A true portable version would sacrifice all of these. Even LocalDB, which is user-mode, still requires an MSI installation. Microsoft’s engineering team has explicitly stated that .
If your goal is a "no-install" database, consider these Microsoft-supported or compatible options: SQL Server Express LocalDB ms sql server express portable
: While it requires a one-time installation (via a small .msi file), it runs in "user mode" on demand. A true portable version would sacrifice all of these
: SQL Server Express is limited to 10GB per database. which is user-mode
If you are already using SQL Server Express and need to move your data between machines, use these methods: Using SQL Server on Windows ARM - Rick Strahl's Web Log