SQL Server Schema Management

Use this skill for creating and modifying database schemas, writing migration scripts, and applying DDL best practices.

CREATE TABLE — Data Type Guide

CREATE TABLE dbo.Customers (
    -- Integer IDs
    CustomerID      INT             NOT NULL IDENTITY(1,1),  -- INT (up to ~2.1B rows); use BIGINT for very large tables
    ExternalRef     BIGINT          NULL,                     -- BIGINT when interfacing with external systems

    -- Strings
    CompanyName     NVARCHAR(200)   NOT NULL,                 -- NVARCHAR for Unicode (internationalization)
    CountryCode     CHAR(2)         NOT NULL,                 -- CHAR for fixed-length strings (ISO codes, etc.)
    Notes           NVARCHAR(MAX)   NULL,                     -- MAX only when truly variable length > 4000 chars