'How can I generate an entity–relationship (ER) diagram of a database using Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio?

I want to generate an ER diagram of an SQL database using Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SMSS). However, I don’t know how to.

I found this technique online: Making ER Diagram from SQL Server 2008 Database

However, I am not able to see "Database Node" or "Database Diagrams" nodes as mentioned in the first and second steps.

Hence, how can I generate an ER diagram from an existing database?

From the comments, I realize that I was right in my understanding that Database node means the node with my database name. But then my problem is I am not able to find the "Database Diagrams" node under my Database name. What should I do so that I can see it?

PS: It’s not a local database.

sql-serverentity-relationship


Solution 1:[1]

  1. Go to SQL Server Management Studio ?
  2. Object Explorer ?
  3. Databases ?
  4. Choose and expand your database.
  5. Under your database, right click on "Database Diagrams" and select "New Database Diagram".
  6. It will a open a new window. Choose tables to include in the ER diagram (to select multiple tables, press Ctrl or Shift key and select tables).
  7. Click Add.
  8. Wait for it to complete. Done!

You can save the generated diagram for future use.

Screenshot

Solution 2:[2]

Diagrams are back as of the 2019-06-11 release

Download the latest

As stated:

Yes, we’ve heard the feedback; Database Diagrams is back.

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 18.1 is now generally available

Note: The latest version does not include it

Sadly, the last version of SSMS to have database diagrams as a feature was version v17.9.

Since that version, the newer preview versions starting at v18.* have, in their words "...feature has been deprecated".

Hope is not lost though, for one can still download and use v17.9 to use database diagrams which, as an aside for this question, is technically not an ER diagramming tool.

As of this writing it is unclear if the release version of 18 will have the feature. I hope so because it is a feature I use extensively.

Solution 3:[3]

From Object Explorer in SQL Server Management Studio, find your database and expand the node (click on the + sign beside your database). The first item from that expanded tree is Database Diagrams. Right-click on that and you'll see various tasks including creating a new database diagram. If you've never created one before, it'll ask if you want to install the components for creating diagrams. Click yes then proceed.

Solution 4:[4]

As of 2019-10, for SQL Server Management Studio, they did not upgrade it to add the create ER Diagram feature.

I would suggest try using DBeaver:

I am using both Mac and Windows and I was able to download the community edition. I logged into my SQL server database and was able to create the ER diagram using the DBeaver.

ER Diagram using the Community Version database viewer

Sources

This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Overflow and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Source: Stack Overflow

Solution Source
Solution 1 Peter Mortensen
Solution 2 Peter Mortensen
Solution 3 SQLmojoe
Solution 4 Peter Mortensen

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