Setting Up Visual Studio Community Edition for Windows (Latest Version)

Important Note About This Guide and Our Course

Before we get into setting up Visual Studio Community Edition on Windows, here’s something important to keep in mind:

• Our course uses a specific version of Visual Studio Community Edition, which is the same one shown in our video lecture.

• The video lecture that comes right after this current lecture you are on now, walks you through installing this version, and this is the version you will use throughout the entire course.

• However, Microsoft frequently updates Visual Studio, meaning the latest version may look slightly different from what you see in the video.

• If you want the exact same experience as the instructor, install the same version as in the video.

• If you’re comfortable troubleshooting and adapting to small differences, you can install the latest version following this guide.

• No matter which version you choose, the core functionality remains the same.

Now, let’s go ahead and install the latest Visual Studio Community Edition step by step.

Step 1: Download Visual Studio Community Edition

The first step is to download the latest version of Visual Studio 2022 Community Edition.

1. Go to the official Visual Studio Download page.

2. Under “Visual Studio 2022”, look for Visual Studio Community 2022.

3. Click “Download” to get the installer.

This will download the VisualStudioSetup.exe file.

Step 2: Run the Installer

Once the file is downloaded:

1. Open the Downloads folder and double-click on VisualStudioSetup.exe.

2. If you get a User Account Control (UAC) prompt, click “Yes” to allow changes to your system.

3. The Visual Studio Installer will now open.

Step 3: Select Workloads

After launching the installer, you will be asked to select workloads. A workload is a collection of tools and components needed for different types of development.

For this course, you must select the following:

✅ .NET Desktop Development - This includes everything needed to build and run C# applications.

Optional (but useful for future projects):

• ASP.NET and Web Development – If you plan to build web applications with C#.

• Azure Development – If you're interested in cloud-based projects.

After selecting your workloads, click “Install”.

Step 4: Wait for the Installation to Complete

• The installer will now download and install Visual Studio.

• This process may take some time depending on your internet speed and system performance.

• Once the installation is finished, click “Launch” to open Visual Studio for the first time.

Step 5: First-Time Setup and Configuration

1. Sign in with a Microsoft account (Optional, but recommended).

   • If you don’t have an account, you can skip this step and continue without signing in.

2. Choose a development setting.

   • For this course, selecting “General” is a safe choice.

   • You can change this later in the settings if needed.

3. Pick a theme (Light, Dark, or Blue).

   • This is entirely personal preference.

Click “Start Visual Studio” to open the main interface.

Step 6: Create Your First C# Project

Now that Visual Studio is installed, let’s create a simple C# project:

1. Click “Create a new project”.

2. In the search bar, type Console App.

3. Select “Console App (.NET Core)” and click Next.

4. Give your project a name (e.g., CSharpMasterclassProject).

5. Choose a location to save your project and click Create.

6. Visual Studio will generate a basic C# program for you.

To run the program:

• Click the green “Run” button at the top.

• You should see “Hello, World!” printed in the console.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully set up Visual Studio Community Edition and created your first C# project. 🎉

So, again.

If you want the exact same setup as in the video and the rest of the course, install the same version shown in the foillowing Video lecture. Otherwise, if you're open to minor changes, the latest version works just as well.

Happy coding! 🚀