# How to create activities

> ![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/marketplace/marketplace-docs-image-23775-eaf7f708-daf6effd.webp)

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/marketplace/marketplace-docs-image-23775-eaf7f708-daf6effd.webp)

## Intro

[Activities](https://docs.uipath.com/marketplace/automation-cloud/latest/user-guide/introduction#introduction-for-marketplace-partners) are the building blocks of process automation. Each contains an atomic action which, stacked together with other activities, composes a workflow.

UiPath Studio includes a number of [premade activities](https://docs.uipath.com/marketplace/automation-cloud/latest/user-guide/introduction#introduction-for-marketplace-partners) that you can install through the [Package Manager](https://studio.uipath.com/docs/managing-activities-packages).

The steps below will give you the foundation to build custom activities in 5 minutes flat. In this section, we'll create an activity package and in the next, populate it with functional activities.

## What you'll need

* [Visual Studio Community/Professional/Enterprise](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/) (2019 required)
* [UiPath Studio](https://www.uipath.com/developers/community-edition-download)

## Steps

1. Add the UiPath Activity Creator Extension to Visual Studio

Open Visual Studio and click **Extensions > Manage Extensions**.

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/marketplace/marketplace-docs-image-23727-a7be6177-bf528bfe.webp)

In the wizard that appears, click Online and then Search (`Ctrl+E`) for UiPath. Download the *UiPath Activity Creator* extension.

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/marketplace/marketplace-docs-image-24799-95e73585-2110b94b.gif)

Close Visual Studio and, once the VSIX Installer appears, complete the installation.

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/marketplace/marketplace-docs-image-26008-fa8eff2e-e2499217.gif)

2. Create a UiPath Project

Reopen Visual Studio and double-click **Create a new project** on the home screen.

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/marketplace/marketplace-docs-image-24303-0868b8e0-89878aac.webp)

On the *Create a new project* screen, type "uipath" in the search bar, select **UiPath Standard Activity Project**, and click **Next**.

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/marketplace/marketplace-docs-image-24051-aabc362b-cd51c5c1.webp)

Give your project a name. The UiPath convention is `<Your company's name>.<Your product's name>` (e.g. UiPath.Orchestrator). Then click **Create**.

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/marketplace/marketplace-docs-image-24063-168174cd-ecd775f7.webp)

Navigate to the Solution Explorer and notice that 3 projects, a Shared folder, and many files have now been added to solution. This is the foundation of every activity package. [Continue to the next section](https://docs.uipath.com/marketplace/automation-cloud/latest/user-guide/the-simple-activity#the-simple-activity) to add your first activity.

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/marketplace/marketplace-docs-image-22566-12262e1c-66177c84.webp)