SharePoint is an awesome tool. It allows you to build web sites, manage lists of data, collaborate on documents, and so much more – all done through a simple, easy to use, web interface. Even better, SharePoint is built on top of ASP.NET. So, when the platform doesn't have the functionality you need, you can extend it using the tools in Visual Studio and the SharePoint developer APIs. Unfortunately it's not all wine and roses. In addition to your ASP.NET development experience you'll need to learn SharePoint specific concepts, practices and terminology. This session is covers the SharePoint architecture, developer tools, APIs, and the different packaging and deployment models. Its goal is to give you enough to get started developing on the SharePoint platform while laying the foundation for further learning on the subject.

1. SharePoint 2010/2013 for
ASP.NET Developers
Rob Windsor
rwindsor@portalsolutions.net
@robwindsor

2. About Me
• Senior SharePoint Architect with Portal Solutions
• Technical Contributor to the Pluralsight On-Demand Library
• Microsoft MVP, MCPD, MCT
• Founder and Past-President of the North Toronto .NET UG
• Co-author of Prof. Visual Basic 2012 and .NET 4.5 (Wrox)

4. SharePoint is a Platform
• SharePoint is a platform that sits on top of ASP.NET
• The platform provides business services
• The first step in learning SharePoint development is to get a
solid understanding the platform
 This is a BIG step
 It’s the same order of magnitude as getting a solid understanding of
the .NET Framework
• You need to understand the platform so you can determine
when custom development is, and is not, necessary
 The goal of any SharePoint developer is to solve business problems
using the platform – that is, without custom development

5. SharePoint Architecture
2007 2010 2013
OS Server 2003 or 2008 Server 2008
Server 2012 (SP2)
Windows Vista or 7
Server 2008 R2 or 2012
.NET 3.0 or 3.5 3.5 SP1 4.5
Package Farm Solutions Farm Solutions
Sandbox Solutions
Farm Solutions
Sandbox Solutions *
SharePoint Apps
APIs Server OM
ASMX Services
Server OM
ASMX Services
Client OM
REST API
Server OM
ASMX Services *
Client OM
REST API
Notes:
• Operating systems for SharePoint 2010 and 2013 must by 64-bit
• Sandboxed solutions and ASMX web services have been deprecated in
SharePoint 2013

6. SharePoint Architecture (con’t)
Farm
Web App
Site Collection
Content Type
Web Part
Site
List
Library
SharePoint System Folders
SharePoint Database

7. SharePoint Editions
• SharePoint Foundation
 Free
 Core collaboration features and developer APIs
• SharePoint Server
 Standard and Enterprise editions
 Adds enterprise features valuable to mid to large size
organizations
• Office 365/SharePoint Online
 Most of the collaboration features of Foundation
 Some of the enterprise features of Server
 Limited options for custom development

8. SharePoint Developer Enviroment
• SharePoint must be installed on developer
machine
 Unless you only want to build Apps for Office 365
• Also have: SQL Server, Visual Studio, SharePoint
Designer, Office
• Suggested RAM requirements
 SP 2010 Foundation: 2GB
 SP 2010 Server: 6GB
 SP 2013 Foundation or Server: 10GB+

9. SharePoint Developer APIs
• Server Object Model
 Used by client apps running on SP server
• Client Object Models (CSOM)
 Remote API
 Three entry points: .NET Managed, Silverlight, JavaScript
 Façade layer on top of WCF service
 Uses batching model to access resources
• REST Web Services (API)
 SP 2010: CRUD on list data only
 SP 2013: API expanded to be more like CSOM
• SharePoint Web Services
 “Legacy” SOAP-based web services

10. Package Models
• Farm Solutions
 Full access to Server Object Model
 Files deployed to SharePoint server file system
• Sandboxed Solutions
 Access to a subset of the Server Object Model
 Files deployed to SharePoint content database
 Code executes in isolated worker process
• SharePoint Apps
 No access to Server Object Model
 Code executes on client or on remote server
 Deployment location depends on App type

11. DEMO
Building a Solution

12. Features and Elements
• SharePoint component model
• Define logical units of functionality
• Contain elements
 e.g. menu items, links, list types and list instances
 Many other element types possible
• Support activation/deactivation by end-users and
administrators
 Activation scoped to: Farm, Web Application, Site, or
Web
 Events raised during activation and deactivation

