Q:

Installing SQL Server 2016 for Azure development

Coming from a dev background, I'm not an expert in SQL Server. When installing SQL Server 2016, I have the option of installing three different components:

New SQL Server stand-alone installation
SQL Server Management Tools
SQL Server Data Tools

I'm only interested in SQL Azure development with Visual Studio. The question is should I only install the last two items on my local machine? Do I need the full-blown SQL Server 2016 from the first item?

A:

If you're not planning on deploying to a local SQL Server database engine, you can skip that section from the installer, yes.

