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I haven't used SQL Server in a long time and was setting it up.

It appears I can connect to the server using the following 3 strings.

(LocalDB)\.

this connects to the local database instance of SQL Express.

.

this connects to my SQL Server instance

.\SQLEXPRESS

this connects to the SQL Express instance (not the same as the LocalDB instance).

I thought that the period after (LocalDB) meant to use the default instance. But what does it mean in the other two instances? is period just a symbol for "default", and the default is SQL Server? and then SQL Express is installed under that? or are there two meanings for the period sign.

Dale K
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James Joshua Street
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1 Answers1

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. means searching the local machine to find the first instance installed;

.\SQLEXPRESS locate the instance named 'SQLEXPRESS' in the local machine.

You can get more details from SQL Server Connection Strings for ASP.NET Web Applications

Shawn Xiao
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