Creating Projects from Templates
You can create new projects from templates installed locally or templates available online. Selecting a category within the Installed or Online sections populates a list of project templates. The list of available project templates varies depending on the .NET Framework version you target. Select a project template to see a brief description about the template.
All project templates add the necessary files and references for the project type.
Templates by Category
The following tables list the default types of projects available in Visual Studio by category. Subcategories are indicated here in the format <Subcategory>/<TemplateName> where not otherwise specified. Some of the templates from various subcategories will also appear when the parent category is selected.
Note
Available templates may vary according to Visual Studio version, edition, installation options, version of the .NET Framework, and other customizations. If you are missing a template that comes with your installation, run devenv.exe with the /installvstemplates switch. For more information, see Devenv Command Line Switches.
Templates for Windows Store Apps
The following templates appear under the Language /Windows Store subcategory.
Project Template |
More Information |
|---|---|
For Visual Basic or Visual C#: |
For more information about any template in this subcategory, see Templates to speed up your app development. |
Blank App (XAML) |
A single-page project for a Windows Store app that has no predefined controls or layout. |
Grid App (XAML) |
A three-page project for a Windows Store app that navigates among grouped items arranged in a grid. Dedicated pages display group and item details. |
Split App (XAML) |
A two-page project for a Windows Store app that navigates among grouped items. The first page allows group selection while the second displays an item list alongside details for the selected item. |
Class Library (Windows Store apps) |
A project that creates a managed class library that can be used by Windows Store apps or Windows Runtime components. |
Unit Test Library (Windows Store apps) |
A project that contains unit tests that can be used to test Windows Store apps, Windows Runtime components, or class libraries for Windows Store apps. |
For Visual C++: |
For more information about any template in this subcategory except the Direct 2D App and Direct 3D App templates, see Templates to speed up your app development. For information about the Direct 2D App and Direct 3D App templates, see Prepare your development environment for Windows Store DirectX apps. |
Blank App (XAML) |
A single-page project for a Windows Store app that has no predefined controls or layout. |
Grid App (XAML) |
A three-page project for a Windows Store app that navigates among grouped items arranged in a grid. Dedicated pages display group and item details. |
Split App (XAML) |
A two-page project for a Windows Store app that navigates among grouped items. The first page allows group selection while the second displays an item list alongside details for the selected item. |
DLL (Windows Store apps) |
A project for a native dynamic-link library (DLL) that can be used by a Windows Windows Store app or Windows Runtime component. |
Static Library (Windows Store apps) |
A project for a native static library (LIB) that can be used by a Windows Store app or Windows Runtime component. |
Unit Test Library (Windows Store apps) |
A project that contains unit tests that can be used to test Windows Store apps, Windows Runtime components, or class libraries for Windows Store apps. |
Windows Runtime Component |
A project for a Windows Runtime component that can be used by Windows Store apps, regardless of the programming languages in which the apps are written. |
Direct2D App (XAML) |
A project for a Windows Store app that uses Direct2D. |
Direct3D App |
A project for a Windows Store app that uses Direct3D. |
For JavaScript: |
For more information about any template in this subcategory, see JavaScript project templates for Windows Store apps. |
Blank App |
A single-page project for a Windows Store app that has no predefined controls or layout. |
Grid App |
A three-page project for a Windows Store app that navigates among grouped items arranged in a grid. Dedicated pages display group and item details. |
Split App |
A two-page project for a Windows Store app that navigates among grouped items. The first page allows group selection while the second displays an item list alongside details for the selected item. |
Fixed Layout App |
A project for a Windows Store app that scales using a fixed aspect ratio layout. |
Navigation App |
A project for a Windows Store app that has predefined controls for navigation. |
Visual Basic and C# Windows Templates
The following templates appear under the Visual Basic/Windows or Visual C#/Windows subcategories.