13. User’s View of Features
• Features support concept of activation and deactivation

14. Feature Manifest
• Features defined in using Collaborative Application
Markup Language (CAML)
<Feature
Id="B2CB42E2-4F0A-4380-AABA-1EF9CD526F20"
Title="A Sample Feature: Hello World"
Description=“This is a hand crafted Feature manifest"
Scope="Web"
Hidden="FALSE"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
<ElementManifests>
<ElementManifest Location="elements.xml" />
</ElementManifests>
</Feature>

15. Element Manifest
• This element defines a Site Actions menu item
• There are many other types of elements
<Elements xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
<CustomAction
Id="SiteActionsToolbar"
GroupId="SiteActions"
Location="Microsoft.SharePoint.StandardMenu"
Sequence="100"
Title="Hello World"
Description="A custom menu item added using a feature"
ImageUrl="_layouts/images/crtsite.gif" >
<UrlAction Url="http://msdn.microsoft.com"/>
</CustomAction>
</Elements>

16. Solution Packages
• Work done in Visual Studio packaged into a
solution for deployment
• Package is a CAB file with a WSP extension
• Package contains manifest with deployment
instructions
• Two types of solutions:
 Farm solutions
 Sandboxed solutions

17. DEMO
Revisit the Project

18. What is the App Model?
• New development/deployment/hosting model for
extensions to Office and SharePoint
• Conceptually similar to apps for phones/tablets
 Find / Try / Buy concept
 Public and private App stores (catalogs)
Apps for SharePoint are self-contained pieces of
functionality that extend the capabilities of a SharePoint
website. Apps integrate the best of the Web and SharePoint;
they are targeted and easy-to-use, and do a great job at
solving a user need.

19. App Characteristics
• All custom code executes outside SharePoint
 JavaScript in client browser
 .NET (or other) code on external server
 Code communicates with SharePoint via web services
• Apps have identity and permissions
 App requests permissions when installed
 Permissions have both scope and rights
 App permissions are independent of user permissions

20. App Experiences
• Full Page
 All apps must have a full page experience
• App Part
 UI from full-page experience can be added to
SharePoint pages like a web part
 Hosted in an IFrame
• Custom Actions
 Can add options to ribbon or menus

21. App Hosting
• SharePoint Hosted
 App hosted in SharePoint farm
• Externally Hosted
 Also known as Developer, Provider or Cloud Hosted
 App hosted in website external to SharePoint
 Can be implemented using any Web technology
• Hybrid
 App could a combination of two hosting models above
• Auto-Hosted
 SharePoint Online and Azure
• Services
 App support depends on two service applications
 App Management and Site Subscription Management

22. SharePoint Hosted App Isolation
• Apps are isolated from the SharePoint site that hosts
them and from other Apps
• The SharePoint site where you install an App is called the
Host Web
• The SharePoint site where the App is deployed is called
the App Web
 Lives in an isolated domain on SharePoint farm
 Base URL is partially generated, partially configured
• Example:
 Host Web: www.contoso.com/sites/demo
 App Name: Test
 App Web: app-bdf2016ea7dacb.apps.contoso.com/sites/demo/Test

23. SharePoint Hosted App Capabilities
• Cannot use server-side code
• Can create many SharePoint elements
 Lists, fields, content types, etc.
• Can provision content pages
 Pages can use ASP.NET and SharePoint controls
 No code-behind
• Elements and Pages provisioned in App Web
• Can only communicate with Host Web if granted
permissions
 Communicate with Host Web using CSOM or REST

24. App Development Tools
• “Napa”
 SharePoint App that enables App development
 Only requires a browser
 Designed for leaning and prototyping
• Visual Studio 2012
 App development tools require download
 Tools are still in Beta (Preview 2)

25. DEMO
Building an App

26. Thank You
• Big thanks to the organizers, sponsors and you for making
this event possible
• Please fill out your evaluation
• Please keep in touch
rwindsor@portalsolutions.net
@robwindsor
msmvps.com/blogs/windsor