How to Install SQL Server on Linux (Ubuntu Installation Guide)

Since SQL Server 2017, it hasn’t been a Windows-only product anymore. With native Linux support, it now runs everywhere from Docker containers to production Ubuntu servers. This guide walks through installing SQL Server on Ubuntu step by step, which version pairs with which Ubuntu release, and the security steps to take right after installation.

Which SQL Server Version Runs on Which Ubuntu Release?

Picking the right Ubuntu/SQL Server pairing matters before you start — the wrong combination means the package repository simply won’t resolve, and the install fails at the first step. Per Microsoft’s official Ubuntu installation documentation, the current support matrix is:

This guide walks through the most widely deployed combination, SQL Server 2022 on Ubuntu 22.04. The steps are identical for other versions — only the repository URLs change.

Installation Steps

1. Import the Microsoft Package Repository Key

curl -fsSL https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/microsoft-prod.gpg

2. Register the SQL Server Repository

For Ubuntu 22.04 with SQL Server 2022:

sudo add-apt-repository "$(wget -qO- https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/22.04/mssql-server-2022.list)"

3. Install the SQL Server Package

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y mssql-server

4. Run mssql-conf Setup

sudo /opt/mssql/bin/mssql-conf setup

This prompts you to choose an edition (Evaluation, Developer and Express are free) and set a password for the sa account.

5. Verify the Service Is Running

systemctl status mssql-server --no-pager

6. Open the Firewall for Remote Connections

If you’ll connect from another machine, open port 1433:

sudo ufw allow 1433/tcp

Installing the sqlcmd Command-Line Tool

You’ll need sqlcmd to connect from the command line. On Ubuntu 20.04 and later:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y mssql-tools18 unixodbc-dev

Add sqlcmd to your PATH so you don’t have to type the full path every session:

echo 'export PATH="$PATH:/opt/mssql-tools18/bin"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Quick Test: Creating a Database

To confirm the installation actually works, connect locally and create a simple database:

sqlcmd -S localhost -U sa -P '<your_password>'

Once connected:

CREATE DATABASE TestDB;
GO

USE TestDB;
GO

CREATE TABLE dbo.Inventory
(
    id INT,
    name NVARCHAR(50),
    quantity INT,
    PRIMARY KEY (id)
);
GO

INSERT INTO dbo.Inventory VALUES (1, 'box', 150);
INSERT INTO dbo.Inventory VALUES (2, 'pallet', 40);
GO

SELECT * FROM dbo.Inventory WHERE quantity > 100;
GO

QUIT

If you see the result row come back, the installation is complete.

Right After Installation: What to Do First

• Disable the sa account in production. After your first login, create a dedicated sysadmin login under your own name and disable sa — this meaningfully reduces your attack surface.
• Set up a backup strategy from day one. SQL Server on Linux uses the exact same backup/restore mechanism as on Windows — schedule regular full/differential/log backups with a maintenance plan or your own script.
• Cap memory and CPU limits. By default SQL Server tries to use all available server memory. On a shared server, limit it with mssql-conf‘s memory.memorylimitmb setting.

Frequently Asked Questions