: You can run an entire SQL Server Express instance inside a container on any machine with Docker installed (Windows, Linux, or macOS).
, but LocalDB gives you:
The most popular solution is (often found on sites like PortableApps.com or via specific developer GitHub repos). ms sql server express portable
Students loved it. One learner, Priya, used the portable drive to practice on her old laptop at home. She accidentally corrupted a table while testing cascade deletes — and then smiled when Evan showed her how to restore the .ldf-backed copy and replay a transaction log. Another student, Malik, adapted Evan's scripts to teach backups: he scheduled nightly compact copies of the sample databases on the drive and emailed summaries to the class. : You can run an entire SQL Server
Last updated: October 2025. Tested on Windows 11 with SQL Server 2019 LocalDB. One learner, Priya, used the portable drive to