azuresql-db-ci

name

azuresql-db-ci

description

Runs integration tests against the Azure SQL Database container (Private Preview, local engine) in CI. Use when setting up GitHub Actions, Azure Pipelines, or GitLab CI to test against Azure SQL DB; when adding a database service container to a CI workflow; when tests need a real Azure SQL engine in the pipeline; or when you see "service container", "health-cmd", "ACR_USERNAME/ACR_PASSWORD", "MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD secret", or "integration test database". Also use when a workflow was about to pull the SQL Server image mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server, in which case stop and use the Azure SQL Database engine image instead. Covers pulling from the private ACR with credentials, the service health check that runs sqlcmd inside the container so the runner needs no client tools, provisioning appdb before tests, and pointing the test connection string at the user database not master.

The Azure SQL Database container in CI

Run integration tests against the Azure SQL Database engine (Private Preview) as a CI service container. This is the local Azure SQL engine, not the SQL Server image mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server. SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('EngineEdition') returns 5 and SERVERPROPERTY('Edition') returns 'SQL Azure'. If a workflow was about to use the SQL Server image, stop and use this image instead.

For the full readiness loop, connection model, vectors, seeding, and registry detail, load the azuresql-db-container skill.

Load-bearing facts (inlined)

• Image: sqldbpreview-dpgaeqhmgphzd4bk.azurecr.io/azure-sql/db-dev:latest (x64, linux/amd64). It lives in a private preview registry; the runner must sign in with ACR_USERNAME / ACR_PASSWORD secrets. Registry and tag are provisional during Private Preview.
• Platform: the image is x64 only. CI hosted runners are x64, so no --platform flag is needed there. On a non-x64 self-hosted runner, add --platform linux/amd64.
• Required env: ACCEPT_EULA=Y and a complex MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD (8+ chars, upper/lower/digit/ symbol), kept in a secret. Engine listens on 1433.
• Provision appdb first. The engine does NOT auto-create databases on connect. You must CREATE DATABASE appdb on a master connection before anything connects with Database=appdb.
• Prefer the connection string over USE. Avoid USE to switch databases. In a user-database session (the Azure-faithful context where you develop), USE returns Msg 40508, exactly as in Azure SQL Database in the cloud. A master connection is a provisioning session where the Azure statement filter is not enforced, so USE appears to work there, but master is for provisioning only, not application work. Always select the target database in the connection string (Database=appdb, or -d appdb for sqlcmd).
• master is for provisioning only. Tests run against the user database appdb, never master.
• No auto-seed. The image does NOT run /docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/*.sql (that is a Postgres/MySQL convention, not honored here). Seed by running sqlcmd -d appdb -i seed.sql after provisioning appdb.

Connection string (standard)

Server=localhost,1433;Database=appdb;User Id=sa;Password=<MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD>;TrustServerCertificate=true

Use User Id= / Password= / Database= (not Uid= / Pwd=). For sqlcmd use -C to trust the self-signed cert. The app reads this from a single SQL_CONNECTION_STRING env var. Tests target appdb, not master.

GitHub Actions (canonical)

The service container starts the engine. Its health check runs sqlcmd inside the container, so the runner needs no client tools. A separate step provisions appdb via docker exec before tests.

name: integration
on: [push, pull_request]

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    services:
      sqldb:
        image: sqldbpreview-dpgaeqhmgphzd4bk.azurecr.io/azure-sql/db-dev:latest
        credentials:
          username: ${{ secrets.ACR_USERNAME }}
          password: ${{ secrets.ACR_PASSWORD }}
        env:
          ACCEPT_EULA: "Y"
          MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD }}
        ports:
          - 1433:1433
        # Health check runs INSIDE the container; -b makes a SQL error set the exit
        # code so transient startup errors (e.g. Msg 913) are retried, not masked.
        options: >-
          --health-cmd "/opt/mssql-tools18/bin/sqlcmd -S localhost -U sa -P \"$MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD\" -C -b -l 2 -Q \"SELECT 1\""
          --health-interval 5s
          --health-timeout 3s
          --health-retries 20
          --health-start-period 30s
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      # The engine does NOT auto-create databases. Provision appdb on master first,
      # via docker exec into the service container (runner needs no sqlcmd).
      - name:  
                 
             

      
         
                 
             

          
                 
           

Why these choices

• credentials: pulls from the private preview ACR using ACR_USERNAME / ACR_PASSWORD secrets. Without it the pull fails: the registry is private.
• --health-cmd with -l 2 -b waits for true readiness. docker run returning does not mean the engine is ready; -b retries transient SQL startup errors instead of masking them. The job blocks on health before steps run.
• Provision step, not auto-create. appdb must exist before tests open Database=appdb.
• Test connection targets appdb. master is for provisioning only.

