# Creating an CloudFormation Template Project in Visual Studio
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 **To create a template project** 

1. In Visual Studio, choose **File**, choose **New**, and then choose **Project**.

1. **For Visual Studio 2017**:

   In the **New Project** dialog box, expand **Installed** and select **AWS**.  
![\[New Project dialog box showing CloudFormation and Lambda Function project options.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/toolkit-for-visual-studio/latest/user-guide/images/CreateNewProject-04-CloudFormation-VS2017.png)

   **For Visual Studio 2019**:

   In the **New Project** dialog box, ensure that the **Language**, **Platform**, and **Project type** drop-down boxes are set to "All ..." and type **aws** in the **Search** field.  
![\[Project template options for AWS services, including Lambda, CloudFormation, and Serverless applications.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/toolkit-for-visual-studio/latest/user-guide/images/CreateNewProject-04-CloudFormation-VS2019.png)

1. Select the **AWS CloudFormation Project** template.

1. **For Visual Studio 2017**:

   Enter the desired **Name**, **Location**, etc., for your template project, and then click **OK**.

   **For Visual Studio 2019**:

   Click **Next**. In the next dialog, enter the desired **Name**, **Location**, etc., for your template project, and then click **Create**.

1. On the **Select Project Source** page, choose the source of the template you will create:
   +  **Create with empty template** generates a new, empty CloudFormation template.
   +  **Create from existing AWS \$1CFN\$1 stack** generates a template from an existing stack in your AWS account. (The stack doesn't need to have a status of `CREATE_COMPLETE`.)
   +  **Select sample template** generates a template from one of the CloudFormation sample templates.  
![\[CloudFormation project creation window with options for template source selection.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/toolkit-for-visual-studio/latest/user-guide/images/vs-editor-new-template-empty-2.png)

1. To complete the creation of your CloudFormation template project, choose **Finish**.