SQL Source Control: You Can Help Us Complete the Picture

We released SQL Source Control v4.1 recently with dramatically improved Git support and it’s already receiving praise. Typical of the reactions we’ve been getting is that of SQL developer, Jens Frandsen. His response to James Billings’ Simple-Talk blog post about the latest release was: “Whoo hoo! This improvement will simplify things a lot for us.”

We’re not finished yet. Not by a long way. We’ve got big plans for SQL Source Control and in just a few months we plan to release v5.

So what will be in v5? Why are we so excited about it? Will it make developers like Jens Frandsen whoop it up even more?

Time for some answers.

We’re moving up a gear

While SQL Source Control is deceptively simple to use, a lot goes on behind the scenes. The software has to process a huge amount of data, make sense of it, work out the right order for the changes, and deal with issues like keys and constraints.

We’re now working on improving the performance of the Commit tab so that it does all of that a lot faster and plan to release this via our Frequent Updates channel in Q1 2016.

We’re providing support, support, and more support

In August, Team Foundation Server 2015 was released. SQL Server 2016 and SQL Server Management Studio 2016 are on the way.

As always, SQL Source Control will be fully integrated with these tools so that it makes the most of their features – and adds some unique features of its own. Users will be able to connect to TFS as a version control system, for example, and the new database features of SSMS 2016 will be accessible immediately.

Again, these updates should be available via Frequent Updates channel in Q1 2016.

We’re enhancing migrations further

SQL Source Control v4.1 allows users to commit to a local Git repository, and push and pull from remote Git repositories from within SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).

That in itself was a big step forward because SQL Source Control was originally designed to work with a centralized version control system. Adding the extra stage of working with a local Git repository had a big impact on the user workflow and way code is shared and tested.

The extra advantage of all of that effort is that it opens the door to further improvements in migration support for any version control system. SQL Source Control v5, which will be released in the second quarter of 2016, will help you with manual or automated deployments, as well as let you use custom SQL, so that you can:

  • Merge when working with multiple branches
  • Correctly flag up conflicts in migration scripts
  • Create data-only migration scripts (scripts that aren’t linked to specific schema changes)
  • Work without a separate repository
  • Enable deployments even when not connected to the code repository

We’re looking for feedback

As you can see, we’ve got lots of plans for SQL Source Control v5, but what do you think? What are you looking for in the next major release? What would make your working life easier and faster? We’re in active development now and your views could shape the future features of the tool.

The first place to go is our UserVoice page (we do read it, and we do try to accommodate requests). You can vote on features that have already been suggested, or post a new idea about a feature you want us to work on next.

You can also register an interest in our Beta program (due to kick off in early 2016), and be one of the first to trial all of the new migrations features we’re developing. Simply email SOCv5Feedback@red-gate.com and we’ll be in touch nearer the time.

This is an exciting time for SQL Source Control, and the coming months will demonstrate why. Why not download a trial version of v4.1 and discover the support for Git it now offers?