# Selecting a Configuration

A configuration contains settings that define the final binary output file that you create within a project. It specifies the type of application to build, the platform on which it is to run, and the tool settings to use when building.

## Debug and Release Configurations

When you create a new project, Visual Studio* automatically creates the following configurations:

Configuration | Description
--- | ---
Debug configuration | By default, the debug configuration sets project options to include the debug symbol information in the debug configuration. It also turns off optimizations. Before you can debug an application, you must build a debug configuration for the project.
Release (Retail) configuration | The release configuration does not include the debug symbol information, and it uses any optimizations that you have chosen.

Use the Visual Studio* Configuration Manager to select:

1. Release or Debug configuration for the active solution.

2. Release or Debug configuration for any project within the active solution.

3. Target platform for each project.

To make configuration changes for your project:

1. Choose an active solution in the Solution Explorer.
2. Go to Build > Configuration Manager.
3. Select a configuration.

## New Configurations

In addition to the default Debug and Release configurations, you can also define new configurations within your project. These configurations may use the existing source files in your project, the existing project settings, or other characteristics of existing configurations.

Parent topic: Using Microsoft Visual Studio*