SQL Server on Linux via Docker

1. Get Docker (if it is not already running)

2. Get the SQL Server on Linux for Docker Engine image

   I'm running Docker on MacOS, I will use the SQL Server on Linux for Docker Engine at Docker Hub

   docker pull microsoft/mssql-server-linux
   

3. Set the settings and start the container

   SQL Server on Linux for Docker Engine requires an environment setting to accept the EULA and set a strong SA password:

   ACCEPT_EULA = Y
   SA_PASSWORD = <your password>
   

   Run this in the terminal:

   docker run -e 'ACCEPT_EULA=Y' -e 'SA_PASSWORD=yourStrong(!)Password' -p 1433:1433 -d microsoft/mssql-server-linux
   

4. Copy a backup to the container

   docker cp '/tmp/DatabaseName.bak' mssql-server-linux:/tmp
   

5. Restore the backup

   RESTORE DATABASE DatabaseName FROM DISK='/tmp/DatabaseName.bak'
   WITH MOVE 'DatabaseName' TO '/var/opt/mssql/data/DatabaseName.MDF',
   MOVE 'DatabaseName_log' TO '/var/opt/mssql/data/DatabaseName_log.ldf'
   Go
   

6. Connect with a docker command or an IDE like DataGrip

Using SQL Server for Linux in Docker has allowed me to continue to develop using a Linux distro or macOS without needing to set up a VM to run the database backend.