If you want to know more before you start to download new SQL Server version, you can review the free book Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2016 to know the features what makes this SQL Server version the best ever.Īlso before you download SQL Server 2016, you can review features each SQL Server 2016 Edition has or introduced new by looking at the below chart. Microsoft provided sample databases for SQL Server 2016 including WideWorldImporters and AdventureWorks. If you have signed up at the Visual Studio My Benefits portal as a developer, you can download SQL Server 2016 Developer edition free for non-production uses.ĭeveloper edition has the same features as Enterprise Edition has and does not have a limited period for usage as Evaluation Edition.ĭownload SQL Server 2016 Evaluation Editionĭownload from Microsoft TechNet Evaluation Centerĭownload SQL Server 2016 Developer Editionĭownload from Visual Studio Dev Essentialsīefore you download SQL Server 2016 and try to install it on your computer, please check the operating system requirements written at the end of this page.Īfter SQL Server setup binaries is downloaded, you can follow the step by step SQL Server 2016 installation guide. One disadvantage of Evaluation Edition when compared to Developer Edition is it has a limited period of use as 180 days.īesides Evaluation Edition, you can choose to install the SQL Server 2016 Developer Edition which is free for development purposes on the other hand has all features introduced with Enterprise Edition.Īn other option for downloading the most recent SQL Server versions is using the Visual Studio Dev Essentials subscription for developers. This version which is distributed via Evaluation Center is the final release of SQL Server 2016 aka RTM release. Data professionals can evaluate the free public available SQL Server 2016 download from Microsoft TechNet Evaluation Center.

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