---
title: Create a starter project
slug: commerce-connect-13/docs/creating-your-project
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-07-23T09:44:48.000Z
---

For better control and understanding, you should start developing in an empty project. However, you can install a sample site like [Foundation](https://github.com/episerver/Foundation) to explore and use for inspiration. The Optimizely project templates provide a preconfigured website with Optimizely Commerce Connect and a Visual Studio project for development.

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**
If you install a project outside the default location Documents\Visual Studio\Projects, ensure that the current user has write permission to the parent directory to which you are installing. SQL LocalDB does not respect the Administrators group.
:::

## Create the project

Customized Commerce is based on two sites: a front-end (CMS) site and a back-end (Commerce Manager) site. Before you continue, follow the 5 steps under [Install Commerce](docId\:VuiU-K4aAR6ISGicFg4lk) to create an empty Commerce Connect project.

The installed folder structure is similar to a "plain" CMS site except there are two sites, back-end and front-end, and an **Infrastructure** folder containing **InitializationModule**.

:::Iframe{code="<Image align=&#x22;center&#x22; className=&#x22;border&#x22; border={true} src=&#x22;https://files.readme.io/c872bad-commercevisinstall1.png&#x22; />"}

:::

The [initialization module](docId\:a3E1yxPoXhWb4S7Ghp8xC) ensures that the catalog structure is added under the site's root level.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/Xt3TeyScaWwJ1OFo7cLKT-20260723-094553.png)

## Update to the latest

See [Install Optimizely](docId\:JkKYtt9dyKjTSGKZyJ6vb) to add the latest updates to a Commerce Connect 13 site.