Comparison of Empty Versus Web API ASP.NET Web Application Templates (VS 2013)
Update 10/2016 - This posting is better viewed in my new blog . A quick comparison of the complexity of Web API versus Empty templates in ASP.NET Web Application creation. Values were recorded through inspection of the projects and the project folders after a successful debug compile. Empty template, Web API core references NuGet Packages: 5 References: 22 Files: 61 Folders: 33 Size: 12.3 MB Web API template, MVC and Web API core references NuGetPackages: 34 References: 48 Files: 374 Folders: 157 Size: 62.3 MB