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Data types

SQL Server to SQLite data types

Every SQL Server data type that SQLite stores differently, what the converter writes for it, when, and the report line.

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Each row is a type from SQL Server that SQLite stores differently: what the SQLite script gets, why, and the line the report writes about it. The rows come from the converter's own rules, so this page matches what it does.

Convert in the browser: SQL Server to SQLite opens the converter set up for this pair. The SQL Server to SQLite migration guide covers dumping, loading and the rules for keys, indexes and names.

A report line is a fix when the converter changed something and lists it, or a problem when a value or object is worth a look.

Numbers

In SQL Server In SQLite Why Report line
tinyint INTEGER with a CHECK that it isn't negative SQL Server's tinyint runs from 0 to 255; a check keeps its range. unsigned_widened (fix)
decimal(p,s) past 15 digits, money TEXT SQLite keeps about 15 significant digits in a number. Wider numbers are kept as text so every digit stays exact. decimal_as_text (fix)

Booleans and bits

In SQL Server In SQLite Why Report line
bit INTEGER 0 or 1 with a CHECK SQLite has no boolean type; its own true and false are 1 and 0. None

Text

In SQL Server In SQLite Why Report line
char(n), varchar(n), nchar(n), nvarchar(n), varchar(max), text VARCHAR(n) and TEXT, not enforced SQLite keeps the declared type for tools to read but doesn't limit the length. None
NUL characters in text kept SQLite text can hold a NUL character, so the value is copied as it is. None
text that isn't valid in its encoding the bad bytes as the replacement character The script is UTF-8 and every value has to be valid text. invalid_utf8_replaced (problem)

Dates and times

In SQL Server In SQLite Why Report line
date, datetime, datetime2, smalldatetime DATETIME as ISO 8601 text, every digit kept SQLite stores dates as text its date functions read. None
datetimeoffset TIMESTAMP as ISO 8601 text in UTC SQLite has no type that keeps an offset, so each moment is written in UTC: the same instant whatever offset it had. moments_as_utc (fix)
time TIME as text SQLite keeps times as text, with every digit. None
dates that aren't valid NULL A value that isn't a date becomes NULL and the report counts it. date_out_of_range (problem)

Binary

In SQL Server In SQLite Why Report line
binary, varbinary, image BLOB Bytes stay bytes. None
rowversion, timestamp BLOB, empty SQL Server sets a row version by itself and SSMS scripts no values for it. rowversion_empty (fix)

JSON, spatial and other types

In SQL Server In SQLite Why Report line
json (SQL Server 2025) TEXT The same JSON values, which SQLite's JSON functions read. None
uniqueidentifier TEXT The same identifiers, written in lowercase. None
geometry, geography BLOB with SQL Server's own bytes SSMS writes spatial values in SQL Server's serialization, which is kept byte for byte. spatial_as_native (fix)
xml, sql_variant, hierarchyid, vector TEXT SQLite has no equivalent type; xml and sql_variant keep each value's text and hierarchyid its path, such as /1/2/. type_replaced (fix)
types IntoSQL doesn't know TEXT Text holds any value; change the type after loading. unknown_type (problem)

Counters and identities

In SQL Server In SQLite Why Report line
IDENTITY INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT, continuing after the highest id SQLite counts a whole integer primary key, and AUTOINCREMENT keeps ids from being reused. None
IDENTITY columns that aren't the whole primary key INTEGER without a counter SQLite only counts a column that is the whole primary key, so the column keeps its values and new rows need theirs. counter_dropped (problem)

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