Sarah wrote on her blog that night:
She packaged her app as a ClickOnce installer. No prerequisite for SQL Server. No 2GB download. No "run as administrator." LocalDB was just a —a 50MB setup that ran in seconds.
LocalDB is a local instance of SQL Server that runs on your machine, without the need for a separate server process. It's designed for development and testing, and is ideal for use cases where a full-fledged SQL Server instance is not required.
For the first time in months, she closed her laptop at 5:00 PM and carried it home in her bag. The battery was still at 73%.
By following this guide, you should be able to install, configure, and use Microsoft SQL Server Express LocalDB for your development and testing needs.
Her senior colleague, Marcus, had noticed her struggle. He slid a sticky note across their shared desk. On it, he had written one word:
