A SharePoint developer is like a software architect who focuses on creating, fine-tuning, and looking after solutions and applications within the SharePoint ecosystem. They team up with Microsoft SharePoint, a web-based platform for teamwork and document management, to craft customized solutions that perfectly match an organization’s unique requirements. SharePoint developers are skilled in various technologies and tools connected to SharePoint, including:
- SharePoint Framework (SPFx) Development
- JavaScript and TypeScript
- Power Platform Integration
- Azure DevOps and CI/CD
- REST API and GraphQL
- SharePoint Security and Compliance
- SharePoint Designer and Workflows
- Responsive Web Design (RWD)
- PowerShell Scripting
- Problem Solving and Troubleshooting
We will check out these skills one by one in detail.
Let’s delve into each of the ten essential skills for SharePoint developers in more detail:
1. SharePoint Framework (SPFx) Development:
SharePoint Framework (SPFx) is a development framework provided by Microsoft for building custom solutions and web parts that can be integrated into SharePoint Online and SharePoint on-premises. SPFx development allows developers to create modern, responsive, and user-friendly components that extend the functionality of SharePoint sites.
As a SharePoint developer, SPFx development allows you to create custom SharePoint solutions that are responsive, user-friendly, and tailored to your organization’s specific requirements. It provides a modern approach to extending SharePoint’s capabilities, making it a valuable skill for SharePoint development projects.
2. JavaScript and TypeScript:
JavaScript and TypeScript are essential programming languages in SharePoint development. They are used to create custom solutions, web parts, and extensions that enhance the functionality and user experience of SharePoint sites.
JavaScript is a foundational language for SharePoint development. It’s essential for customizing SharePoint sites and creating client-side solutions.Here are some key areas where JavaScript is commonly used in SharePoint development:
- Customizations
- Client-Side Rendering (CSR)
- Event Handling
- REST API Integration
- User Interface Enhancements
- Third-Party Integrations
TypeScript is becoming increasingly popular in SharePoint development, especially with the introduction of SharePoint Framework (SPFx). TypeScript offers several advantages, including strong typing and modern tooling. Here’s how TypeScript is relevant to SharePoint development:
SPFx Web Parts
Static Typing
React Integration
Modern Tooling
Code Maintainability
Having expertise in both JavaScript and TypeScript gives you flexibility as a SharePoint developer.
3. Power Platform Integration:
Power Platform integration with SharePoint is a powerful way to extend and enhance the capabilities of SharePoint by leveraging the low-code/no-code tools provided by Microsoft’s Power Platform. The Power Platform consists of several key components, including Power Apps, Power Automate (formerly Flow), Power BI, and Power Virtual Agents.
Integrating the Power Platform with SharePoint can empower you to create highly customized and efficient solutions that address your organization’s specific needs. It also allows you to automate processes, visualize data, and provide user-friendly interfaces, all of which contribute to a more productive SharePoint environment.
As a SharePoint developer, integrating the Power Platform with SharePoint can significantly expand your capabilities and enable you to create powerful and customized solutions for your organization.
4. Azure DevOps and CI/CD:
Using Azure DevOps and setting up Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) in SharePoint development is a smart way to make deploying and releasing SharePoint solutions smoother. It helps teams work together better, reduces mistakes, speeds up deployments, and keeps the development process consistent and scalable.
5. REST API and GraphQL:
SharePoint supports both REST API and GraphQL as mechanisms for interacting with its data and services. These APIs provide developers with options for querying and manipulating SharePoint resources programmatically.
REST API (Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interface)is a widely used standard for building and consuming web services. SharePoint exposes a REST API that allows developers to perform CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations and interact with SharePoint data and resources over HTTP.
GraphQL is like a language for talking to APIs that makes it easier and more efficient to get the data you need, especially when compared to REST.. SharePoint now lets developers use GraphQL to access data and services. For SharePoint developers, knowing how to use both REST API and GraphQL is a good thing because they offer different ways to get what they need from SharePoint.
6. SharePoint Security and Compliance:
SharePoint comes with strong security and compliance tools that help organizations safeguard sensitive information, meet regulatory requirements, and control who can access what.
7. SharePoint Designer and Workflows:
SharePoint Designer and workflows were important tools for customizing SharePoint sites and automating business processes in the past
SharePoint Designer is a user-friendly and cost-free tool provided by Microsoft, designed to simplify the process of customizing and tailoring SharePoint sites and workflows to your specific needs.
