Adding a Class Library to Your Visual Studio 2017 Project

As a developer, the addition of a class library to your Visual Studio 2017 project is crucial. It assists in organizing code and reusing it across various projects. This article provides a detailed guide on how to add a class library to your project.

Introduction to a Class Library in Visual Studio

For beginners using Visual Studio, a class library is a .NET framework designed to contain a collection of reusable code. Rather than writing repetitive code in different projects, a class library can be imported, and the applicable method called to execute necessary operations.

Step 1 – Creating a New Visual Studio Project

Before adding a class library, you must first create a project. Open your Visual Studio 2017 app and then click on the “New Project” button. Select the preferred programming language and click on “Class Library.” Afterward, click on “OK” to complete the project creation process.

Step 2 – Adding the Class Library

Prior to adding the class library, you will need to open the “Solution Explorer” window. Right-click on your project and click on “Add” then “New Item.” Choose “Class” and give it a descriptive name, then click on “Add” to create and add the file to your project.

Step 3 – Adding Code to the Class Library

The next step is to add code to the class library by double-clicking on the file. This will open a new code file where you can add relevant methods and other necessary code for use in your project. It is recommended to give your methods descriptive names to make it easy to identify their functionality.

Step 4 – Building the Class Library

After writing the code, you need to build the class library to identify syntax errors. From the “Solution Explorer” window, right-click on your project name and click on “Build.” This process will compile your source code and notify you of any errors found.

Step 5 – Referencing the Class Library

Once you have built your class library, the final step is referencing it in your project. Right-click on the desired project and select “Add Reference.” This will open the “Reference Manager” window where you can choose “Browse” and navigate to where the class library file is saved. Select the file, click on “Add,” and the library will be added to your project, allowing you to use its methods.

Conclusion

Adding a class library to your Visual Studio 2017 project is a simple process. Following the outlined steps above, you can create, add code, build, and reference the library successfully. Class libraries are powerful tools that enhance coding skills and make projects more effective.