I am new to Database Development and would like to know which version of MS-SQL I can use to work on and learn - the constraints I have is that the dev. env will be on a Windows 8.1 Desktop

• Edited by Andy BW 16 hours 19 minutes ago

Hi,

if you used to work with Microsoft Access, then your database is probably fit for the free edition SQL EXPRESS. Moreover, you said that you are new and you still learning, than I think this will give you a great starting point. You can use this version for production as well, not like the developer version, but this version have some limitation which I guessing you don't have any problem with them (Since they are much above the possibilities of MS Access)

Here you can dowload the free eddition:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42299

Here you can compare the versions, to make sure what version you need:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc645993.as

Hi Andy,

Besides others posts,  you can also run other SQL Server versions such as SQL Server 2012 SP1 in Windows 8.1. For more details about minimum SQL Server version requirements for Windows 8.1,  please review the following KB article:

How to use SQL Server in Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2012 R2: https://support.microsoft.com/kb/2681562/en-us?wa=wsignin1.0  
 


Thanks,
Lydia Zhang