AI developer tools have matured fast. In 2026, most engineering workflows touch at least one AI coding agent, code reviewer, or research assistant — but the right combination depends heavily on your team size, codebase, and tolerance for setup overhead. This guide breaks down the tools actually worth using across three categories: research and architecture, day-to-day development, and code review, based on real, hands-on experience.

Advanced T-SQL: Replacing Slow Cursors with Window Functions

by sabyda

SQLServerCentral

This article looks at replacing a cursor with a window function to improve performance.

Finding Bad Queries

by Steve Jones

SQLServerCentral

Performance and Tuning

Recognizing queries that might perform poorly is a skill that will help you, and your AI assistant, produce better code in production.

Database Animations: You’ve Heard of Page Splits. Here’s What They Really Mean.

by Additional Articles

SQLServerCentral

Performance and Tuning

You've heard that page splits are bad, and they're an indication that your table design is making your storage work too hard. You've heard that the right answer to fix it is adjusting fill factor lower, or doing regular index maintenance.

VACATION!

by Grant Fritchey

SQLServerCentral

Uncategorized

Yeah, I've got the Go-Go's running in my head because I'm going on vacation tomorrow (holiday for you UK types). I've been slogging through a really dense book, War in Human Civilization. Total recommendation. Get it. Read it. However, I'm right near the end and there's been a lot of discussion about the impact of […]

Fixing P1 Queries

by Steve Jones

SQLServerCentral

Steve asks if we should focus on the slowest queries or tackle other issues in our systems. Or if we should even have to make these decisions.

Why SQL Server Database Attach fails and how to repair it

by Nisarg Upadhyay

SQLServerCentral

Uncategorized

This article covers a few common errors when attaching database files to an instance, with some information on how to resolve the issues.

Big data: what it is, why projects fail, and how to get value from it

by Additional Articles

SQLServerCentral

Uncategorized

Although ‘Big Data’ (and more specifically, the analysis of it) offers several benefits, organizations often fail to derive the correct insights – the data that could help them make better business decisions. So, in this article, I’ll reveal exactly how organizations can take full advantage of these large datasets to make those better business decisions and improve operational effectiveness.