Installing the free database engine
The installer asks many questions. Most accept the default. A few deserve your attention.
The choices that matter
- Instance name. A named instance keeps this install separate from any other on the machine.
- Authentication mode. Mixed mode lets you create a database login for your web application, which is convenient in development.
- Service account. A dedicated account is tidier than a personal one, even on a practice machine.
- Collation. The default is right for most learners. Change it only if you have a specific reason.
Record the password. If you choose mixed mode, write down the administrator password somewhere safe. Losing it means a reinstall.
After it finishes
Open the management tool and confirm you can connect to the instance by name. If that works, the engine is running and you can move on.
Next, make it reachable from your web project in making the database reachable from your site.