Think of it as a friendly desktop program that works seamlessly with SharePoint and lets you do lots of different tasks.
SharePoint workflows are automated sequences of actions that can be applied to items or documents in SharePoint. Workflows are like your trusty assistants—they help smooth out and automate business processes, making them faster and less likely to have mistakes.
SharePoint developers play a crucial role in using SharePoint Designer and workflows to customize SharePoint sites and automate business processes. As part of their job, they design, create, test, and take care of workflows and custom features to make sure they fit exactly what the business needs.
8. Responsive Web Design (RWD):
Responsive Web Design (RWD) is an important consideration when designing and developing SharePoint sites and pages. Responsive Web Design (RWD) is like the magic wand that ensures your SharePoint site looks great and works smoothly on all sorts of screens and devices—be it a big desktop monitor, a tablet, or a tiny smartphone.
For SharePoint developers, knowing how to use RWD is a must to create sites and pages that are friendly and easy to use for everyone, no matter what gadget they’re using.
9. PowerShell Scripting:
PowerShell scripting is like a Swiss army knife for managing and automating a wide range of tasks in SharePoint. SharePoint developers and administrators find PowerShell scripting to be immensely valuable because it empowers them to efficiently tackle a multitude of responsibilities. This includes tasks like configuration, maintenance, data management, and much more, making their roles more effective and streamlined.
10. Problem Solving and Troubleshooting:
Problem solving and troubleshooting are essential skills for SharePoint administrators and developers. SharePoint is a complex platform with various components, and issues can arise for various reasons.
By using such skills SharePoint developers may work on various types of projects, including:
– Custom SharePoint site development: Creating custom intranet portals, extranet sites, or public-facing websites using SharePoint as the platform.
– Workflow automation: Designing and implementing business process automation using SharePoint workflows and Power Automate.
– Custom web parts and extensions: Developing custom components to extend SharePoint’s functionality and user experience.
– Integration: Integrating SharePoint with other systems, such as CRM software, databases, or third-party services.
– Migration and upgrade projects: Assisting organizations in migrating content and custom solutions from older versions of SharePoint to newer ones.
To work on such types of projects any sharepoint developer needs some skills. Such as follows
Summary:
1. SharePoint Framework (SPFx) Development:
– Building custom, user-friendly components for SharePoint sites.
– Adapting to modern SharePoint development.
2. JavaScript and TypeScript:
– Customizing SharePoint and creating client-side solutions.
– TypeScript for stronger typing and modern tools.
3. Power Platform Integration:
– Combining Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, etc., with SharePoint.
– Streamlining processes and enhancing user interfaces.
4. Azure DevOps and CI/CD:
– Automating deployment with Azure DevOps.
– Faster, error-free releases and better teamwork.
5. REST API and GraphQL:
– Using APIs for SharePoint data and services.
– REST API for standard interactions, GraphQL for flexibility.
6. SharePoint Security and Compliance:
– Protecting data and ensuring compliance.
– Vital for building secure SharePoint solutions.
7. SharePoint Designer and Workflows:
– Customizing SharePoint with SharePoint Designer.
– Automating processes with workflows.
8. Responsive Web Design (RWD):
– Ensuring SharePoint sites work well on all devices.
– Adapting to various screen sizes.
9. PowerShell Scripting:
– Automating tasks and configurations in SharePoint.
– Efficient management and maintenance.
10. Problem Solving and Troubleshooting:
– Dealing with complex issues in SharePoint.
– Essential skills for resolving problems effectively.
Conclusion:
In summary, when seeking to hire SharePoint developers for your SharePoint Development services in 2023, it is essential to prioritize candidates with a comprehensive skill set. These skills should encompass expertise in SPFx development, proficiency in JavaScript and TypeScript, the ability to integrate with Power Platform, knowledge of Azure DevOps and CI/CD methodologies, mastery of REST API and GraphQL, a deep understanding of SharePoint security and compliance, familiarity with SharePoint Designer and workflow solutions, proficiency in responsive web design (RWD), strong PowerShell scripting capabilities, and adept problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
These proficiencies empower them to excel in a diverse range of projects, such as custom SharePoint site development, workflow automation, the creation of custom web parts, system integration, and migration/upgrade initiatives. SharePoint developers play a pivotal role in elevating collaboration and productivity within organizations through your SharePoint Development services.
