Using Visual Studio 2012 Express edition for Windows 8 - Build Windows 8 Apps with HTML5 and JavaScript - page 11

FIGURE 1-10 Choosing a project template.

Templates are grouped by programming language. In the Express edition of Visual Studio
considered here, you can create just one type of application—a Windows 8 application for the
Windows Store. If you acquire a more advanced edition of Visual Studio, you should expect to see
more options available, including web, console, and desktop applications.

So how do you decide which template to use?

Templates have the primary purpose of saving you some work, at least for common application
layouts. You are not forced to pick up a specific template, however. If none of the predefined
templates seems to be right for you or, more likely, if you don't know exactly which one to pick, then
you just select the template for a blank application. Table 1-3 provides more information on the
predefined templates for JavaScript.

TABLE 1-3 Predefined project templates for Windows Store applications

Template Description

Blank App The application consists of a single and nearly empty page: no visual controls, no

widgets, and no layout defined.

Grid App A master-detail application made of three pages. The master page groups items

in a grid. Additional pages provide details on groups and individual items.

Split App A two-page master-detail application in which the master page shows selectable

items and the details page lists related items alongside.

Fixed Layout App A single-page application whose layout scales using a fixed aspect ratio.

Navigation App A multipage application with predefined controls to navigate between pages.

For the purposes of this topic, the easiest is starting with a brand new blank application. You'll
experiment with other types of templates in the upcoming chapters.