SQL Server Database: Create, Alter, Drop & Restore

โšก Okos รถsszefoglalรณ

SQL Server databases are containers that hold tables, views, stored procedures, and other objects. Creating, altering, dropping, and restoring a database can be done through SQL Server Management Studio or with Transact-SQL statements.

  • ๐Ÿ—„๏ธ adatbรกzis: A SQL Server database stores tables, views, procedures, and functions in one organized, interlinked container.
  • ๐Ÿงฉ System vs User: System databases (master, msdb, model, tempdb, resource) install automatically; user databases are created by you.
  • ๐Ÿ–ฑ๏ธ Teremt: Add a database through the Object Explorer New Database dialog or with the CREATE DATABASE statement.
  • โœ๏ธ Alter: Rename a database or change its files and options using ALTER DATABASE or the Rename menu.
  • ๐Ÿ—‘๏ธ Csepp: Remove a user database with DROP DATABASE or the Delete option; system databases cannot be dropped.
  • ๐Ÿ’พ Visszaรกllรญtรกs: Rebuild a database from a .bak backup file using the RESTORE DATABASE command.

SQL Server Database Create, Alter, Drop, and Restore

Mi az adatbรกzis?

A database is a collection of objects such as asztalok, views, stored procedures, triggers, and functions. In SQL Server, a database is the organized home where all of these related objects are stored and interlinked.

Consider a few examples from real life:

  • A bookcase is where books reside.
  • A home is where we live.
  • A parking lot is where vehicles are parked, and such examples are countless.

Similarly, a database is a kind of home for all of our tables, views, and stored procedures. Technically, a database stores data in a well-organized manner for easy access and retrieval. In SQL Server, there are two types of databases:

  • System databases: These are created automatically when you install SQL Server. They play a crucial role in the server, especially in ensuring that database objects run correctly. Examples of SQL Server system databases include master, msdb, model, tempdb, and resource.
  • User databases: These are created by database users like you, who have been granted access to create databases.

Adatbรกzis lรฉtrehozรกsรกnak szabรกlyai

First, you need to know the basic rules for creating a new database:

  • Az adatbรกzisneveknek egyedinek kell lenniรผk az SQL Server egy pรฉldรกnyรกn belรผl.
  • Az adatbรกzisok neve legfeljebb 128 karakterbล‘l รกllhat.
  • The CREATE DATABASE statement must run in auto-commit mode.

The image below outlines the two available approaches for creating a database in SQL Server.

Two ways to create a SQL Server database: Management Studio and Transact-SQL

There are 2 ways to create a database in SQL Server:

Adatbรกzis lรฉtrehozรกsa az SQL Server Management Studio alkalmazรกsban

Here is a step-by-step process to create a database in SQL Server Management Studio:

Step 1) Right-click on โ€˜Databaseโ€™ in the โ€˜Object Explorerโ€™ window and then select โ€˜New Database.โ€™

The right-click menu with the New Database option is shown below.

Right-click menu on the Database node in Object Explorer with New Database selected

Step 2) The โ€˜New Databaseโ€™ screen appears. Enter a โ€˜Database nameโ€™. The โ€˜Logical Nameโ€™ column is auto-populated with:

  • Edu โ€“ Filetype: Rows Data and Filegroup: PRIMARY
  • Edu_log โ€“ Filetype: LOG and Filegroup: โ€˜Not Applicableโ€™

The New Database dialog with the database name and its logical files is shown below.

New Database dialog showing the Edu database name and Edu and Edu_log logical files

Itt:

  • A) Edu (Filetype: Rows Data, Filegroup: PRIMARY) is the .mdf data file.
  • B) Edu_log (Filetype: LOG, Filegroup: โ€˜Not Applicableโ€™) is the .ldf log file.

Step 3) (Optional) For more complex settings, you can navigate to the โ€˜Optionsโ€™ and โ€˜Filegroupsโ€™ pages. At beginner level, creating the database from the General tab will suffice.

The Options and Filegroups pages are shown below.

New Database Options and Filegroups pages for advanced settings

Step 4) Click on โ€˜Addโ€™ (the OK button) to create the database.

The button that confirms creation is highlighted below.

OK button in the New Database dialog that creates the Edu database

Eredmรฉny: The โ€˜Eduโ€™ database is created. You can expand the database โ€˜Eduโ€™, which will contain Tables, Views, and so on. These are initially blank until you create new tables, views, etc.

Object Explorer showing the newly created Edu database with its blank folders

Tekintse meg a forrรกslekรฉrdezรฉst: You can view the source query of the newly created โ€˜Eduโ€™ database. Navigate as follows: Right-click on the database name > Script Database as > CREATE To > New Query Editor Window.

Script Database as CREATE To New Query Editor Window context menu

Lekรฉrdezรฉsi ablak: The generated CREATE script opens in a new query window, as shown below.

