Just to clear up some terminology, the choice is between a "Web Site" and a
"Web Application Project" with the keyword being "project". Web sites are
NOT created as Visual Studio projects and, as such, you won't find them in
the "New Project" dialog box.
Since they are not projects, they will not have the same configuration
mechanisms that projects do and they aren't "built" like projects are. In
fact, they aren't "built" at all. Choosing to "build" a Web Site, simply
compiles your work and nothing more.
Web Sites files are dynamically compiled and, depending on whether you code
inline or not, you may be required to deploy your source code to your
production server. Probably the biggest difference is that you have the
option to have each page compile down to its own assembly, whereas with a
"Web Application Project' (WAP), no matter how many pages you have, their
code-behinds will always compile down to a single assembly.
Web Sites were created, starting with the 2.0 Framework and VS 2005 in
response to feedback that MS got from developers saying that they wanted a
more granular level of control over a web's assemblies. So MS did away with
the WAP, in favor of Web Sites. But, when they released VS 2005, there was
a very loud groan from a larger contingent of developers who, either were
already invested in the WAP architecture or didn't like/didn't need the fine
granularity and the potential mahem of using them. So, with VS 2005 SP 1,
MS added support back in for WAP. With VS 2008, WAP are back where they
belong as a native architecture choice, with Web Site's still being
available.
I think you'll find that WAP's are the way to go and that only a small
population like Web Sites.
-Scott
