Introduction to Solutions, Projects, and Items

Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio provides two containers for managing database projects such as scripts, queries, data connections, and files: solutions and projects. The objects that these containers hold are called items.

A project is a set of files, plus related metadata such as connection information. The files in a project depend on which Microsoft SQL Server component the project is for. For example, a SQL Server project may contain data definition language (DDL) queries defining objects in a database.

A solution includes one or more projects, plus files and metadata that help define the solution as a whole.

Solutions and projects contain items that represent the scripts, queries, connection information and files that you need to create your database solution. Use these containers to:

  • Implement source control on queries and scripts.
  • Manage settings for your solution as a whole or for individual projects.
  • Use Solution Explorer to handle the details of file management while you focus on items that make up your database solution.
  • Add items that are useful to multiple projects in the solution or to the solution without referencing the item in each project.
  • Work on miscellaneous files that are independent from solutions or projects.

The items contained in projects depend on the project type and whether you are using SQL Server Management Studio. This section contains the following topics.

Note

SQL Server Management Studio does not support Microsoft Visual Studio or Microsoft Business Intelligence Development Studio solutions or projects.

Topic Description

Solutions as Containers

Provides additional information about solutions as containers.

Projects as Containers

Provides additional information about projects as containers.

Project Items

Describes the connections, queries, and files that can be placed in projects.

Files That Manage Solutions and Projects

Provides information about the files used by SQL Server Management Studio to manage solutions and files.

Miscellaneous Files

Describes working with files that are not associated with a project or solution.

Multiproject Solutions

Describes how multiple projects can be combined into solutions.

Managing File Storage with Source Control

Introduces how SQL Server Management Studio works with source control products.

Managing Files with Encoding

Describes how to open and save files using Unicode encoding or a different code page.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Create New Solutions

Concepts

Adding Solutions and Projects to Source Control

Other Resources

Using Solution Explorer

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance