Install Visual Studio Express 2015 for Windows Desktop

In order to develop Windows Desktop applications such as Win 32 Console applications you cannot use the Visual Studio Express 2015 Community.

For the templates supported by Visual Studio Express 2015 Community review this  post. Visual Studio Express 2015 Community also has a Windows node in the templates, but that allows
you to create Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 applications only as described in this post.

However to create Windows Desktop and console applications you need to install Visual Studio Express 2015 for Windows Desktop.

This post describes the details of this installation.

You can download this free edition from this location  and you may have to do some registering.

WInDesktopDownload

Double click the downloaded executable to begin installaiton. You require 3GB space for this application.

WinDesk02.png

It takes less time than the Visual Studio Express 2015 Community. You can launch it soon after installation and it takes a little while to prepare the IDE.

WinDesk04.png

Here are the Installed Templates in this edition.

Installed templates01

Visual C# -Classic Desktop

InstalledTemplates02

Visual C# - Test

• Unit Test Project

Visual Basic -Classic Desktop

InstalledTemplates03

Visual Basic - Test

• Unit Test Project

 

Visual C++

InstalledTemplates04

Visual C++ - CLR

InstalledTemplates04

Visual C++ - General

• Empty Project and
• Makefile Project

Visual C++ - Test

• Managed Test Project
• Native Unit Test Project

Visual  C++ - Win32

• Win32 Console Application
• Win32 Project

SQL Server

• SQL Server Database Project- Get more templates here using the link

Visual Studio Solutions

• Blank Solution