Project Template |
More Information |
|---|---|
Class Library |
Use the Class Library template to quickly create reusable classes and components that can be shared with other projects. For more information about creating component classes, see Component Classes. |
Console Application |
Console applications are typically designed without a graphical user interface (GUI) and are compiled into an executable file. You interact with a console application by typing instructions at the command prompt. |
Empty Project |
The Empty Project template can be used when you want to create your own project type. The template creates the necessary file structure needed to store application information. Any references, files, or components must be added manually. For more information on adding references, see Adding and Removing References. |
Portable Class Library |
Creates a project for authoring a .dll file that will run on Windows, Silverlight, Windows Phone, and Xbox 360. |
Windows Forms Application |
This creates a traditional standalone Windows application or a rich front-end to a distributed Web application. For more information, see Creating Windows Applications or Creating a Windows Application Project. |
Windows Forms Control Library |
The Windows Control Library project template is used to create custom controls to use on Windows Forms. For more information, see Windows Forms Controls. |
Windows Service |
Windows Service Applications (formerly called "NT services") are long running applications that do not have a user interface. They can monitor items such as system performance. For more information, see Introduction to Windows Service Applications. |
WPF Application |
The WPF Application template creates a project that uses Windows Presentation Foundation. For more information, see How to: Create a New WPF Application Project. |
WPF User Control Library |
Creates a WPF User Control, which builds on the functionality of existing WPF controls. For more information, see How to: Create a WPF UserControl Library Project. |
WPF Browser Application |
Creates a WPF application that runs in the browser. This application model is named XAML Browser Application (XBAP). For more information, see How to: Create a New WPF Browser Application Project or WPF XAML Browser Applications Overview. |
WPF Custom Control Library |
Creates a project in which to build a custom WPF control. For more information, see Control Authoring Overview. |
Visual Basic and C# Web Templates
For information about web templates, see Creating an ASP.NET Web Project in Visual Studio 2013 on the ASP.NET site.
Visual Basic and C# Office Templates
The following Office project templates appear under the Visual Basic/Office or Visual C#/Office subcategories.
Excel 2013 Add-in
Excel 2013 Template
Excel 2013 Workbook
InfoPath 2013 Add-in
Outlook 2013 Add-in
PowerPoint 2013 Add-in
Project 2013 Add-in
Visio 2013 Add-in
Word 2013 Add-in
Word 2013 Document
Word 2013 Template
For more information about developing Office solutions, see Office Project Templates Overview and Getting Started Programming Application-Level Add-Ins.
Visual Basic and C# SharePoint Templates
The following templates appear under the Visual Basic/SharePoint or Visual C#/SharePoint subcategories.
SharePoint 2013 Project
SharePoint 2013 Visual Web Part
Import Reusable SharePoint 2013 Workflow
Import SharePoint 2013 Solution Package
SharePoint 2013 Silverlight Web Part
For more information, see SharePoint Project and Project Item Templates.
Visual Basic and C# Workflow Templates
The following templates appear under the Visual Basic/Workflow or Visual C#/Workflow subcategories.
All of the templates in this section create projects that use Windows Workflow Foundation. Windows Workflow Foundation enables model-driven workflow development, providing natural design visibility and hiding system-level concerns such as transactions, state management, and concurrency control.
For more information, see Windows Workflow Foundation Overview.
Project Template |
More Information |
|---|---|
Activity Designer Library |
The Activity Designer Library template is used to create a custom activity designer. Custom activity designers are used to create the design-time experience for activity use, controlling how the activity and its property page appear in Visual Studio. For more information, see Creating a Custom Activity Designer. |
Activity Library |
The Activity Library template is used to create a composite activity from pre-existing activities. For more information, see Workflow Activity Authoring using the Activity class. |
WCF Workflow Service Application |
The WCF Workflow Service Application template is used to create a workflow that uses message activities to send and receive WCF messages. For more information, see Workflow Services Overview. |
Workflow Console Application |
The Workflow Console Application template is used to create a workflow that is hosted in a console application. The workflow is implemented as a Sequence activity. For more information, see How To: Create a Workflow. |
Other Visual Basic and C# Templates
The following templates appear under other subcategories of the Visual Basic and Visual C# nodes, as indicated.
