A checkbox during installation for "Install Azure Data Studio." More importantly, you can now right-click a database in SSMS Object Explorer and select "Manage in Azure Data Studio."
The T-SQL Debugger is gone. You can no longer set breakpoints and step through stored procedures line-by-line. Microsoft recommends using Azure Data Studio with the SQL Server Debugger extension or Visual Studio Enterprise. 12. Performance and Stability Overhauls SSMS 17.x had notorious issues: random crashes, slow Object Explorer expansion, and memory leaks. SSMS 18.x focused heavily on reliability. sql server management studio 2019 new
Pin both SSMS 18 and Azure Data Studio to your taskbar. Use SSMS for server configuration, backups, and security; use ADS for query development and notebooks. Together, they represent the best of the SQL Server ecosystem in 2025. Have you found a killer feature in SSMS 18.x that isn't listed? Share your experience in the comments below! A checkbox during installation for "Install Azure Data
SSMS now installs exclusively under C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 18 . It no longer shares components with the SQL Server engine itself. Pin both SSMS 18 and Azure Data Studio to your taskbar