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Once you've set up your development computer (see Start developing Windows apps), you're ready to create a WinUI 3 app by starting from one of the project templates in Visual Studio. This topic describes the available project and item templates.
To access the WinUI 3 project templates, in the New Project dialog's drop-down filters, select WinUI in the project type drop-down. Alternatively, you can search for WinUI, and select one of the available C# or C++ templates.
Project templates for WinUI 3
You can use these WinUI 3 project templates to start creating an app.
WinUI Blank App (Packaged)
This project template creates a desktop .NET (C#) or native Win32 (C++) app with a WinUI 3-based user interface. The generated project includes a basic window that derives from the Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Window class in the WinUI 3 library that you can use to start building your UI. For more information about using this project template, see Start developing Windows apps.
WinUI Blank App (Packaged with Windows Application Packaging Project)
This project template creates a desktop .NET (C#) or native Win32 (C++) app with a WinUI 3-based user interface. The generated project includes a basic window that derives from the Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Window class in the WinUI 3 library that you can use to start building your UI.
The solution also includes a separate Windows Application Packaging Project that is configured to build the app into an MSIX package. You can optionally install the single-project MSIX packaging tools extension for Visual Studio and combine the packaging project settings into your application project so you no longer need to maintain a separate packaging project.
WinUI project templates for other components
You can use these WinUI 3 project templates to build components that can be loaded and used by a WinUI 3-based app.
| Template | Language | Description |
|---|---|---|
| WinUI Class Library | C# only | Creates a .NET managed class library (DLL) in C# that can be used by other .NET desktop apps with a WinUI 3-based user interface. |
| Windows Runtime Component (WinUI 3) | C++ only | Creates a Windows Runtime component written in C++/WinRT that can be consumed by any UWP or desktop app with a WinUI 3-based user interface, regardless of the programming language in which the app is written. |
| WinUI Unit Test App | C#/C++ | Creates a unit test project using MSTest to help you write and run automated tests for your app. |
Item templates for WinUI 3
The following item templates are available for use in a WinUI 3 project. To access these WinUI 3 item templates, right-click the project node in Solution Explorer, select Add -> New item, and click WinUI in the Add New Item dialog.
| Template | Language | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Blank Page | C# and C++ | Adds a XAML file and code file that defines a new page derived from the Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.Page class. |
| Blank Window | C# and C++ | Adds a XAML file and code file that defines a new window derived from the Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Window class. |
| Resource Dictionary | C# and C++ | Adds an empty, keyed collection of XAML resources. For more information, see ResourceDictionary and XAML resource references. |
| Resources File (.resw) | C# and C++ | Adds a file for storing string and conditional resources for your app. You can use this item to help localize your app. For more info, see Localize strings in your UI and app package manifest. |
| Templated Control | C# and C++ | Adds a code file for creating a templated control with a default style. The templated control is derived from the Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.Control class.For a walkthrough that demonstrates how to use this item template, see Templated XAML controls for UWP and WinUI 3 apps with C++/WinRT and Templated XAML controls for UWP and WinUI 3 apps with C#. For more information about templated controls, see Custom XAML Controls. |
| User Control | C# and C++ | Adds a XAML file and code file for creating a user control that derives from the Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.UserControl class. Typically, a user control encapsulates related existing controls and provide its own logic.For more information about user controls, see Custom XAML Controls. |
See also
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