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 | How to create a project |
|---|---|
| Class Library | Class Library Template (C++) |
| CLR Console Application | How to: Create CLR Console Applications (C++/CLI) |
| CLR Empty Project | CLR Empty Project Template (C++) |
General
| Project template | How to create a project |
|---|---|
| Empty Project | Creating Solutions and Projects |
| 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 | 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 Console Application |
| Win32 Project | Walkthrough: Creating Windows Desktop Applications |
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
Creating Desktop Projects By Using Application Wizards
Using Projects to Create Applications
CLR Projects




