Which SQL Server version maps to which version number?

Today I found myself going through the song and dance to figure out the exact SQL Server version. As suggested by numerous articles, I retrieved the version number from (SQL Server Configuration Manager or SQL Server Management Studio) and then cross-checked it with the list of online available SQL Server build numbers etc. etc.

Short and sweet – in the end running the command SELECT @@VERSION did the trick. It dumps the exact version and service pack etc.

Maybe old news for some, but personally I will not bother with the whole version number cross-checking business in future.