Why were system objects not visible in SSMS 2016 when SSMS 2014 showed them on the same instance? A client asked me, and here is the answer.
Object Explorer Details in SSMS: Bulk Scripting and Quick Counts
Press F7, select a group of tables and script them in one go. Then check the grid’s row counts with two short queries.
Tracking Recent Object Changes With modify_date
Use modify_date to find recent SQL Server object changes, compare databases, and understand which audit questions need event capture.
sys.objects, sys.all_objects and sys.system_objects
Compare sys.objects, sys.all_objects and sys.system_objects to find SQL Server user objects, system objects, and metadata visibility gaps.
Reading System Procedures With OBJECT_DEFINITION
Use OBJECT_DEFINITION and sys.system_sql_modules to read visible SQL Server system procedure text and learn how built-in tools work.