Project Template |
More Information |
|---|---|
Azure/Install Azure Tools |
Provides instructions for enabling Azure Cloud Service projects by installing Azure Tools. See Enabling the Azure SDK. |
Reporting/Reports Application |
Creates a report project to fill in manually or with the Report Wizard. |
Silverlight/Silverlight Application |
Creates a standard Silverlight application project with the option to host it in a Web project. See How to: Create a New Silverlight Project. |
Silverlight/Silverlight Navigation Application |
Creates a Silverlight application project that contains user-interface (UI) components, such as headers, footers, and navigation sidebars. |
Silverlight/Silverlight Class Library |
Creates a Silverlight class library project for consumption by Silverlight applications. |
Test/Unit Test |
See Walkthrough: Creating and Running Unit Tests for Managed Code. |
Test/Coded UI Test Project |
|
Test/Web Performance and Load Test Performance Project |
See [retired] Web performance and load tests in Visual Studio. |
WCF/Syndication Service Library |
See Windows Communication Foundation Services and WCF Data Services in Visual Studio. |
WCF/WCF Service Application |
See Windows Communication Foundation Services and WCF Data Services in Visual Studio. |
WCF/WCF Service Library |
See Windows Communication Foundation Services and WCF Data Services in Visual Studio. |
WCF/WCF Workflow Service Application |
The WCF Workflow Service Application template is used to create a workflow that uses message activities to send and receive WCF messages. |
Visual C++ Windows Templates
Project Template |
More Information |
|---|---|
ATL/ATL Project |
Creates a project that uses the Active Template Library. |
CLR/Class Library |
Creates a .NET Framework assembly that is consumable from any .NET Framework language. |
CLR/CLR Console Application |
Creates a console application that executes in the .NET Framework. |
CLR/Empty Project |
Creates an empty .NET Framework project for creating a local application. |
CLR/Windows Forms Application |
Creates a .NET Framework application with a Windows Forms user interface. |
CLR/Windows Forms Control Library |
Creates controls to use in Windows Forms applications that run in the .NET Framework. |
General/ Empty Project |
Creates an empty project for creating a local application. |
General/ Makefile Project |
Creates a project for using an external build system. |
General/ Custom Wizard |
Creates a custom application wizard. For more information, see Designing a Wizard. |
MFC/MFC Application |
Creates an application that uses the Windows Foundation Class Library. For more information, see MFC Class Wizard. |
MFC/MFC DLL |
Creates a dynamic link library that uses the Windows Foundation Class Library. For more information, see MFC Class Wizard. |
MFC/MFC ActiveX Control |
Creates an ActiveX control that uses the Windows Foundation Class Library. For more information, see MFC Class Wizard. |
Test/Test Project |
Creates a test project to use for automated tests. For more information about how to create automated tests, see Testing your application using Microsoft Test Manager. |
Win32/Win32 Project |
Creates a project to host a Win32 application, console application, DLL, or static library. |
Win32/Win32 Console Application |
Creates a Win32 console application. |
Visual F# Templates
The following templates appear under the Visual F#/Windows or Visual F#/Silverlight subcategories. For information about Visual F# templates, see Using Visual Studio to Write F# Programs.
LightSwitch
The following templates appear under the LightSwitch/Windows subcategory. For more information, see Step 1: Create a LightSwitch Project.
Project Template |
More Information |
|---|---|
LightSwitch Application (Visual Basic) |
Creates a blank LightSwitch application solution. |
LightSwitch Application (Visual C#) |
Creates a blank LightSwitch application solution. |
Other Project Types
These templates appear under the Other Project Types category
Project Template |
More Information |
|---|---|
Setup and Deployment/Enable InstallShield Limited Edition |
|
Extensibility/Visual Studio Add-in |
Visual Studio Add-ins add functionality to the Visual Studio environment. For more information, see How to: Create an Add-In. |
Extensibility/Visual Studio Shell Isolated |
See Walkthrough: Creating a Basic Isolated Shell Application. |
Extensibility/Visual Studio Package |
For more information, see Walkthrough: Creating a Basic Isolated Shell Application. |
Visual Studio Solutions/Blank Solution |
This creates a solution file and directory structure to add projects to. |
SQL Server
These templates appear under the SQL Server category.
Project Template |
More Information |
|---|---|
SQL Server/SQL Server Database Project |
Creates an empty project for a SQL Server database. |
Modeling Projects Templates
The following templates appear under the Modeling Projects category.
Project Template |
More Information |
|---|---|
Modeling Project |
Creates a blank modeling project. For more information, see Create UML modeling projects and diagrams. |
See Also
Concepts
File Types and File Extensions in Visual Basic and Visual C#
Creating Solutions and Projects