Effective Ways to Manage and Version Control Your SQL Server Stored Procedures

This method involves:

• Scripting: Using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), right-click your stored procedure in Object Explorer, choose Script as, and select CREATE to followed by File. This generates a script containing the procedure's definition.
• Version Control: Store the generated script file in a source control system like Subversion (SVN) alongside your application code. This allows you to track changes, revert to previous versions, and collaborate effectively.

Example:

Imagine a simple stored procedure named GetCustomerDetails that retrieves customer information based on an ID. Scripting it in SSMS might generate the following:

CREATE PROCEDURE GetCustomerDetails
@CustomerID INT
AS
BEGIN
  SELECT * FROM Customers WHERE CustomerID = @CustomerID;
END;

This script file can then be added to your SVN repository alongside your application code.

Considerations:

• This approach is straightforward and integrates well with existing development workflows.
• Manually scripting procedures can become tedious for large databases with many objects.
• You need to manage script files alongside your code, potentially creating duplicates.

Dedicated Database Version Control Tools:

Several commercial tools like Redgate SQL Source Control offer dedicated features for managing database schema changes. These tools integrate with SSMS and provide functionalities like:

• Automatic Scripting: They automatically generate scripts for database objects, including stored procedures, upon changes.
• Deployment and Rollback: They simplify deployment of scripts to different environments and allow reverting to previous versions if needed.
• Version Control Integration: They often integrate with popular version control systems like SVN, allowing seamless management of database schema changes alongside application code.

• These tools offer a more streamlined and automated approach compared to manual scripting.
• They often come with additional features like schema comparison and deployment automation.
• They typically involve additional licensing costs.

Visual Studio Integration:

If you're using Visual Studio with SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT), you can leverage its built-in database project functionalities. This allows you to:

• Create Database Projects: Define your database schema within a Visual Studio project, including stored procedures as code files.
• Version Control Integration: Integrate the database project with your chosen version control system, allowing version control of stored procedures alongside application code.
• Deployment Automation: Use SSDT features to automate deployment of database schema changes to different environments.

• This approach requires familiarity with Visual Studio and SSDT.
• It tightly integrates with the Visual Studio development environment, which may not be suitable for all workflows.

Related Issues and Solutions:

• Loss of Permissions: When deploying scripts, be mindful of potentially losing existing permissions granted to users on stored procedures. Consider scripting permissions explicitly or using dedicated tools that handle them appropriately.
• Large Databases: For very large databases with numerous objects, consider automating script generation and deployment processes using tools or custom scripts.