Updated Download Northwind Database
Northwind didn't start as a massive open-source project. It was originally included with Microsoft Access in the early 1990s and later shipped with SQL Server 2000. It was designed to showcase the power of relational database engines in a world that was just transitioning from spreadsheets to true RDBMS (Relational Database Management Systems).
For modern SQL Server environments (2019, 2022, or SQL Azure), the most reliable way to obtain the database is through the official Microsoft GitHub repository or script-based installations. download northwind database
| Format | Source / Location | Notes | |--------|------------------|-------| | | Microsoft GitHub repository: Microsoft/sql-server-samples → samples/databases/northwind-pubs | The original script. Creates schema and inserts data. | | Microsoft Access (.accdb/.mdb) | Microsoft templates archive (via Office templates) or GitHub | Original 90s Access database file. | | SQLite (.db) | GitHub search: northwind.sqlite (community maintained) | Popular for mobile/local development. | | MySQL / PostgreSQL | GitHub repos (e.g., dvdh/northwind-mysql , pthom/northwind_psql ) | Community ports with adjusted syntax. | | CSV files | Kaggle dataset "Northwind" or data.world | Tables as individual CSV exports. | Northwind didn't start as a massive open-source project
