# Creating an Amazon 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 **Amazon**.  
![New Project dialog box with Amazon CloudFormation Project and Amazon Lambda Function Project templates.](http://docs.amazonaws.cn/en_us/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.  
![Create a new project dialog box with aws search filter and Amazon project templates listed.](http://docs.amazonaws.cn/en_us/toolkit-for-visual-studio/latest/user-guide/images/CreateNewProject-04-CloudFormation-VS2019.png)

1. Select the **Amazon 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 Amazon CloudFormation template.
   +  **Create from existing Amazon \|CFN\| stack** generates a template from an existing stack in your Amazon account. (The stack doesn't need to have a status of `CREATE_COMPLETE`.)
   +  **Select sample template** generates a template from one of the Amazon CloudFormation sample templates.  
![New Amazon CloudFormation Project dialog with options to create empty template or from existing stack.](http://docs.amazonaws.cn/en_us/toolkit-for-visual-studio/latest/user-guide/images/vs-editor-new-template-empty-2.png)

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