Template Studio is a suite of Visual Studio 2022 extensions that accelerate the creation of new WinUI 3, WPF, and UWP apps using a wizard-based experience.
- Template Studio for WinUI (C#)
- Template Studio for WinUI (C++) (FUTURE)
- Template Studio for WPF
- Template Studio for UWP
Projects created with these extensions contain well-formed, readable code and incorporate the latest development features while implementing proven patterns and leading practices. The generated code includes links to documentation and TODO comments that provide useful insight and guidance for turning the generated projects into production applications.
To get started, install the appropriate extension, then select the corresponding Template Studio project template when creating a new project in Visual Studio. Name your project, then click Create to launch the Template Studio wizard.
See the roadmap to understand project priorities and upcoming milestones.
VS New Project Dialog
| CI | Nightly | |
|---|---|---|
| WinUI (C#) | ||
| WinUI (C++) | ||
| WPF | ||
| UWP | ||
| Shared |
- CI: Runs for all PRs and integrations and performs basic validation. Executes all tests in the Minimum* Groups.
- Nightly: Runs on a nightly schedule and generates and builds all combinations of project templates in addition to performing more exhaustive tests than CI. Executes all tests in the Build* Groups.
Template Studio approaches app creation using the following six attribute sets:
First, how do you want your app's UI navigation to behave?
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WinUI 3: Blank, Navigation Pane, Menu Bar.
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WPF: Blank, Navigation Pane, Menu Bar and a Ribbon.
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UWP: Blank, Navigation Pane, Horizontal Navigation Pane, and a Menu Bar.
Next, what coding pattern do you want to use in your project.
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WinUI 3: MVVM Toolkit.
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WPF: MVVM Toolkit, Code Behind, and Prism.
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UWP: MVVM Toolkit, Code Behind, and Prism.
To accelerate app creation, we provide a number of app page templates you can use to add common UI pages into your new app. We currently include everything from a blank page, to common layouts (e.g., list/detail, web view), to pages that implement common patterns (e.g., app settings). Use the wizard to add as many of each page as you need, providing a name for each one, and we'll generate them for you.
Specify which capabilities you want to use in your app, and we'll build out the framework for the features into your app, tagging TODO items. Here you can add features that enable your app to interact with storage, notifications, layout theming, etc.
Connect to data services, setup cloud connected services for your application, and enforce rules with the XAML Styler extension.
Lastly, you can include test projects for your application to run unit tests or use Selenium-like UI test automation.
After selecting the items wanted in your app, you can extend the generated code on UWP, WPF or WinUI 3.
- Generated templates will be kept simple.
- Generated templates are a starting point, not a completed application.
- Generated templates must be able to compile and run once generated.
- Generated templates should work on all device families.
- Templates should have comments to aid developers. This includes links to signup pages for keys, MSDN, blogs and how-to's. All guidance provide should be validated from either the framework/SDK/library’s creator.
- All UWP features will be supported for two most recent RTM Windows 10 Updates. Those supported releases are Windows 10 May 2020 Update (version 2004) and Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903).
- Templates released in production will try to adhere to the design language used in the current release of Windows 10.
- Code should follow .NET Core coding style.
This project has adopted the code of conduct defined by the Contributor Covenant to clarify expected behavior in our community. For more information see the .NET Foundation Code of Conduct.
See CONTRIBUTING.md.
The extension logs basic telemetry regarding what is selected in the wizard. Our Telemetry Data page has the trends from the telemetry. Please read the Microsoft privacy statement for more information.
This project is supported by the .NET Foundation.