Install, update, and deploy Microsoft.Data.SqlClient

Microsoft.Data.SqlClient is the supported .NET data provider for SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure Synapse Analytics, SQL database in Microsoft Fabric, and Warehouse in Microsoft Fabric. The driver ships as NuGet packages independently of the .NET runtime.

Choose a release

Use a supported General Availability (GA) release for production applications.

For current patch versions, support dates, target frameworks, and database compatibility, see SqlClient driver support lifecycle.

Install the core package

Run the following command from the directory that contains your project file:

dotnet add package Microsoft.Data.SqlClient

The command selects the latest stable version compatible with the project. To pin a version for repeatable builds, specify the version:

dotnet add package Microsoft.Data.SqlClient --version <version>

Restore dependencies and build the project:

dotnet restore
dotnet build

Import the driver namespace in C#:

using Microsoft.Data.SqlClient;

For new applications, don't reference the older System.Data.SqlClient package or namespace. To update an existing application, see Migrate from System.Data.SqlClient to Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.

Install with Visual Studio

1. In Solution Explorer, right-click the project, and select Manage NuGet Packages.
2. On the Browse tab, search for Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.
3. Select the package owned by Microsoft.
4. Select a supported stable version, and then select Install.

For more information, see Install and manage packages in Visual Studio.

Add optional packages

Install optional packages only when your application uses the related feature.

For Microsoft Entra authentication with SqlClient 7.0 or later, run:

dotnet add package Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Extensions.Azure --version <same-version-as-Microsoft.Data.SqlClient>

The 7.0 core package no longer includes Azure Identity dependencies. Starting with version 7.0.2, the core driver and companion packages use aligned versions. Reference the same version of Microsoft.Data.SqlClient and Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Extensions.Azure. Applications that don't use driver-provided Microsoft Entra authentication don't need the Azure extension package. For authentication setup, see Microsoft Entra authentication.

Update the driver

Before you update:

1. Read What's new in Microsoft.Data.SqlClient and the upstream release notes for each version crossed by the update.

2. Check the application's direct and transitive package references.

   dotnet list package --include-transitive
   

3. Update the package reference.

   dotnet add package Microsoft.Data.SqlClient --version <version>
   

4. Restore, build, and run the application's tests.

5. Test connection establishment, authentication, certificate validation, connection pooling, data type conversions, transactions, and retry behavior against each supported database target.

Major and patch releases can require application changes. For example, version 4.0 enabled encryption by default, version 5.0 changed SqlConnectionStringBuilder.Encrypt from bool to SqlConnectionEncryptOption, and version 7.0 moved driver-provided Microsoft Entra authentication into a separate package.

Starting with version 7.0.2, the assembly versions of Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Extensions.Azure, Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Extensions.Abstractions, and Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.Internal.Logging changed from 1.0.0.0 to 7.0.0.0. .NET Framework applications must rebuild against the aligned packages or add binding redirects. Applications on current .NET aren't affected by this assembly identity change.

Understand target frameworks

Microsoft.Data.SqlClient 7.0 supports applications on:

• .NET Framework 4.6.2 or later on Windows.
• .NET 8 or later on supported Windows, Linux, and macOS versions.

The NuGet package also contains a .NET Standard 2.0 compatibility asset for libraries. An executable application must target a supported .NET or .NET Framework runtime. A library's .NET Standard target doesn't make every consuming runtime supported.

The package restores its managed and native dependencies through NuGet. Don't copy individual driver assemblies or native SQL Network Interface (SNI) libraries between applications.

Prepare for deployment

1. Publish for the same operating system and architecture used in production. For a framework-dependent deployment:

   dotnet publish --configuration Release
   

   For a runtime-specific deployment:

   dotnet publish --configuration Release --runtime <runtime-identifier>
   

2. Deploy the complete publish output. Don't select only Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.dll.

3. Confirm that the target has the required .NET runtime unless you publish a self-contained application.

4. Test the published output on the target operating system and architecture.

5. Test every authentication mode used in production. Integrated authentication, Kerberos, certificates, managed identity, and Azure Key Vault access depend on the deployment environment.

6. Scan the resolved dependency graph for known vulnerabilities and update supported package lines when fixes are available.

Globalization-invariant mode isn't supported. For current platform qualifications, see Supported operating systems.

Offline package installation

Download the package and its dependencies from NuGet.org, copy them to an internal package source, and restore from that source. For repeatable offline builds, pin package versions and preserve the complete dependency set.

Related content

• Get started with the SqlClient driver
• What's new in Microsoft.Data.SqlClient
• SqlClient driver support lifecycle
• Microsoft.Data.SqlClient releases