SQL Server Gets PHP Support, Java Support on the Way

Microsoft today has announced new interoperability for SQL Server and Azure SQL Database through the delivery of a driver for PHP.

The driver, in preview, allows developers to use the PHP scripting language (version 5.5) to connect to SQL Server and Azure SQL Database. And, as part of the company's recent openness campaign, the full source code for the driver is also available.

This is just another step in Microsoft's interoperability movement. The company expects to release a JDBC Driver for SQL Server compatible with JDK7 in the coming weeks. Once available, the JDBC driver will allow developers to architect their applications with full connection capabilities to SQL Server against Java 7.

The preview driver is available here: Microsoft Drivers for PHP for SQL Server

The full source code is available on GITHUB here: Microsoft Drivers for PHP for SQL Server project

Suggestions, bug reports, and general feedback is being filtered through the Microsoft Connect site: SQL Server or SQL Database in Windows Azure