Application Solution Structure
- 3 minutes to read
An XAF solution contains multiple projects. This topic describes these projects and supported platforms.
The Solution Wizard allows you to create a solution for the following frameworks:
.NET 6+: WinForms, ASP.NET Core Blazor, and Web API applications + End-to-End/Functional test project
.NET Framework 4.5.2+: WinForms and ASP.NET Web Forms applications + End-to-End/Functional test project
Your solution may not include projects for all supported platforms. You can select platforms for the current solution in the Solution Wizard. The following image shows this wizard that creates a .NET 6+ XAF WinForms application.
Projects
Main Module Project (.NET Framework & .NET 6+)
Use this project to implement UI-independent application elements. For example, you can define a Business Model and implement UI-independent Controllers. Your applications can use the same Business Model and share Controllers from this project.
Use the Add New Item dialog to declare a new class in the Module project.
Utilize a special template to add a Business Object, View Controller, or Window Controller.
Platform-Specific Module Projects (.NET Framework)
Use these projects to implement custom platform-specific Controllers, Property Editors, and other elements for your WinForms or ASP.NET Web Forms application.
Tip
These projects are also available in .NET 6+ solutions created in v21.2 and earlier. In .NET 6+ solutions created in v22.1+, you can add all ASP.NET Core Blazor-specific and WinForms-specific elements to the corresponding application project.
WinForms Application Project (.NET Framework & .NET 6+)
Contains code specific to your application’s WinForms version.
If your solution includes the platform-specific module project, add business classes, editors, and Controllers to this project instead of the application project.
ASP.NET Web Forms Application Project (.NET Framework)
Contains code specific to your application’s ASP.NET Web Forms version.
ASP.NET Core Blazor Application Project (.NET 6+)
Contains code specific to your application’s ASP.NET Core Blazor version.
If your solution includes the platform-specific module project, add business classes, editors, and Controllers to this project instead of the application project.
Web API Application Project (.NET 6+)
Contains Web API settings. See the following topic for more information on how to add a Web API service to your application: Backend Web API Service / REST API.
End-to-End/Functional Test Project (.NET Framework & .NET 6+)
Contains predefined configuration for end-to-end (functional) tests. In this project, you can write C#/VB.NET functional tests for your XAF applications.
Important Notes
WinForms, ASP.NET Web Forms, ASP.NET Core Blazor, and Web API applications can be built based on the same Business Model, business logic, and Controllers when all applications use the same set of modules.
If you do not need the WinForms, Blazor, Web API, or ASP.NET Web Forms application version, do not include the corresponding project in the solution. A straightforward application can contain one application project.
Optionally, your XAF solution may include the Application Server Project, Workflow Server Project, and any other custom projects.