This book focuses on using SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (SSE) to design and build your desktop and web applications. In addition to the tools supplied with SSE, Visual Basic Express 2005 and Web Express 2005 are used to for application development. The features that are unique to SSE such as Xcopy, User Instances, and deployment are also covered in detail. The Microsoft SQL Server Books Online focuses primarily on other editions of SQL Server, and the details specific to its free edition is often lost. You can use this book not only to jump start your database application development, but also as a reference on SSE features.
This book assumes you have very little background with either databases or programming. You may never have created a single application of any kind. No prior programming experience is required, but you should have an aptitude for working with software and a desire to learn. If you have a desire to learn and an interest in storing information in a database—and in creating drop-dead simple applications to work with the data—this book has a lot to offer. The step-by-step samples cover all the major scenarios SSE is designed for, from installation and development to debugging and deployment.
Alternatively, if you are a more experienced developer, you may find this book useful because it describes a number of new features that are unique to SSE that make working with SSE much easier than with its predecessor, MSDE. You get an insight into the SSE design and architecture from the authors who are intimately involved in the creation of many of these features. In addition, you will find useful information about the various deployment and programmatic features that are not properly documented.