How to Install and Set Up Microsoft SQL Server 2022 Express Edition on Ubuntu 22.04

How and Why to Install Microsoft SQL Server 2022 Express on Ubuntu 22.04: Benefits and Best Practices

This guide provides detailed steps to install and configure Microsoft SQL Server 2022 Express Edition on a server running Ubuntu 22.04.
Installing Microsoft SQL Server 2022 Express on Ubuntu 22.04 brings a robust, affordable, and scalable database solution to developers and businesses on Linux. This easy-to-follow guide to install SQL Server 2022 Express on Ubuntu 22.04 enables you to take advantage of the new features of SQL Server in a secure and performance-tuned environment.

💡Why Use MS SQL Server 2022 Express on Ubuntu 22.04?

• ✅Cross-platform support – Native Linux support for SQL Server enables developers to develop and deploy applications on their OS of choice.
• ✅Affordable – Express edition is free, making it suitable for startups, testing, and light production workloads.
• ✅High performance – Enjoy enterprise-class performance and capabilities with low overhead on a lightweight Ubuntu server.
• ✅Secure and Reliable – With encryption, role-based access, and containerized deployments, SQL Server on Linux is extremely secure and production-ready.

How to Set Up SQL Server on Linux

This Ubuntu 22.04 SQL Server 2022 Express install and configure tutorial takes you from system preparation all the way through to remote access and setting up services. Whether you’re hosting a cloud VM or local server, our install MS SQL Server 2022 Express on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS tutorial guarantees a pain-free experience.

Learn the prerequisites for installing MS SQL Server 2022 Express on Ubuntu 22.04, execute the necessary terminal commands, and verify that your database is running securely. This step-by-step guide makes it easy for beginners and seasoned sysadmins alike.

🛡️Benefits of Running SQL Server on Ubuntu 22.04

• ✅Open-source ecosystem: Leverage Linux-native tools and services alongside your SQL Server.
• ✅Faster deployments: With package managers and scripts, setup takes just minutes.
• ✅Flexibility: No matter on bare metal, virtual machines, or containers, Linux offers you flexibility in how you deploy your stack.
• ✅Community support: Both Ubuntu and SQL Server enjoy huge communities and documentation to troubleshoot and follow best practices.

For those who are having trouble, we also have troubleshooting SQL Server 2022 Express installation on Ubuntu 22.04 and best practices for installing Microsoft SQL Server Express 2022 on Ubuntu 22.04 to help you fine-tune your deployment.

🧾 Prerequisites

• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS server
• Root or sudo access
• Internet connectivity

📥 Step 1: Update the System

Start by updating the package list and upgrading the system packages.

sudo apt update
sudo apt -y upgrade

🔐 Step 2: Import Microsoft GPG Key

Add the Microsoft package signing key to ensure the integrity of the packages.

curl -fsSL https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/microsoft-prod.gpg

📦 Step 3: Add Microsoft SQL Server Repository

Add the SQL Server 2022 package repository for Ubuntu 22.04.

curl -fsSL https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/22.04/mssql-server-2022.list | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mssql-server-2022.list


Or 

You can also add the repository manually as shown below:

1. Create File on below location

cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mssql-server-2019.list



2. Add below repository

echo "deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/microsoft-prod.gpg] https://packages.microsoft.com/ubuntu/22.04/mssql-server-2022 jammy main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mssql-server-2022.list

Update the package list again:

sudo rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
sudo apt update

🏗️ Step 4: Install SQL Server 2022

Install the Microsoft SQL Server package:

sudo apt install -y mssql-server

⚙️ Step 5: Run SQL Server Setup

Run the setup script to configure SQL Server. This step includes selecting the edition, accepting the license, and setting the SA password.

sudo /opt/mssql/bin/mssql-conf setup

📝 Note: When prompted, choose:

• Edition: Express
• Accept license: Yes
• Set SA password: A strong password (e.g., Mssql2022@pass)

✅ Step 6: Verify SQL Server is Running

Check the status of the SQL Server service:

sudo systemctl status mssql-server --no-pager

You should see an output indicating that the service is active (running).

🛠️ Step 7: Install SQL Server Command-Line Tools

Add the tools repository (Ubuntu 20.04 repo works for now) and install sqlcmd and ODBC tools:

curl https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/20.04/prod.list | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/msprod.list
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y mssql-tools unixodbc-dev

➕ Step 8: Add Tools to PATH

Add the tools to your shell’s PATH variable for easier access:

echo 'export PATH="$PATH:/opt/mssql-tools/bin"' >> ~/.bash_profile
echo 'export PATH="$PATH:/opt/mssql-tools/bin"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

🧪 Step 9: Connect to SQL Server

Use sqlcmd to connect to the SQL Server instance:

sqlcmd -S localhost -U SA

You will be prompted to enter the SA password you set earlier.

After successful login, you’ll see the 1> prompt. Try running:

SELECT @@VERSION;
GO

📌 Conclusion

You now have Microsoft SQL Server 2022 Express Edition running on Ubuntu 22.04. You can start creating databases, and tables, and managing your SQL environment using sqlcmd or GUI tools like Azure Data Studio.

🧯 Troubleshooting Tips

• If you get connection issues, ensure the port 1433 is open in your firewall.
• To restart the SQL Server service:

sudo systemctl restart mssql-server

Other Versions!

• SQL Server Express
• SQL Server Web
• SQL Server Standard
• SQL Server Enterprise
• SQL Server 2022
• SQL Server 2019
• SQL Server 2017

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