New version of the SP 2013 and SP Online solution packs

We have released again new version of the SharePoint 2013 and SharePoint Online Solution packs package, which contains latest guidance on the app model transition and practices with specific functionality areas. This guidance is based on the work what has been done in the Office 365 Developer Patterns and Practices and will be also soon included to the MSDN.

This latest version was released on 9th of December and we are looking for next release in January, hopefully directly to the MSDN.

What is a solution pack?

A solution pack is a set of evolving guidance created in a partnership between the SharePoint product team and the SharePoint community. Solution packs are aligned around a specific scenario and exist to clarify complicated stories and help users meet goals with new patterns and technologies.

The core building block of each solution pack is the module. The scope and purpose of the module remains constant, but the content within each module can grow and change over time. This is version 1.0 of a solution pack, which contains module documents, associated code samples, inline code examples, and numerous links to additional Microsoft and SharePoint community resources. 

Content of the download

We have currently 5 specific categories or areas where the guidance is falling into. Here’s short introduction to the specific details. Each module is usually in it’s own document explaining the scenario or module details.

Branding and site provisioning solution pack

Module

Name

Description

1

SharePoint site branding and remote provisioning 101

Introduces the solution pack concept and contents, including SharePoint site fundamentals and the branding and site provisioning workflow. It also introduces the remote provisioning pattern, a new way to use apps for SharePoint and the Cloud App Model (CAM) to provision branding to SharePoint sites.

2

Inside SharePoint Pages

Presents the SharePoint page model and its component parts.

3

Building SharePoint sites and pages

Describes tooling options for developing site branding elements and managing them in SharePoint.

4

Customizing site branding

Covers composed looks, the SharePoint 2013 theming engine, and best practices for customizing the look and feel of your site with custom CSS and CSOM via remote provisioning.

5

Using apps for SharePoint to provision SharePoint site branding

Describes the remote provisioning pattern, and shows how to apply site branding at the site collection, site, and subsite levels by using the pattern. Demonstrates how to set up remote provisioning to use a custom form, an approval workflow, and refresh tokens.

6

Migrating full trust code (FTC) solutions to the app model

Provides guidance, tips, and code for analyzing current FTC solutions and, when applicable, specific guidance for migrating specific solutions to the app model.

7

Site navigation and branding publishing sites

Describes CSOM capabilities for site navigation, and explores branding considerations specific to Publishing sites.

 

Composite business apps solution pack

Module

Name

Description

1

Hosting options, forms, and data

Describes appropriate use cases for SharePoint-hosted apps and provider-hosted apps. Provides guidance for moving InfoPath form capabilities to SharePoint 2013, and compares data storage options for the app model.

2

Departmental apps

Describes a reference implementation of a corporate events app that demonstrates several ways to integrate apps for SharePoint into your business operations.

3

Workflows

Describes three code samples that demonstrate how to deploy a SharePoint 2013 workflow to the host web from an app for SharePoint and two approaches for calling web services from workflows.

 

Enterprise content management solution pack

Module

Name

Describes how to…

1

Document library templates

Implement a custom document library template when creating a document library. This sample describes how to use site columns, site content types, taxonomy fields, and version settings, and how to remove the default document content type from a document library.

2

Document auto tagging

Automatically tag documents with metadata when documents are created or uploaded to SharePoint. This sample describes creation of taxonomy fields and content types, creation of document libraries with content types, registration of the ItemAdding and ItemAdded Remote Event Receiver, removal of Remote Event Receivers, retrieval of User Profile properties, and setting of taxonomy fields.

3

Information Management

Get or set site policies to manage the site lifecycle (closure and deletion of sites after a period of time).

4

Records management extensions

Enable and change in-place records management settings on your sites and lists.

5

Taxonomy operations

Create and read taxonomy data.

6

Bulk uploading documents

Bulk upload documents to document libraries (including OneDrive for Business).

7

Upload large files

Use different methods to upload large files to a document library.

8

Synchronize term groups

Synchronize term groups across multiple term stores.

Search solution pack

 

Module

Name

Description

1

Introduction to SharePoint Search Architecture, APIs and Search Apps

Introduces the solution pack concept and contents, including SharePoint search fundamentals and architecture. It also introduces the search Query CSOM and REST APIs and provides an introduction to developing search apps.

2

Search customizations for SharePoint 2013 and SharePoint Online

Describes search customizations scenarios and discusses techniques and samples to customize search for SharePoint 2013 and SharePoint Online.

 

UX Components solution pack

Section

Name

Description

2

Controlling the UX with provider-hosted apps

Describes patterns for provider-hosted apps that create and modify SharePoint pages, layouts, and other SharePoint artifacts and that customize the user experience on host sites.

3

Creating UX controls with provider-hosted apps

Demonstrates how to use JavaScript and the client object model (CSOM) to create UX controls for display in provider-hosted apps that interact with host sites. The examples include taxonomy picker, taxonomy menu, and people picker controls.

4

Using OfficeWebWidgets

Demonstrates some ways to use the experimental Office Web Widgets NuGet package in provider-hosted apps. These include demonstrations of the people picker and list view widgets.

5

Better performance through caching

Describes how to use HTML 5 and HTTP cookies to cache data and reduce the number of calls to SharePoint services.

 

What next?

We are currently working on updated guidance related on the WCM and user profile areas with app model.

 

Will this guidance be also included to MSDN?

Yes. We are working on getting MSDN finally updated with the latest recommendations and guidance during January, so that you can reference this same material as the “official” message from the Microsoft.

 

Office 365 Developer Patterns and Practices

All the information in the released solution packs are based on the work done in the Office 365 Developer Patterns and Practices guidance, which contains already more than 100 samples and solutions demonstrating different patterns and practices related on the app model development together with additional documentation related on the app model techniques.

Check the latest updates directly from the GitHub project at https://aka.ms/OfficeDevPnP. Please join us on sharing patterns and practices for the community for the benefit of the community. If you have any questions or comments related on the solution packs or Office 365 Dev PnP, please use the PnP Yammer group at https://aka.ms/OfficeDevPnPYammer.

 

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