– Choose Developer for full features or Express for small production apps.

The search led Alex to the gates of the , where a wise guide appeared. "You don't need gold to start your journey," the guide said. "We have two gifts for creators like you." The guide presented two shimmering scrolls:

Alex’s eyes lit up. He chose the for his experiments and SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) to see into the heart of his data.

If you want to follow in Alex's footsteps, you can download the official free versions directly from Microsoft :

: "This is the full power of the crown," the guide explained. "It has every feature imaginable, but it is for building and testing in your workshop only. It is free forever for developers."