The first public preview of SQL Server 2025 has been released. This page has some information on new features, as well as how to obtain the CTP (Community Technology Preview) 2.0 version of SQL Server 2025.

Download and Install:
This signup page will allow you access to the preview edition. You do have to fill out a form with your name, email, phone number, and a few other details.
A small EXE will download, and you can run it. From this install screen, you have the option to download the executable, or to try the new version on Azure. I opted for the EXE. We’re given three installation types: Basic, Custom, Download Media. I opted for Basic, which is the SQL engine with default configuration. It’s about a 1.5 GB download.
One the install is complete, there are options for Connect Now (opens in SQLCMD window), Customize, Install SSMS, or Close.
My version number was 17.0.700.9, and I can connect to localhost to run.

SSMS:
Version 21 of SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio) had been in preview mode, but it’s now available as general release. If you don’t already have this version installed, you’ll want to get it.
This version uses the Visual Studio installer. After downloading v21 and running the EXE, you’ll be prompted to select options for the install. The default view is Workload, but the Individual Components view gives more information. There are options for AI assistance, Business Intelligence, Code Tools, and Hybrid And Migration. I didn’t select either of the BI components, but I opted to install everything else. This setup is nearly a 2.5 GB download.
The release post does mention that SSMS v21 doesn’t yet support SSIS, so you’ll want to keep your previous edition if you use that. You’re able to have different versions run side by side.
When starting SSMS, you’ll be prompted to signin with Microsoft and/or Github accounts, but there is an option to skip this.
Also at start, there’s a dialog to try a new connection screen. I selected Yes to try out the new option. I did get an warning message, there was some sort of issue with bringing over my recent connections, but the connection dialog still opened.

Editions:
Microsoft has made a Developer edition available for almost all versions that I remember. At one time, it costs $50 but has been free for the past several editions. Going forward, there will be two versions of Developer available: Standard and Enterprise. The Developer edition always contained all features before, but I think that they want to give an option to have an edition that only has the Standard features, in case you use the Standard edition in production. I’m assuming that there must have been confusion for some developers, trying to push an Enterprise feature that worked in development into a Standard production environment.
The evaluation edition I’m using appears to be Enterprise edition.

Features:
I haven’t made a deep dive into any new features yet, but I will post on those later.
The feature getting the most attention seems to be the CoPilot integration with SSMS. There is support for regular expression added, as well as fuzzy matching for string. There’s also a new sp_invoke_external_rest_endpoint stored proc, that can make calls to REST endpoints from the database engine.

Update – June 21, 2025:
I saw this post from Brent Ozar where SQL Server Reporting Services will be removed starting with the 2025 edition. Looks like users will be pushed to Power BI.

Links:

Microsoft : What’s new in SQL Server 2025 Preview

Brent Ozar: What’s new in SQL Server 2025

Born SQL: What’s new in SQL Server 2025 CTP 2.0

Redgate: SQL Server 2025 is in Public Preview!

Redgate: SQL Server Developer Standard Edition: A Gift to Developers!