Important note about the application templates and SharePoint 2010 Products
Microsoft is not releasing new versions of these templates for SharePoint 2010 Products. Also, .stp files are deprecated and can't be used to create new sites when you upgrade to SharePoint Server 2010 or SharePoint Foundation 2010. For additional information, see SharePoint 2010 Products: Upgrade and the Fabulous 40 Application Templates.
Application templates are out-of-the-box custom scenarios tailored to address the needs and requirements of specific business processes or sets of tasks in organizations of any size. They also provide a starting point for partners and developers looking to build deeper SharePoint-based solutions. The templates make use of Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 capabilities and are compatible with Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer 2007 to help make customization easier.
Application templates for Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 are separated into two groups, site admin templates and server admin templates, providing the right combination of integration with the platform and ease-of-deployment within an organization.
Site admin templates are custom templates (*.stp files) that are easy for any SharePoint site administrator to install into the template gallery without requiring server administration access. Available in English only.
Server admin templates are site definitions (*.wsp files), enabling tighter integration and enhanced functionality within the Windows SharePoint Services platform. They require a server administrator to install. Available in English, French, Italian, German, Swedish, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese (BR), Portuguese (PT), Japanese, Korean, Hebrew, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Russian, and Norwegian.
Read an Application Template Overview datasheet (.doc, 1.09MB)