wtf is sql-server-first-responder-kit?

brentozarultd/sql-server-first-responder-kit — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-06-26

★ 3,798TSQLAudience · ops devopsComplexity · 2/5LicenseSetup · easy

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((First Responder Kit))
    Main Tools
      sp_Blitz health check
      sp_BlitzCache queries
      sp_BlitzIndex indexes
      sp_BlitzFirst live check
    What it does
      Diagnoses slow SQL Server
      Prioritized findings
      Links to fix docs
    Tech Stack
      T-SQL
      SQL Server
      Stored procedures
    Platforms
      Windows SQL Server
      Linux SQL Server
      Amazon RDS
    Audience
      DBAs
      Backend developers

mindmap root((First Responder Kit)) Main Tools sp_Blitz health check sp_BlitzCache queries sp_BlitzIndex indexes sp_BlitzFirst live check What it does Diagnoses slow SQL Server Prioritized findings Links to fix docs Tech Stack T-SQL SQL Server Stored procedures Platforms Windows SQL Server Linux SQL Server Amazon RDS Audience DBAs Backend developers

Why would anyone build with this?

REASON 1

Run sp_Blitz on a SQL Server to get a prioritized list of health problems and configuration issues in minutes.

REASON 2

Use sp_BlitzCache to find which queries have been burning the most CPU or causing the most reads over time.

REASON 3

Run sp_BlitzFirst when a server is currently slow to get an instant snapshot of what is happening right now.

REASON 4

Audit indexes with sp_BlitzIndex to find missing indexes that would speed up slow queries or duplicate indexes wasting space.

What's in the stack?

T-SQLSQL ServerSSMS

How do you spin it up?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Download the ZIP from releases and run a single SQL file against your server, no external dependencies.

MIT, use freely for any purpose, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.

Wtf does this do

This is a collection of diagnostic scripts for Microsoft SQL Server, aimed at database administrators and developers who need to quickly assess what is wrong with a server or why it is running slowly. The scripts install as stored procedures, meaning they become callable routines that live inside your SQL Server database and can be run on demand. The main tools are sp_Blitz for an overall health check, sp_BlitzCache for identifying which queries have been consuming the most resources, sp_BlitzIndex for spotting missing or problematic indexes, and sp_BlitzFirst for diagnosing why a server is slow at this very moment. Additional scripts cover deadlock analysis, backup status, session management, and restoring databases. Each script produces output with context, such as priority levels that indicate urgency (lower numbers mean more serious problems) and links to documentation explaining what each finding means and why it matters. The output is designed to be read in SQL Server Management Studio or similar database tools. To install, you download a ZIP file from the releases page and run a SQL file against your server. The kit supports SQL Server running on Windows, Linux, and Amazon RDS. Azure SQL Database has partial support. Older unsupported versions of SQL Server may find working scripts in a Deprecated folder inside the repository. The project is maintained by Brent Ozar Unlimited and is licensed under MIT. Community support is available via a dedicated Slack channel, and bug reports follow a contributing guide in the repository. The full README is longer than what was shown.

Yoink these prompts

Prompt 1

I just installed the SQL Server First Responder Kit. Walk me through running sp_Blitz and interpreting the Priority column in the output.

Prompt 2

My SQL Server is running slowly right now. What sp_BlitzFirst command should I run, and how do I read the output to find the bottleneck?

Prompt 3

I want to find the top 10 most expensive queries on my SQL Server. What sp_BlitzCache parameters should I use and what columns matter most?

Prompt 4

How do I install the SQL Server First Responder Kit on a SQL Server running on Amazon RDS, is the process different from a Windows install?

Frequently asked questions