Query editor window displaying the auto-generated CREATE DATABASE script for Edu

Szkript lรฉtrehozรกsa:

USE [master]
GO

CREATE DATABASE [Edu]
 CONTAINMENT = NONE
 ON  PRIMARY 
( NAME = N'Edu', FILENAME = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.SQL_MS\MSSQL\DATA\Edu.mdf' , SIZE = 8192KB , MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED, FILEGROWTH = 65536KB )
 LOG ON 
( NAME = N'Edu_log', FILENAME = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.SQL_MS\MSSQL\DATA\Edu_log.ldf' , SIZE = 8192KB , MAXSIZE = 2048GB , FILEGROWTH = 65536KB )

Adatbรกzis lรฉtrehozรกsa T-SQL-lel

Another method is to write a T-SQL query to create a database and then execute it. Let us look at the simplest database-creation T-SQL query.

Syntax:

CREATE DATABASE <Database_name>

Keresรฉs:

CREATE DATABASE [Edu_TSQL_file]

Click on โ€˜Executeโ€™ to run the query, as shown below.

Execute button in the SSMS toolbar used to run the CREATE DATABASE query

Eredmรฉny: You can see Edu_TSQL_file created in the SQL Object Explorer.

Object Explorer listing the Edu_TSQL_file database created with Transact-SQL

Now let us look at how to create a database with explicit .mdf and .ldf files. Here, you can give the file location as an explicit part of the query.

Syntax:

CREATE DATABASE database_name   
[ CONTAINMENT = { NONE | PARTIAL } ]  
[ ON   
      [ PRIMARY ] <filespec> [ ,...n ]   
      [ , <filegroup> [ ,...n ] ]   
      [ LOG ON <filespec> [ ,...n ] ]   
];

Keresรฉs:

CREATE DATABASE [Edu_TSQL_file]
 CONTAINMENT = NONE
 ON  PRIMARY 
( NAME = N'Edu_TSQL_file', FILENAME = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.SQL_MS\MSSQL\DATA\Edu_TSQL_file.mdf' , SIZE = 8192KB , MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED, FILEGROWTH = 65536KB )
 LOG ON 
( NAME = N'Edu_TSQL_file_log', FILENAME = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.SQL_MS\MSSQL\DATA\Edu_TSQL_file_log.ldf' , SIZE = 8192KB , MAXSIZE = 2048GB , FILEGROWTH = 65536KB )

The database created with its explicit data and log files appears in Object Explorer, as shown below.

Object Explorer showing the Edu_TSQL_file database created with explicit .mdf and .ldf files

Hogyan vรกltoztassuk meg az adatbรกzist

Like the CREATE DATABASE query, you can also alter a database. You can rename the database, change a file location or setting, and more.

Basic rules for altering a database:

  • The ALTER DATABASE statement must run in auto-commit mode.
  • Az ALTER DATABASE nem engedรฉlyezett explicit vagy implicit tranzakciรณkban.

There are 2 ways to alter a database in SQL Server:

  • SQL Server Management Studio
  • -SQL

Adatbรกzis mรณdosรญtรกsa az SQL Server Management Studio alkalmazรกsban

Below are the steps to alter a database in SQL Server Management Studio. Let us try to alter the name of our pre-created database โ€˜Eduโ€™. The pre-created Edu database is shown below in Object Explorer.

Pre-created Edu database selected in the Object Explorer database list

Step 1) Rename the database. Right-click on the database name and click on โ€˜Renameโ€™.

Right-click context menu on the Edu database with the Rename option

Step 2) The database name becomes editable. Enter the new name and press Enter.

Editable Edu database name field ready for a new name

Eredmรฉny: The database is now renamed as โ€œEdu_Alterโ€ from โ€˜Eduโ€™.

Object Explorer showing the database renamed from Edu to Edu_Alter

Adatbรกzis mรณdosรญtรกsa Transact-SQL-lel

Now let us alter a database using T-SQL.

Syntax:

ALTER DATABASE <Databse_name>              
MODIFY NAME = <New Name>

Keresรฉs:

ALTER DATABASE Edu_TSQL
MODIFY NAME = Edu_TSQL_Alter;

Futtassa a fenti lekรฉrdezรฉst a "Vรฉgrehajtรกs" gombra kattintva.

Eredmรฉny: The database is now renamed as โ€œEdu_TSQL_Alterโ€ from โ€˜Edu_TSQLโ€™, as shown below.

Object Explorer showing the database renamed to Edu_TSQL_Alter after ALTER DATABASE

รltalรกnos szintaxis: The full ALTER DATABASE syntax supports many options, including renaming, collation, file options, and the compatibility level.

