Multiple visual studio applications in a single solution

Question

Where and why should I add other applications to a single solution?

What are the usages of adding multiple apps to a single solution?

I've searched a lot but I found no clear description about this issue.

Answer 1

You might want to create a dll that holds your application model (database model). You need to make an WPF application that can work with the model AND you need to create a website so users can also access the data without the wpf app. Since you work on the same model project you don't write the code 2 times but instead you write it 1 time and link the projects together in 1 solution.

Answer 2

Projects are useful if you are creating components that will be reused between multiple applications.

For example, you could create a Utilities library, which outputs a .dll containing extension methods and classes that you use regularly to save you having to write the same code multiple times. You can then include that library in any further applications you create.

Answer 3

Keep in mind that a project doesn't need to be an app - projects can create libraries or other artifacts (installers, which I suppose are also apps).

However, even if another project is an application it may make sense to have it in the same solution since it might share dependencies with the other project - or it might simply make sense form an organizational or workflow sense (for example, it might simply be that when you're working on 'appfoo', you often have to do some work in 'appbar').