sql server express connection string

Question

Is there a difference between sql server connection string and the express vesion?!

Answer 1

By default (though I don't recommend it¹), Sql Express is installed as a named instance. That means you must connect like Server=servername.com\SQLEXPRESS as opposed to just Server=servername.com.

As always, connectionstrings.com has the goodies.

¹ I don't recommend named instances because they run on a different port, which makes firewalling a PITA. Also, it makes little sense to me to run more than 1 MSSQL Server on a computer when you could just host multiple databases instead - so I'm not really sure what the point is.

Answer 2

Yes there is a difference- the big one being you won't have AttachDbFilename in the full SQL Server.

SQL Server Express connection string:

Server=.\SQLExpress;AttachDbFilename=c:\mydbfile.mdf;Database=dbname; Trusted_Connection=Yes;

Typical normal SQL Server connection string:

Data Source=myServerAddress;Initial Catalog=myDataBase;Integrated Security=SSPI;

See connectionStrings.com for more info.