Deploying C# Applications
Deployment is the process by which you distribute a finished application or component to be installed on other computers. For console applications, or Smart Client applications based on Windows Forms, two deployment options are available: ClickOnce and Windows Installer.
ClickOnce Deployment
ClickOnce deployment allows you to publish Windows applications to a Web server or network file share for simplified installation. For most scenarios, ClickOnce is the recommended option for deployment because it enables self-updating Windows-based applications that can be installed and run with minimal user interaction.
To configure properties for ClickOnce deployment, you can use the Publish Wizard (accessible from the Build menu) or the Publish page in the Project Designer. For more information, see Publish Page, Project Designer. For more information about ClickOnce, see ClickOnce Deployment.
Windows Installer
Windows Installer deployment allows you to create installer packages to be distributed to users; the user runs the setup file and steps through a wizard to install the application. This is done by adding a Setup project to your solution; when built, it creates a setup file that you distribute to users; the user runs the setup file and steps through a wizard to install the application.
For more information about Windows Installer, see Windows Installer Deployment.
See Also
Tasks
How to: Publish a ClickOnce Application
Concepts
Deploying a Runtime Application Using Windows Installer