Query Editor Overview
The Query Editor is the primary interface for writing, testing, and executing T‑SQL scripts. It provides a rich set of UI elements to improve productivity, including toolbars, result panes, IntelliSense, and customizable settings.
Overview
Toolbar
Results Pane
Keyboard Shortcuts
Customization
The editor window is divided into three main sections: the code pane, the status bar, and the results pane (which appears after query execution).
The toolbar provides quick access to common actions.
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| ▶️ Execute | Run the selected batch or entire script |
| 🛑 Cancel | Stop a running query |
| 💾 Save | Save the script to a file |
| 🔍 Query Options | Open the execution settings dialog |
After execution, results appear in one of three tabs: Results, Messages, and Execution Plan.
SELECT TOP 10 name, system_name
FROM sys.databases
ORDER BY name;Common keyboard shortcuts:
- F5 / Ctrl+E – Execute query
- Ctrl+R – Show/Hide Results Pane
- Ctrl+M – Include Actual Execution Plan
- Ctrl+Shift+U – Uppercase selection
- Ctrl+Shift+L – Lowercase selection
Personalize the editor via Tools → Options → Text Editor → Transact‑SQL. Settings include:
- IntelliSense behavior
- Snippet insertion
- Font and colors
- Code folding preferences