How to create a truly blank project in Visual Studio (2017)

Question

It seems like there should be a way to do this, but I just can't seem to do it. I love VS and I want to use it to develop web apps that are strictly HTML/Javascript based. In other words, no C#, no VB, no resulting /bin folder, no web config, no nothing. A blank project meaning "truly 100% blank" and not trying force me into some Microsoft technology or otherwise. I just want to use VS to write the code because it's still the best HTML/Javascript/Typescript/Everything-else-script editor out there.

Any thoughts on this? Can it even be done? Or is VS just too dependent on "Microsoft thinking" to allow this?

Answer 1

What you have described is indeed possible in Visual Studio 2017 Community.

Step 1) Create a new Project via File / New / Project

Step 2) Select Other Project Types / Visual Studio Solutions / Blank Solution.

Step 3) Right-click the newly created solution and select Add / New Solution Folder. This step may not seem important, but it seems that files cannot be added directly to a solution without first creating a "Solution Folder". This solution folder is virtual in that it does not correspond a physical folder location.

Step 4) Now right-click the newly created Solution Folder and select Add / Existing Item.

Step 5) Insert all the files you want to add. These may be added via the menu option in Step 4 or otherwise drag-and-dropped onto the solution folder (not the solution itself!).

Notice that even after creating the new solution and adding files, the only things created by Visual Studio 2017 are the usual .vs internal folder and the solution file itself.