easy
      • Start coding, testing, and deploying your own websites without having to worry about configuring your own web server, managing databases, or learning a lot of concepts.
      Start from scratch using HTML, CSS and JavaScript
      • Start with your own HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and then connect to a database or add dynamic server code using the new inline syntax for ASP.NET Web pages. Code, run, and publish your website, all using WebMatrix.
      Start with popular PHP or ASP.NET web apps
      • Free and popular open-source web applications such as WordPress, Joomla!, DotNetNuke or Umbraco are just a click away. Simply select an application, and WebMatrix handles downloading, installing, and configuring it for you. Customize your site using the built-in code-editor and make it yours.
      Seamless site publishing and hosting
      • With WebMatrix you can find the perfect home for your Web site. Use WebMatrix to find a Web host that fits your requirements and use the built-in publishing support for FTP, FTPS, and WebDeploy to ensure that your files, databases, and settings arrive intact on the web.

    • Create Full Featured Applications

      SQL Server Compact 4.0 is the next generation of embedded database from the SQL Server family, and brings all of its goodness to the world of ASP.NET web application development.

      Develop applications by using Transact-SQL functionality
      • Develop applications that exploit a rich subset of Transact-SQL functionality and manage virtually any kind of data, including JOINS and subqueries; filters, grouping, aggregates, and sorting; CROSS APPLY and OUTER APPLY; and BLOB/image data types.
      Build full-featured desktop client applications
      • Develop desktop applications that support full transactional support; full referential integrity, including cascading updates and deletes; scrollable and updateable cursors; Microsoft ADO.NET and Microsoft ADO.NET Entity Framework.

    • Increase Productivity

      Take advantage of integrations with Visual Studio 2010 SP1 and WebMatrix, including rich table and query designers; write, execute, and test queries with visual query plans; full integration with Server Explorer; drag-and-drop IDE support; and ClickOnce for client deployment; and web deploy for deploying websites to third party website service hosting providers.

      Access data easily
      • Connect to SQL Server Compact databases easily from both managed and unmanaged code by using the included ADO.NET Data Provider or the OLE DB Provider.
      Accelerate development with LINQ support
      • Write highly effective query logic and reduce the amount of data access code by taking advantage of support for LINQ.
      Reduce maintenance overhead
      • Maintain and manage SQL Server Compact databases with a simple programming API that provides total database control. Backup and restore SQL Server Compact databases with simple file-copy operations.

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