While does not have a native installer for macOS, you can still download and run it on your Mac using containerization or virtualization. The industry-standard method is using Docker , which allows you to run a Linux-based SQL Server instance as a lightweight container. Essential Download Links for Mac Users
Open your Terminal and type the following command to download the SQL Server image: microsoft sql server download for mac
Downloading the image isn't enough; you need to launch it. Run the following command in Terminal: While does not have a native installer for
docker run -e "ACCEPT_EULA=Y" -e "MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD=YourStrong@Passw0rd" \ -p 1433:1433 --name sql_server_container \ -d mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2022-latest Run the following command in Terminal: docker run
For full SQL Server Agent, Integration Services, or Reporting Services.
Now that the server is running, you need a tool to interact with it. You cannot use the standard "SQL Server Management Studio" (SSMS), as that is Windows-only.
If you are on an Apple Silicon Mac, SQL Server is not natively compiled for your ARM architecture. However, Docker utilizes a feature called (emulation) to run the Intel-based SQL Server image.