Best way to deploy Visual Studio application that can run without installing

It is possible and is deceptively easy:

1. "Publish" the application (to, say, some folder on drive C), either from menu Build or from the project's properties → Publish. This will create an installer for a ClickOnce application.
2. But instead of using the produced installer, find the produced files (the EXE file and the .config, .manifest, and .application files, along with any DLL files, etc.) - they are all in the same folder and typically in the bin\Debug folder below the project file (.csproj).
3. Zip that folder (leave out any *.vhost.* files and the app.publish folder (they are not needed), and the .pdb files unless you foresee debugging directly on your user's system (for example, by remote control)), and provide it to the users.

An added advantage is that, as a ClickOnce application, it does not require administrative privileges to run (if your application follows the normal guidelines for which folders to use for application data, etc.).

As for .NET, you can check for the minimum required version of .NET being installed (or at all) in the application (most users will already have it installed) and present a dialog with a link to the download page on the Microsoft website (or point to one of your pages that could redirect to the Microsoft page - this makes it more robust if the Microsoft URL change). As it is a small utility, you could target .NET 2.0 to reduce a user's probability to install .NET.

It works. We use this method during development and test to avoid constantly uninstalling and installing the application and still being quite close to how the final application will run.

First, you need to publish the file by:

1. BUILD -> PUBLISH or by right clicking project on Solution Explorer -> properties -> publish or select project in Solution Explorer and press Alt + Enter NOTE: if you are using Visual Studio 2013 then in properties you have to go to BUILD and then you have to disable define DEBUG constant and define TRACE constant and you are ready to go.

2. Save your file to a particular folder. Find the produced files (the EXE file and the .config, .manifest, and .application files, along with any DLL files, etc.) - they are all in the same folder and type in the bin\Debug folder below the project file (.csproj). In Visual Studio they are in the Application Files folder and inside that, you just need the .exe and dll files. (You have to delete ClickOnce and other files and then make this folder a zip file and distribute it.)

NOTE: The ClickOnce application does install the project to the system, but it has one advantage. You DO NOT require administrative privileges here to run (if your application follows the normal guidelines for which folders to use for application data, etc.).