OpenHint-SQL
OpenHint SQL is an open-source SQL autocomplete and syntax suggestion extension designed to help developers write queries faster.
A free SSMS extension that auto-completes your SQL as you type, tables, columns, JOINs with ON clauses pre-filled from your real database schema, plus 40+ snippet shortcuts.
OpenHint SQL is a free, open-source extension for SQL Server Management Studio, the tool many database developers use to write and run SQL queries against Microsoft SQL Server. The extension watches what you type and pops up relevant suggestions, tables after a FROM keyword, columns after a SELECT or WHERE, stored procedures after EXEC, and so on. It reads your actual database schema so the suggestions are specific to your data, not just generic keywords.
One feature that stands out is foreign-key-aware JOIN suggestions. When you type JOIN after already specifying a table in FROM, the extension looks at the real foreign key relationships in your database and offers related tables with the full ON clause already filled in. Instead of guessing how two tables connect, you get a suggestion like Orders o ON o.CustomerId = c.Id built from your schema.
The extension also comes with over forty snippet shortcuts that expand on Tab. Typing ssf and pressing Tab gives you SELECT * FROM, while typing bgt expands into a full BEGIN TRANSACTION and COMMIT block. These cover common patterns for selecting, inserting, updating, joining, filtering, creating tables, managing variables, and writing control flow. Snippets place the cursor at the right spot after expansion so you can keep typing immediately.
Schema data is cached to disk after the first load, which means subsequent SSMS restarts do not re-query the server. The cache has a 24-hour expiry. Loading also starts in the background the moment you open a query window, so suggestions are usually ready by the time you start typing.
Installation works through a provided installer executable. You download it, close SSMS, run the installer as Administrator, and it detects all installed SSMS versions on the machine and installs into each one automatically. Supported versions cover SSMS 18 through SSMS 22. If you prefer to build from source, the README provides steps using the .NET SDK and a batch script. The extension installs into its own subfolder and includes a complete uninstaller, so it does not touch SSMS core files.
Where it fits
- Speed up SQL writing by getting table and column name suggestions pulled from your actual database as you type.
- Automatically get a fully written JOIN ... ON clause based on the real foreign key links in your database.
- Expand short snippets like ssf into SELECT * FROM with a single Tab press to avoid repetitive typing.
- Install across all your SSMS versions at once without touching SSMS core files, with a clean uninstaller included.