Visual C++ Project Types

You can use a project template to create the basic program structure, menus, toolbars, icons, references, and #include statements that are appropriate for the kind of project you want to create. Visual Studio includes several kinds of Visual C++ project templates and provides wizards for many of them so that you can customize your projects as you create them. Immediately after you create a project, you can build it and run the application—it's good practice to build intermittently as you develop your application.

You don't have to use a template to create a project, but in most cases it's more efficient to do so because it's easier to modify the provided project files and structure than it is to create them from scratch.

Note

You can create a C-language project by using C++ project templates. In the generated project, locate files that have a .cpp file name extension and change it to .c. Then, on the Project Properties page for the project (not for the solution), expand Configuration Properties, C/C++ and select Advanced. Change the Compile As setting to Compile as C Code (/TC).

Project Templates

Visual Studio the following Visual C++ project templates.

Store Apps

C#, VB, and C++ project templates for Store apps

ATL

Project template	How to create a project
ATL Project	Creating an ATL Project

CLR

Project template
Class Library Template
How to: Create CLR Console Applications (C++/CLI)
Empty Project Template

General

Project template	How to create a project
Empty Project	Creating Solutions and Projects
Custom Wizard	Creating a Custom Wizard
Makefile Project	Creating a Makefile Project

MFC

Project template	How to create a project
MFC ActiveX Control	Creating an MFC ActiveX Control
MFC Application	Creating an MFC Application
MFC DLL	Creating an MFC DLL Project

Test

Project template	How to create a project
Managed Test Project	How to: Create a Unit Test Project
Native Unit Test Project	Unit testing native code with Test Explorer

Win32

Project template	How to create a project
Win32 Console Project	Creating a Win32 Console Application
Win32 Project	Creating a Win32 Windows Application

TODO Comments

Many of the files generated by a project template contain TODO comments to help you identify where you can provide your own source code. For more information about how to add code, see Adding Functionality with Code Wizards and Working with Resource Files.

See Also

Reference

Files Created for CLR Projects

Other Resources

Creating Desktop Projects By Using Application Wizards

Using Projects to Build Applications