Navigate to the Microsoft Evaluation Center. You can search for "Microsoft SQL Server 2022 Developer" or use the direct download portal provided by Microsoft.
For Linux, download the packages (not the Windows ISO). For macOS, you’ll need Docker or a Windows VM. The ISO is intended for Windows. For Linux, use Microsoft’s official repository (e.g., sudo apt-get install mssql-server ).
To download the , you must first download the small "bootstrap" installer from Microsoft and use it to generate the full media file. The Developer Edition is a free, full-featured version of SQL Server intended for non-production development and testing. 1. Download the Installer
Double-click setup.exe to launch the SQL Server Installation Center .
This downloads a small stub installer ( SQL2022-SSEI-Dev.exe ). Run this file.
To help you get the most out of your installation, would you like guidance on to this instance, or do you need help restoring standard demo databases like AdventureWorks? Share public link
When prompted for the product key, ensure "Developer" is selected in the free edition dropdown.
Open your web browser and navigate to the official Microsoft SQL Server Downloads page.
Select the first option: .
