CODEWITHSUNDEEP
visual-studio
drjackool
drjackool

Reputation: 493

Visual studio Express Edition vs Community

My question is What is difference between Visual Studio Express Edition for Desktop and Visual Studio Community version?

I want use VS to create Desktop apps, currently I have ultimate version of VS2013, but I think mentioned versions are lighter and faster and FULL FREE for me because I don't use most of developing features like Team server or Testing tools or IntelliTrace, .... I want know the mentioned versions have full Windows API Support (Header files definition) like Ultimate/Enterprise versions?

Don't forget my first question: VS Express for Desktop vs Community, because both are FREE.

Upvotes: 37

Views: 53704

Answers (4)

Sumsuddin Shojib
Sumsuddin Shojib

Reputation: 3743

Here is the official comparison

I think IntelliTrace is the most important part missing in the community edition. Cloning the repo some similar things are missing. but I don't think those are any real problems.

Upvotes: 1

Wasted_Coder
Wasted_Coder

Reputation: 1968

Community is like a full version of Visual Studio Professional, only they don't allow you to develop for commercial purposes (through the licence agreement). With the exception for developing apps that you sell in the Windows Store.

Why you would want Community (dito for VS Professional):

  1. You can develop a mix of different projects in the same solution on the same IDE. With Express you develop asp.net and other web apps (Express for Web) in different IDE's than you would developing a Windows Forms applicaiton (Express for Win Forms).
  2. You get full access to plugins that enhance the IDE, like code optimisation tools.
  3. Other than Professional, Community is integrated with a lot of online collaboration sites. Like integration to GIT repos and Windows Azure hosting.

Express is like the old school express versions, if you used to use the old school express versions, you probably want to stick to it. It allows for commercial development, but they restrict the features of the IDE. And they make it harder to use by splitting the IDE to only handle Web Applications (like ASP.Net) in one IDE and a different IDE for handling Windows Forms. (In the past they also split the Win Forms IDEs to only handle one coding language like C# or VB).

Upvotes: 8

aprad046
aprad046

Reputation: 666

Community edition is the full fledged software, but you can't use it on enterprise (>5 users)

On the other hand, Express editions can be used in enterprise environments, but does not let you use plugins.

So in the end, as far as I can tell the choice is between plugins and enterprise. If it's just a product you are developing yourself, or an open source software, Community edition would be your best bet. On the other hand, if you want to try out the latest version at your work for free, then Express edition is for you.

Upvotes: 36

Vlad Feinstein
Vlad Feinstein

Reputation: 11321

Here is from the "source" :)

Differences between Visual Studio Community Edition and Express Editions

Here is a quote from that MSDN blog:

There are two main differences between Visual Studio Community Edition and the Express Editions

1) Visual Studio Express Editions do not allow users to use extensions (aka. plugins). There are over 5000 great plugins for Visual Studio in Visual Studio Gallery. Plugins such as Developer Assistant can boost developers’ productivity. Unfortunately, they are not available to Visual Studio Express users. With Visual Studio Community Edition, you can access and use All of them!

2) Visual Studio Express Editions are targeting specific platforms: Express for Web allows you to develop Web apps; Express for Windows allows you to develop Windows apps; Express for Windows Desktop allows you to develop desktop apps. But with Visual Studio Community Edition, you can develop projects targeting cross-platforms.

Upvotes: 23

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