SQL Server Query Compatibility

Question

Do SQL Server Management Studio versions have different compatibility when it comes to query or scripts because I'm running SQL Server 2014 that I haven't tried running my query in another versions?

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

There is some points that you need to note:

1- Management Studio: This is a client tool to work with different SQL Server services.

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is an integrated environment for managing any SQL infrastructure. Use SSMS to access, configure, manage, administer, and develop all components of SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, and SQL Data Warehouse. SSMS provides a single comprehensive utility that combines a broad group of graphical tools with a number of rich script editors to provide access to SQL Server for developers and database administrators of all skill levels. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/sql-server-management-studio-ssms?view=sql-server-2017

2- Compatibility issues: There is some features that are shipped in instance level such as AlwaysOn Availability Groups, that are introduced in SQL Server 2012, so it is clear that you can not use it in SQL Server 2008. There is some other features that are shipped in database level or are related to TSQL. such as TSQL, CONCAT function that is introduced in SQL Server 2012, so clearly if you want to execute a script containing CONCAT function in SQL SERVER 2008, it will be failed as this function is not available.

Finally we have a Compatibility Level that you can set it per database, that sets certain database behaviors to be compatible with the specified version of SQL Server. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/statements/alter-database-transact-sql-compatibility-level?view=sql-server-2017