Microsoft SharePoint 2013 Software Development Kit: Complete Developer’s Guide

Microsoft SharePoint 2013 Software Development Kit: Complete Developer’s Guide

Overview

• Purpose: A comprehensive guide for developers building solutions with SharePoint 2013 using the Software Development Kit (SDK).
• Audience: SharePoint developers familiar with .NET, C#, and basic SharePoint concepts who want end-to-end guidance from setup through advanced customization.

What the guide covers

1. Environment setup

   • Required software: Windows Server or supported Windows client, Visual Studio ⁄₂₀₁₃, SharePoint 2013 prerequisites, SQL Server.
   • SDK installation and configuration tips, virtual machine recommendations for isolated development.

2. SharePoint architecture and fundamentals

   • Farm, web application, site collection, site, lists/libraries, features, solutions (farm vs. sandbox vs. app model).
   • Authentication and authorization basics (Windows auth, claims-based auth).

3. Development models

   • Server-side (farm solutions): Web Parts, event receivers, timer jobs, custom field types.
   • Client-side (App model / Add-in model): Provider-hosted and SharePoint-hosted apps, authentication (OAuth, ACS), app permissions.
   • Client APIs: CSOM (C#), JSOM (JavaScript), REST endpoints; when to use each.

4. Key developer topics

   • Creating Web Parts and Visual Web Parts.
   • Building and deploying Features and Solutions (WSPs).
   • Using CSOM and REST for CRUD operations on lists, libraries, and site objects.
   • JavaScript frameworks integration (e.g., jQuery, Knockout) for client UX.
   • Handling large lists and throttling; best practices for CAML queries and indexes.
   • Taxonomy/Managed Metadata and user profiles programming.

5. Apps/add-ins

   • App lifecycle, manifest, provisioning remote resources.
   • Provider-hosted vs SharePoint-hosted trade-offs.
   • Using Azure for provider-hosted apps and secure token flows.

6. Workflow and business processes

   • SharePoint Designer vs Visual Studio workflows.
   • Integrating with Workflow Manager and durable activities.

7. Search and content management

   • Search schema, result sources, query rules, custom result types.
   • Programmatic management of crawled and managed properties.

8. Performance, scaling, and debugging

   • Profiling tools, ULS logs analysis, common performance bottlenecks.
   • Caching strategies and request throttling mitigation.

9. Security and compliance

   • Code access security for sandboxed solutions.
   • App permission scopes, secure storage of credentials, and securing provider-hosted endpoints.

10. Testing, CI/CD, and deployment

    • Automated build/deploy patterns with MSBuild, PowerShell, and VSTS/Azure DevOps.
    • Packaging apps and WSPs, deployment best practices for production farms.

11. Samples and troubleshooting

    • Common code samples: CRUD with CSOM, creating an app web, custom search connector.
    • Troubleshooting checklist and common error patterns.

Recommended project roadmap (short)

1. Set up a dev VM with SharePoint and Visual Studio.
2. Build a simple SharePoint-hosted app using JSOM.
3. Create a custom Web Part and package as a WSP.
4. Implement a provider-hosted app with OAuth and Azure.
5. Add automated build and deployment to streamline releases.

Further resources

• Official Microsoft SDK docs and MSDN articles, sample code repositories, community blogs and Stack Overflow for community Q&A.

Date: February 4, 2026