Difference between website and web application in Visual Studio?

Question

What is the difference between a web site and a web application?

Answer 1

WEB APPLICATION

• You explicitly compile the source code on the computer that is used for development or source control.
• By default, compilation of code files (excluding .aspx and .ascx files) produces a single assembly.
• Explicit namespaces are added to pages, controls, and classes by default.

WEB SITE PROJECT

• The source code is typically compiled dynamically (automatically) by ASP.NET on the server the first time a request is received after the site has been installed or updated.

• You can precompile the site (compile in advance on a development computer or on the server). By default, compilation produces multiple assemblies.

• Explicit namespaces are not added to pages, controls, and classes by default, but you can add them manually.