SharePoint Apps Overview

SharePoint 2013 Development Options

• Farm-Trust Solutions
  
  
  • Introduced in SharePoint 2007
  • Hosted in the same process as SharePoint.
  • Full server-side SharePoint API access
    
    
• Sandbox Solutions
  
  
  • Introduced in SharePoint 2010
  • Excellent for declarative element deployment
  • Server-side, Limited SharePoint API access
    
    
• SharePoint App Model
  
  
  • Introduced in SharePoint 2013
  • Provides for highest level of app isolation.
  • Much cleaner & simpler install & upgrade process.

SharePoint 2010 Application Challenges

• Custom Code on server.
• Root cause of most SharePoint outages / issue.
• Deployment hassles.
• Dependent on SharePoint dlls.
• Difficult to control permissions (using CAS).
• Not possible/difficult in hosted environments.
• Sandbox.
• Possible in hosted environment.
• Limited set of things you can do.

Introducing the SharePoint App Model

• SharePoint apps do not “live” on the SharePoint server *.
• Custom code executes in the client, cloud or on-premis (in a different process).
• Apps are granted permissions to SharePoint via OAuth.
• Apps communicate with SharePoint via OData / CSOM.
• Acquire apps via centralized location:
  
  
  • App Catalog
  • Public Store (via submission process)
  • APIs for manual deployment

Benefits

• No custom code on the SharePoint server:
  
  
  • Easier to upgrade to future versions of SharePoint
  • Works in hosted environments w/o limitations
    
    
• Reduces the ramp-up time for those building apps:
  
  
  • Don’t need to know/be as familiar with SharePoint “-isms”.
    
  • Enables taking SharePoint apps to different levels – further than what can be done with farm / sandbox solutions.
  • Isolation – private vs. public clouds.

When to Use Apps or Solutions?

• New SharePoint App Model is the preferred route for building app scenarios.
  
  
  • Provides most flexibility in development technologies, capabilities & infrastructure choices.
  • Provides highest level of process, user & data isolation.
    
    
• Full-trust solutions ideal for:
  
  
  • Deep customizations to SharePoint, for example:
    
    
    • Provisioning custom master pages, page layouts, webparts
    • Deploying advanced administration scenarios like timer jobs

User Experience

Everything in a SharePoint site is an app:

• Contact form
• Travel request
• Shared Documents library
• Contacts list
• Formerly known as View All Content, the Site Contents link shows all apps in a site.
• Selecting an app redirects to the app’s start page.

SharePoint Solutions & Apps