Jam SQL Studio SQL Server Source Control vs
Jam SQL Studio Database Blueprint
The classic SQL Server source-control stack is SSDT / SQL Database Projects, the Redgate SQL Source Control SSMS add-in (now end-of-life, succeeded by Flyway), and Flyway Desktop. Jam SQL Studio's Database Blueprint offers a cross-platform, schema-as-files alternative with a built-in Git panel — and it versions table data alongside the schema.
Database Blueprint is in beta • Free for personal use • Mac, Windows, Linux
The Three Classic SQL Server Source-Control Options
"SQL Server source control" usually means one of these three approaches — each with a different mechanism and trade-offs.
SSDT / SQL Database Projects
The SDK-style Microsoft.Build.Sql project format stores your schema as SQL files, builds to a .dacpac, and publishes via CI/CD (GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps). Git integration came to SSMS in version 21, and SSMS 22.4 added a "Database DevOps" preview that brings SQL projects into SSMS. State-based, declarative deployment. (Microsoft Learn)
Redgate SQL Source Control (SSMS add-in)
The dominant SSMS add-in for years — it links a database directly to Git, SVN, TFS, or Mercurial from inside SSMS. Redgate has set a 2025 end-of-life and recommends moving to Flyway Desktop. (Redgate)
Flyway Desktop (the successor)
Redgate's replacement: a standalone tool that captures the DDL create script for each object and version-controls them in Git. Note the change — Flyway Desktop does not integrate with SSMS and works with Git only (no SVN/TFS/Mercurial). You can import existing SQL Source Control projects and keep your Git history.
SQL Server Source Control Options Compared
How the classic approaches stack up against Jam SQL Studio's Database Blueprint (beta).
| Capability | Jam — Database Blueprint | SSDT / SQL Projects | Redgate SQL Source Control | Flyway Desktop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Status | ✓ Active (beta) | ✓ Active | ✗ 2025 EOL | ✓ Active |
| Schema as .sql files | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Built-in Git panel in the tool | ✓ | SSMS 21+ / host editor | ✓ In SSMS | ✓ |
| Git + SVN / TFS / Mercurial | ✗ Git only | ✗ Git only | ✓ All four | ✗ Git only |
| Cross-platform (Mac / Linux) | ✓ | ✓ dotnet build | ✗ Windows / SSMS | ✓ |
| Builds to a .dacpac | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| CI/CD pipelines | ✗ | ✓ | Via DLM | ✓ |
| Three-way merge (local / baseline / live) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Migrations model |
| Version & sync table row data | ✓ Captured row sidecars + sync | Post-deployment scripts | Static data feature | Reference data |
| Other engines (PG / MySQL / Oracle) | ✓ + SQLite | ✗ SQL Server only | ✗ SQL Server only | ✓ 50+ DBs |
| Price | ✓ Free Personal tier | ✓ Free | Paid | Paid tiers |
Where Database Blueprint Fits
A cross-platform schema-in-Git workflow that lives inside your SQL client.
Schema as .sql Files
One .sql file per table, view, procedure, function, and schema. Refresh from DB re-emits DDL so the folder always tracks the live SQL Server database.
Built-in Git Panel
Commit (auto-messaged), branch, pull, push, and resolve merge conflicts — on Mac, Windows, or Linux, no SSMS add-in or Windows VM required.
Apply Folder to DB
Push edits back to a linked database with Schema Compare's full diff and generated DDL review — not a black-box publish.
Three-Way Merge + Multi-Link
Reconcile local edits, baseline, and live DB; link one folder to Dev / Stage / Prod with per-link MetaInfo.
Table Data, Versioned Too
Not just schema — opt a table into data capture and its rows land in a tracked Data/ folder. Sync data folder → DB pushes row-level inserts, updates, and deletes back to a linked database.
Full reference: Database Blueprint documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
SQL Server source control options vs Jam SQL Studio Database Blueprint.
What are the options for SQL Server source control?
Three main approaches: SSDT / SQL Database Projects (SDK-style Microsoft.Build.Sql, builds to a .dacpac, CI/CD-friendly, with a Database DevOps preview in SSMS); Redgate SQL Source Control (the SSMS add-in linking a database to Git/SVN/TFS/Mercurial — now 2025 end-of-life, succeeded by Flyway); and Flyway Desktop (standalone, captures per-object DDL into Git only, no SSMS add-in).
Is Redgate SQL Source Control discontinued?
Redgate has announced a 2025 end-of-life for SQL Source Control and recommends Flyway Desktop. The big change: Flyway Desktop does not integrate with SSMS (the add-in was core to SQL Source Control) and works with Git only, not also SVN, TFS, and Mercurial. Existing SQL Source Control projects can be imported into Flyway with Git history preserved.
How does Database Blueprint do SQL Server source control?
It materializes a SQL Server database as a folder of .sql files kept in two-way sync with one or more linked databases, with a built-in Git panel (commit, branch, pull, push, merge-conflict resolution), drift preview, three-way merge, and an Apply folder to DB hand-off via Schema Compare. It runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux and also supports PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, Oracle, and SQLite. Database Blueprint is in beta and does not build a dacpac or run CI/CD pipelines.
Can SQL Server source control track table data, not just schema?
The classic stacks handle reference / static data differently: SSDT and SQL Database Projects use hand-written post-deployment scripts, Redgate SQL Source Control had a static-data feature, and Flyway manages reference data. Jam SQL Studio's Database Blueprint captures a table's rows into a tracked Data/ folder during Refresh from DB — a .data.sql upsert script plus a .data.json sidecar with the primary key and column types — that commits to Git alongside the schema. Sync data folder → DB then diffs those rows against the live table and pushes row-level inserts, updates, and deletes, with an Open in Data Compare hand-off. Schema and data are synced by separate actions so neither overwrites the other.
Can I do SQL Server source control on a Mac?
Yes. Redgate SQL Source Control is a Windows SSMS add-in, but SDK-style SQL Database Projects build cross-platform with dotnet build, and Database Blueprint runs natively on Mac, Windows, and Linux with a built-in Git panel — so you can version-control SQL Server schema without a Windows machine. See Jam SQL Studio vs SSMS.
SQL Server Schema in Git, on Any OS
Download Jam SQL Studio free and version-control SQL Server schema from Mac, Windows, or Linux.
Comparing Database Source Control?
See how schema version control works in other SQL tools.
Learn more: Database Blueprint docs · Schema Compare · Best SQL Data Compare Tool