Projects as Containers
Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio projects are containers within a solution for logically managing and storing the items that make up your database application.
Project Templates
SQL Server Management Studio provides templates for SQL Server script projects, Analysis Services projects, and SQL Server Compact 3.5 SP1 projects. Each type of project contains settings appropriate for each environment, such as Transact-SQL scripts for SQL Server projects, MDX, DMX, and XMLA scripts for Analysis Services projects, and Transact-SQL for SQL Server Compact 3.5 SP1 projects.
To access a project template, on the File menu, point to New, and then click Project. In the New Project dialog box, click the desired project template, and then click OK.
Projects and their templates allow you to concentrate on the specific functionality you want to implement as the project handles common management and build tasks for you. For more information, see Project Items.
Project Definition Files
Each project contains a project definition file containing metadata specific to that project. The extension for the definition file, and the actual content of the file, are determined by the type of project it defines. In general, the project file stores configuration information for its items. Projects can also keep a list of the miscellaneous files associated with the project and their locations.
When an item is added to a project, the location of the item's physical source file on disk is also added to the definition file for the project. If the item is later removed from the project, this information is deleted from the definition file.