How to Create Custom SharePoint Content Type using Visual Studio

In this article, we are going to create a custom Content Type using Visual Studio 2010.

Steps Involved

Creating Empty SharePoint Project

• Open Visual Studio 2010.
• Go to File => New => Project.
• Select 2010 from the installed templates SharePoint and choose Empty SharePoint Project.
• Name it as CustomContentType.
  
• Click Add.
• Enter the SharePoint server farm URL.
• Select 'Deploy it as a Farm Solution".
• Click Finish.

Adding Content Type

• Right-click the Solution Explorer and select Add a new item.
• Select Content Type from the installed templates SharePoint and name it as CustomContentType.
  
• Choose the base content type from which our custom content type should inherit, I have chosen "Item" as a base content type.
  
• Double-click the Elements.xml file.
  
• Replace the code with the below one.

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
  <Elements xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
      <!-- Parent ContentType: Item (0x01) -->
      <ContentType ID="0x0100eb248db87d3f40efa20cdfae86fe0b50"
                   Name="Custom Content Type"
                   Group="Custom Content Types"
                   Description="My Content Type"
                   Inherits="TRUE"
                   Version="0">
          <FieldRefs>
          </FieldRefs>
      </ContentType>
  </Elements>
  

• In the above code, we are adding a Custom Content Type; with the group name as "Custom Content Types".
• Build the solution.
• Deploy the solution.

Testing

• Go to the SharePoint site.
• Go to Site Actions => Site Settings =>Galleries =>Site Content Types.
• You will see the Custom Content Type that we have created in the group "Custom Content Types".