Deploying Applications and Components

Deployment is the process by which you distribute a finished application or component to be installed on other computers. In Visual Studio 2008, you can deploy applications or components using either ClickOnce deployment or Windows Installer deployment technology. For a discussion of the options available for deployment, see Choosing a Deployment Strategy.

The following topics will help you learn more about deployment:

In This Section

• Choosing a Deployment Strategy
  Compares the two Visual Studio deployment technologies: ClickOnce and Windows Installer.

• What's New in Deployment
  Describes deployment changes in Visual Studio 2008 from the traditional deployment model in previous versions of Visual Studio.

• Deploying 64-bit Applications
  Describes installation on 64-bit platforms, supported both by ClickOnce and Windows Installer.

• Adding Custom Prerequisites
  Describes the bootstrapper, a generic installer that you can configure to install prerequisite components.

• ClickOnce Deployment
  Describes ClickOnce deployment allows you to publish Windows-based applications to a Web server or network file share for simplified installation.

• Windows Installer Deployment
  Describes the traditional Windows Installer deployment technology, in which you create and distribute installer packages to users, and the user runs a Setup file to install the application.

• Deployment Error Messages
  Describes error messages related to ClickOnce deployment and Windows Installer deployment.

Related Sections

• Managing Solutions, Projects, and Files
  Gives information about working with projects and solutions, including deployment projects.

• Deciding Which Technologies and Tools To Use
  Provides a graphical, linked guide to decisions about designing your application.

• .NET Framework Programming in Visual Studio
  Explains the steps involved in developing an application.