How do I put a SQL Server database under version control using Visual Studio Community 2015 RC?

Question

I would like to put my database schema and its data in my git repository and have it version controlled, just like my code.

I have SQL Server 2008 R2 and Visual Studio Community 2015 RC. I know that Visual Studio 2010 upwards, Database project templates have been introduced to do just this. Please see this article for example. But I don't find those templates in my Visual Studio Community Edition 2015 RC installation.

Answer 1

Sticking to RC isn't very viable in the long term. Especially now, when Visual Studio 2015 RTM has been released.

Unless you have some really strong incentive to stay on Release Candidate, I would recommend to:

1. Get RTM Express Edition for free, whichever suits you best. SSDT 2015 is compatible with Web and Windows Desktop ;
2. Get SSDT 2015 (again, for free) and install on top of that.

AFAIR, that should give you SQL Server database projects and everything else you might need. The only catch is that, as usual, it will be a somewhat longer route if you have ever had any CTP / RC versions installed on the same Windows instance before. Then again, it's nothing new.