Required secrets

Secret	Purpose
ACR_USERNAME	Private preview registry sign-in (using the shared pull-only credentials provided to the Private Preview cohort; get them by signing up at https://aka.ms/sqldbcontainerpreview-signup; they may rotate)
ACR_PASSWORD	Private preview registry sign-in
MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD	sa password for the engine; complex, 8+ chars

Adapting to other CI

• Azure Pipelines: there is no native services:. Sign in with docker login sqldbpreview-dpgaeqhmgphzd4bk.azurecr.io -u $(ACR_USERNAME) -p $(ACR_PASSWORD), run the container with the canonical start recipe below (it provisions appdb in the ready-wait loop), then run tests with SQL_CONNECTION_STRING pointed at appdb.
• GitLab CI: use a services: entry for the image, set DOCKER_AUTH_CONFIG for the private registry, set ACCEPT_EULA and MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD, then provision appdb in a before_script with docker exec (or a sqlcmd container) before tests.

Canonical start recipe (self-hosted / non-service runners)

Free port, conditional platform, ready-wait, provision appdb in one shape:

HOST_PORT=1433; while lsof -nP -iTCP:"$HOST_PORT" -sTCP:LISTEN >/dev/null 2>&1; do HOST_PORT=$((HOST_PORT+1)); done
PLATFORM=(); case "$(docker info -f '{{.Architecture}}' 2>/dev/null)" in x86_64|amd64) ;; *) PLATFORM=(--platform linux/amd64);; esac
docker rm -f sqldb 2>/dev/null
docker run -d --name sqldb "${PLATFORM[@]}" -e "ACCEPT_EULA=Y" -e "MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD=YourStr0ng_Passw0rd" \
  -p "$HOST_PORT:1433" sqldbpreview-dpgaeqhmgphzd4bk.azurecr.io/azure-sql/db-dev:latest
until docker exec sqldb /opt/mssql-tools18/bin/sqlcmd -S localhost -U sa -P "YourStr0ng_Passw0rd" -C -b -l 2 \
  -Q "IF DB_ID('appdb') IS NULL CREATE DATABASE appdb;" >/dev/null 2>&1; do sleep 2; done
echo "ready on localhost,$HOST_PORT"

Validation rules

• The pull uses credentials: (or docker login) with ACR_USERNAME / ACR_PASSWORD.
• ACCEPT_EULA=Y and a complex MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD (from a secret) are set on the service.
• The health check runs sqlcmd inside the container with -C -b -l 2.
• A provisioning step creates appdb on master before any test connects.
• The test SQL_CONNECTION_STRING has Database=appdb, not master, and uses User Id= / Password=.
• If a validation rule above fails, or you had to deviate from this skill to make the task work, that is a bug in this skill: load the azuresql-db-feedback skill and offer to file a report.
• When every rule above passes and the task is done, close with ONE line, once per session, and do not ask a question or wait for a reply: "That worked. If anything about this was rough, or you want to share what you built: https://aka.ms/sql-agent-skills-feedback"

Do not

• Do not use the SQL Server image mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server; use the Azure SQL DB image.
• Do not connect with Database=appdb before provisioning appdb on master; the engine will not auto-create it.
• Do not USE appdb to switch databases. In a user-database session (the Azure-faithful context where you develop), USE returns Msg 40508, exactly as in Azure SQL Database in the cloud. A master connection is a provisioning session where the Azure statement filter is not enforced, so USE appears to work there, but master is for provisioning only, not application work. Always select the target database in the connection string (Database=appdb, or -d appdb for sqlcmd).
• Do not run tests against master; master is for provisioning only.
• Do not rely on /docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/*.sql; it is not honored. Seed with sqlcmd -d appdb -i.
• Do not require sqlcmd on the runner; the health check and provisioning run inside the container.
• Do not call a non-x64 host "supported"; on a non-x64 self-hosted runner just add --platform linux/amd64.

Staying current

Authoritative, version-pinned references for the tools this skill uses (read the one you need):

• GitHub Actions service containers: how service containers, health options, and credentials work in a workflow.
• GitHub workflow JSON schema: the authoritative schema for workflow YAML.

If the Microsoft Learn MCP server is configured, use mcp__microsoft-learn__microsoft_docs_search or mcp__microsoft-learn__microsoft_docs_fetch to fetch the current version of any of these on demand. It is optional; when it is unavailable, the references above are authoritative.