SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Features

Fast download

Simplified Setup user interface

Silent install for embedded usage

Integrated deployment through ClickOnce

New lightweight management and query editing tool (SQL Server 2005 Management Studio Express)

Advanced query optimizer that automatically optimizes queries

Automated tuning

Wizards for common tasks

Computer manager for starting and stopping services

Automated servicing and patching (part of Microsoft Update)

XCopy support

Stored procedures

Views

Triggers

Cursors

Extended indexes

Snapshot isolation level

Advanced query optimizer

Transact-SQL support

Full Text Search

Reporting Services

"Secure by Default" settings

Finely tuned administration rights

Three levels of code-access security, including: Safe, External Access (verifiable), and Unsafe

Access to stored procedures as an abstraction layer

Active Directory support

Support for Windows authentication

Always free to obtain and use

Royalty-free redistribution (registration required)

Native XML data type

Support for structured and semistructured data

XQuery support

XML schema support

Installed with Visual Studio 2005

Visual Studio data explorer for designing schemas, adding data, and querying local databases

Common language runtime (CLR) hosted inside SQL Server Express

User-defined types and aggregates

In-process data access with ADO.NET

Integration of SQL Server and CLR security

Integrated debugging

SQL Server reporting controls in Visual Studio

Supports one CPU, but can be installed on any server

1 gigabyte (GB) addressable RAM

4 GB maximum database size

Transactional replication subscriber

Merge replication subscriber

Client for SQL Server service broker

Support for distributed transactions