In Review

This chapter exposes what it takes to create the two most important objects in SQL Server: the database and the table. SQL Server provides several options for creating these objects. You can create them using T-SQL script, or you can create them interactively, using wizards and the GUI tools that come built into Management Studio. We also introduced index creation.

I explored the T-SQL syntax needed to create databases and tables in code. While it might seem easier to create these objects graphically, there will come a time when you might only be able to create the objects by executing T-SQL code against the server. Most experienced DBA’s find it easier, in the long run, to create and maintain the necessary scripts to create and alter tables and databases.

Temporary tables, the table variable, and common table expressions (CTEs) are discussed in Chapter 16.