ASP.Net - What is the difference between a Web Site and a Web Application?

This FAQ is currently a work in progress


Starting with Visual Studio 2005, Microsoft introduced the concept of both a "Web Site" template and a "Web Application" template for creating an ASP.Net web project.

The ability to create these two different project types continued through Visual Studio 2008 as well as Visual Studio 2010.

To create a "Web Site" you choose File | New | Web Site...

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Once you have done this, in Visual Studio 2010, you have two main options:

1. to create an Empty Web Site
2. to create Default Web Site

If you create an Empty Web Site Visual Studio 2010 will create the following in the Solution Explorer:



If you create a Default Web Site Visual Studio 2010 will create the following in the Solution Explorer:

To create a "Web Application" you choose File | New | Project...

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