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Microsoft Previews Copilot AI in SQL Server Management Studio
In announcing SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 21 Preview 1 this week, Microsoft revealed Copilot AI for the tool is also being previewed, privately.
A Copilot for the tool that helps users manage, configure, and monitor Microsoft SQL Server databases through a graphical interface adds to the company's arsenal of Copilots for all manner of softwares and services, perhaps reaching a number unknowable, like the value of Pi, beyond the comprehension of humans or machines. They stem from a $10 billion-plus investment in GenAI pioneer OpenAI, whose tech powered the original GitHub Copilot, debuting years ago as an "AI pair programmer."
Now it's an AI database specialist, acting upon human language instructions.
"Copilot in SSMS will start with a chat for the Query Editor, leveraging both connection and database context to answer your general SQL questions and help you write T-SQL based on natural language prompts," Microsoft said yesterday. "For NLtoSQL prompts, Copilot queries the database metadata to provide context about the tables and views in your database, and it can also assist with fixing and explaining T-SQL queries."
Future plans for Copilot in SSMS include adding support for NLto SQL directly within the editor window, with the dev team focusing other improvement efforts depending upon feedback.
As far as tech all users can their hands on now, the preview of SSMS 21 includes the return of Git integration, setting the stage for future support of SQL Projects in SSMS.
[Click on image for larger view.] Dark Mode (source: Microsoft).
"Further, many of you will be happy to see the initial stages of support for dark theme," said Microsoft. "Yes, you read that correctly! We are bringing proper support for dark theme to SQL Server Management Studio in a phased approach. While we cannot pause all work for SSMS to exclusively focus on implementing dark theme support for every SSMS dialog, we can concurrently work on updates to dialogs, starting with those accessed most frequently and systematically moving throughout the UI."
The tool's Always Encrypted functionality was also improved, as described in another post published by Microsoft yesterday titled "Always Encrypted Assessment in SQL Server Management Studio 21."
"This assessment allows users to evaluate the tables in a selected database or choose specific tables to analyze," that post said. "It identifies columns that are suitable for encryption and highlights those that are incompatible with Always Encrypted due to their data type, constraints, and other factors. For each field, the wizard provides a detailed list of restrictions, explaining why certain columns cannot be encrypted."
Regarding extensions, support for v21 is basically the same as v20 though, "Full support for extensions, including the ability to browse extensions from within SSMS, presence in the Visual Studio marketplace, and support of the VSIXInstaller is on our roadmap and we will share details when appropriate."
The preview also address a seven-month-old feedback item titled "SSMS - Registered Servers and CMS do not persist auth settings for encryption."
Those wanting to take part in the private preview of Copilot in SSMS can go here to indicate interest in a three-item Copilot research interest form.
About the Author
David Ramel is an editor and writer at Converge 360.