Creating a new ASP.NET Web Forms application is a straightforward process, especially when using Visual Studio, which provides a user-friendly interface for building web applications. Below are the detailed steps to create a new Web Forms application, along with sample code to get you started.

Step 1: Install Visual Studio

Before you begin, ensure that you have Visual Studio installed on your machine. You can download the Community edition for free from the official Microsoft website. During installation, make sure to include the "ASP.NET and web development" workload.

Step 2: Create a New Project

  1. Open Visual Studio.
  2. Click on File > New > Project.
  3. In the "Create a new project" dialog, search for "ASP.NET Web Application" and select it.
  4. Click Next.

Step 3: Configure Your Project

  1. Enter a name for your project (e.g., "MyWebFormsApp").
  2. Select a location to save your project.
  3. Click Create.

Step 4: Choose a Template

In the "Create a new ASP.NET Web Application" dialog, select the Web Forms template. You can also choose to enable authentication options if needed. Click Create to generate the project.

Step 5: Explore the Project Structure

Once the project is created, you will see a solution explorer with the following key components:

  • Default.aspx: The main web form where you will design your UI.
  • Default.aspx.cs: The code-behind file where you will write your server-side logic.
  • Web.config: The configuration file for your application.

Step 6: Add Controls to the Web Form

Open the Default.aspx file and add some server controls. Here’s a simple example: 

        
            <%@ Page Language="C#" AutoEventWireup="true" CodeFile="Default.aspx.cs" Inherits="Default" %>
            <!DOCTYPE html>
            <html>
            <body>
                <form id="form1" runat="server">
                    <div>
                        <h2>Welcome to My Web Forms Application</h2>
                        <asp:Label ID="Label1" runat="server" Text="Enter your name:" />
                        <asp:TextBox ID="TextBox1" runat="server" />
                        <asp:Button ID="Button1" runat="server" Text="Submit" OnClick="Button1_Click" />
                        <asp:Label ID="Label2" runat="server" Text="" />
                    </div>
                </form>
            </body>
            </html>

Step 7: Write Code in the Code-Behind File

Open the Default.aspx.cs file and implement the button click event to handle user input: 

        
            using System;
            using System.Web.UI;

            public partial class Default : Page
            {
                protected void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
                {
                    // Retrieve the name from the TextBox and display it in the Label
                    string userName = TextBox1.Text;
                    Label2.Text = "Hello, " + userName + "!";
                }
            }

Step 8: Run Your Application

To run your application, press F5 or click on the Start

button in Visual Studio. This will build your application and launch it in your default web browser. You should see your web form with the controls you added. Enter your name in the text box and click the submit button to see the greeting message displayed.

Conclusion

Creating a new ASP.NET Web Forms application is a simple process that allows developers to build dynamic web applications quickly. By following the steps outlined above, you can set up a basic Web Forms application and start adding functionality to meet your needs. With the powerful features of ASP.NET, you can create robust and interactive web applications with ease.