In this section, we will introduce the concept of the ArcGIS add-ins building approach. We will then build our first Hello, ArcGIS project, which will help us get started with ArcGIS add-ins. The Hello, ArcGIS project will be a small example that explains the basics of add-ins. As explained in the previous chapter, there are different approaches to building applications on ArcGIS for Desktop. The first and oldest method is Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), the second one is add-in, and the third one is extending ArcObjects, which we will be using in the last two examples.

The reason I started with add-ins is because it is the easiest and most convenient method for development and deployment. When you write and deploy an add-in, ArcGIS detects it and asks you whether you want to install it or not. Add-ins can be later disabled or enabled based on need, which makes them a secure approach for development.