New Visual Studio.Net 2005 Application Folders

ASP.NET recognizes certain folder names that you can use for specific types of content. The table below lists the reserved folder names and the type of files that the folders typically contain.

The content of application folders, except for the App_Themes folder, is not served in response to Web requests, but it can be accessed from application code.

1. App_Browsers : Contains browser definitions (.browser files) that ASP.NET uses to identify individual browsers and determine their capabilities.
2. App_Code : Contains source code for utility classes and business objects (for example, .cs, .vb, and .jsl files) that you want to compile as part of your application. In a dynamically compiled application, ASP.NET compiles the code in the App_Code folder on the initial request to your application. Items in this folder are then recompiled when any changes are detected.
3. App_Data : Contains application data files including MDF files, XML files, as well as other data store files. The App_Data folder is used by ASP.NET 2.0 to store an application's local database, which can be used for maintaining membership and role information.
4. App_GlobalResources : Contains resources (.resx and .resources files) that are compiled into assemblies with global scope. Resources in the App_GlobalResources folder are strongly typed and can be accessed programmatically.
5. App_LocalResources : Contains resources (.resx and .resources files) that are associated with a specific page, user control, or master page in an application.
6. App_Themes : Contains a collection of files (.skin and .css files, as well as image files and generic resources) that define the appearance of ASP.NET Web pages and controls.
7. App_WebReferences : Contains reference contract files (.wsdl files), schemas (.xsd files), and discovery document files (.disco and .discomap files) defining a Web reference for use in an application.
8. Bin : Contains compiled assemblies (.dll files) for controls, components, or other code that you want to reference in your application. Any classes represented by code in the Bin folder are automatically referenced in your application.

Configuration settings for your site are managed in a Web.config file that is located in the site's root folder. If you have files in subfolders, you can maintain separate configuration settings for those files by creating a Web.config file in that folder.