ALTER DATABASE { database_name  | CURRENT }  
{   MODIFY NAME = new_database_name   
  | COLLATE collation_name  
  | <file_and_filegroup_options>  
  | SET <option_spec> [ ,...n ] [ WITH <termination> ] 
  | SET COMPATIBILITY_LEVEL = { 140 | 130 | 120 | 110 | 100 | 90 }   
} ;

Jegyzet: The compatibility levels shown above reflect older releases. Current versions add 150 (SQL Server 2019), 160 (SQL Server 2022), and 170 (SQL Server 2025), while still supporting several earlier levels.

Changing the .mdf/.ldf file name

Keresรฉs:

Alter DATABASE Edu_TSQL_Alter;
MODIFY FILE ( NAME = Edu_TSQL, NEWNAME = Edu_TSQL_newName );

The renamed logical file is reflected in the database properties, as shown below.

Database properties confirming the renamed logical file Edu_TSQL_newName

Changing the .mdf/.ldf file location

Keresรฉs:

Alter DATABASE Edu_TSQL_Alter;
MODIFY FILE ( NAME = Edu_TSQL_NewName, FILENAME = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.SQL_MS\MSSQL\DATA\New_File\Edu_TSQL_log.ldf' );

The updated file path for the database is shown below.

Database file page showing the new .ldf log file location

Adatbรกzis tรถrlรฉse

There are 2 ways to delete (drop) a database in SQL Server:

  • SQL Server Management Studio
  • -SQL

Adatbรกzis tรถrlรฉse az SQL Server Management Studio alkalmazรกsban

Following is the process to drop a database in SQL Server Management Studio. Let us try to delete our pre-created database โ€˜Edu_Alterโ€™.

Step 1) Right-click on the database, click on โ€˜Deleteโ€™, and then click โ€˜OKโ€™.

Delete Object dialog for dropping the Edu_Alter database in SSMS

Eredmรฉny: โ€˜Edu_Alterโ€™ is deleted from the โ€˜Object Explorerโ€™ database list.

Object Explorer database list after the Edu_Alter database was deleted

Tรถrรถlje az adatbรกzist a Transact-SQL hasznรกlatรกval

Let us try to delete our pre-created database โ€˜Edu_TSQL_Alterโ€™.

Syntax:

DROP DATABASE <Databse_name>

Keresรฉs:

USE master;  
GO  
DROP DATABASE Edu_TSQL_Alter;  
GO

Futtassa a fenti lekรฉrdezรฉst a "Vรฉgrehajtรกs" gombra kattintva.

Eredmรฉny: โ€˜Edu_TSQL_Alterโ€™ is deleted from the โ€˜Object Explorerโ€™ database list, as shown below.

Object Explorer database list after the Edu_TSQL_Alter database was dropped with T-SQL

Adatbรกzis visszaรกllรญtรกsa az SQL Serverben

You can create a database by restoring a database that you had backed up earlier. It can be done by running the RESTORE DATABASE command, which takes the following syntax:

restore Database <database name> from disk = '<Backup file location + filename>

The query should be executed within the query window, just like the previous commands. For example:

restore database Edu from disk = 'C:\Backup\Edu_full_backup.bak'

You can also use the GUI navigation: Right-click on Database > Restore Database > Device > import the backup file > click OK.

GYIK

Creating a database requires CREATE DATABASE, CREATE ANY DATABASE, or ALTER ANY DATABASE permission in the master database. A member of the sysadmin or dbcreator server role, or a suitably granted Belรฉpรฉs, can run the statement.

A single SQL Server instance can hold up to 32,767 databases. That figure is a hard architectural limit; in practice, memory, storage, and administration overhead make far smaller numbers advisable for good performance.

No. System databases such as master, model, msdb, tempdb, and resource are required by the engine and cannot be dropped. Only user databases that you create can be deleted with DROP DATABASE or the Delete option.

SIZE sets the initial file size, MAXSIZE sets the largest size the file may grow to, and FILEGROWTH sets how much space is added each time the file expands. They apply to both the data and log files.

COMPATIBILITY_LEVEL controls which query-processing behavior a database uses. Current values include 140 (SQL Server 2017), 150 (2019), 160 (2022), and 170 (2025). ALTER DATABASE SET COMPATIBILITY_LEVEL changes it without moving the database to a new server.

DROP DATABASE permanently deletes the database and its .mdf and .ldf files. Taking a database OFFLINE only stops access while leaving the files on disk, so you can bring it back online later without a restore.

Igen. GitHub mรกsodpilรณta can draft CREATE DATABASE, ALTER DATABASE, and DROP DATABASE statements from natural-language prompts inside SSMS or your editor. Always review generated file paths, sizes, and options before running them on a real server.

AI and machine learning assist provisioning by recommending file sizes and growth settings, forecasting capacity, spotting configuration drift, and flagging risky DROP or ALTER operations. They support the database administrator rather than replacing careful review.

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