Overview of Databases (SQL Server Compact)
You can create or connect to a Microsoft SQL Server Compact database on a desktop computer.
A SQL Server Compact database is stored in a file with the .sdf extension. The file contains the complete contents of the database and can be up to 4 GB. SQL Server Compact can access and modify the database file on desktop computers by using Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1 and other tools.
By using either Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1 or Transact-SQL statements, you can connect to an existing database on a desktop. You can also create and modify databases from a desktop. You can then view the design of that database in a tree hierarchy by using the object tree. Each node has a shortcut menu with commands for modifying the database or retrieving information about the database.
Some of the functions you can perform in a SQL Server Compact database include the following:
Creating, deleting, and editing tables and the associated data.
Creating, maintaining, and deleting indexes.
Examining information schema views and data types.
You can use Transact-SQL commands, including data manipulation language (DML), data definition language (DDL), and functions, with the SQL Server Compact database.
You can also ASP.NET web applications with a database that is exposed through native and managed APIs.
See Also
Concepts
Understanding Databases (SQL Server Compact)
Common Database Tasks (SQL Server Compact)
Maintaining Databases (SQL Server Compact)