SharePoint Development: Ultimate Guide on SharePoint Framework Versions (2020)

The SharePoint Framework (SPFx) is nothing but a development model that enables the developers to create a platform for the users with excellent UI and customized features. It is mostly used by first and third parties to extend the existing customization options. This framework enables the SharePoint development companies to enrich the structured approach of the user interface by utilizing the client-side framework.

In this blog, we will understand the SharePoint Framework and know more about its different versions.

What is a SharePoint Framework?

The SharePoint Framework is a web part model that gives complete support for easy integration with SharePoint data, client-side SharePoint development, and extending Microsoft teams. It enables the SharePoint development companies to use modern web tools and technologies in the preferred environment to create responsive & mobile-ready applications. The developers can use the SharePoint framework on any JavaScript platform.

The aim of creating the SharePoint framework was to revolutionize how developers work with this technology. Working with SharePoint was never easy, but with new versions of the framework coming out, it became more comfortable for the SharePoint developers to work with it and create an amazing application.

Key Features of SharePoint Framework

• Reliable Performance
• Responsive and Accessible
• Business Intelligence
• Content Management
• Cloud-based Facility
• Layout and Navigation
• Capabilities
• Collaboration

Benefits of SharePoint Framework for Business

SharePoint is a centralized system that helps in managing information and teamwork of the company. It is more than a storage hub. Some of the best advantages of using the SharePoint framework are-

1. Dashboards

When we talk about the SharePoint framework, the excellent work of its dashboard comes into the discussion. It allows one to track the progress of the document, KPIs, and project updates. The SharePoint Framework is a simplified manner to communicate all the status updates on the board. It gives an exact way and a glance at the documents.

The best thing about the SharePoint dashboard is that it keeps the data in one place, which makes it easier to track and maintain.

2. Lists

SharePoint lists are similar to spreadsheets, which enables one to manage all the information effectively. It is accessible to multiple users at the same time so that they can collaboratively work if necessary. The SharePoint can include pictures, links, people, dates, and more.

In spite of being just like an Excel spreadsheet, there is one difference between them. If one saves the excel sheet within the SharePoint, then there are chances that there are multiple versions of that document present in the organization. This is because each user saves a copy of that document on their local machine after using or editing it.

3. Usage Reports

SharePoint gives a deep understanding of the documents. The SharePoint enables its owners to have viewed all the information about how the users interact with the website. In addition to this, SharePoint developers can see how many people regularly visit the site, which files the user opens, and how many times the user does that. SharePoint enables to present all the data neatly and makes it easy for the users to take a view at a glance.

Someone who owns SharePoint and is an admin can monitor app usage and its error information. It also enables the uses to customize the list of the apps that one wants to track the usage of.

4. Content Management

The most important thing that SharePoint does is to explore, manage, and create unique content. Therefore, content management being the heart of the SharePoint technology, it has excellent features to offer, which enables comparing this function with other marketing tools in a similar niche.

Having a content management system that helps the app development company to organize and manage the files effectively. Be it a small business or a big organization; everyone needs a management system to read, write, and delete the documents.

5. Alerts

SharePoint enables the developers to create customized and automated alerts that notify the users when any sort of changes are made in a specific file or a library. It also keeps track of any deletions or modifications to the files and makes sure that one doesn’t miss any important document. All the alerts in SharePoint come as an email notification.

6. Workflows

One other excellent functionality of the SharePoint framework is workflow. It is just like a flowchart of the documents. It shows how the document process flows. Basically, the SharePoint workflow is nothing but a method to automatically check, track, and forward documents.

Why use the SharePoint Framework?

SharePoint is a framework that provides various patterns and practices to the developers for the SharePoint development process. The architecture of this framework fits the best in all types of environments. Therefore, we observe an increase in The two best reasons to use the SharePoint framework are -

1. Add-in Model

Currently, the option that runs in the NoScript site is the app-part/add-in model. It enables the creation of an iFrame where one can observe the actual experience and execute it. As it doesn’t allow access to the current DOM, information workers can easily trust and deploy the details. Then the end-users can install add-ins on the site of NoScript.

2. JavaScript Injection

Script Editor is one thing that is the best in SharePoint. JavaScript can be added to the Script Editor web part. It also enables JavaScript to execute whenever the page gets rendered. It is very effective and runs in the same browser context. But there are few downsides to the JavaScript injection approach. First, as you can package the solution for the end-user to drop the control onto the page, you won’t be able to provide configuration easily. And this gives end-users the right to edit and modify the script, which can result in breaking of the web part.

Different Versions of SharePoint Framework

The SharePoint technology has evolved drastically since its launch in 2001. There have been many improvements in SharePoint every year. Some of the major releases of the SharePoint framework are the SharePoint versions 2007, 2010, 2013,2016,2019, and the SharePoint Online version. There we will have a look at all these SharePoint versions and see why the SharePoint users are updating to the newer releases.

1. SharePoint 2007 and 2010

The version of SharePoint 2007 was released in 2006. It had brought with it an introduction to the Excel Services, SharePoint Designer, and Content Types. While SharePoint 2010 was the next release, it came up with expanded functionalities and a better interface than SharePoint 2007. Around 57% of the SharePoint users had shifted from 2007 to 2010. In addition to this, SharePoint 2010 was the first version that had an online counterpart.

2. SharePoint 2013

The SharePoint interface was redesigned by SharePoint 2013. The interface was modern, easy to use, and polished. The SharePoint 2013 has expanded the functionalities of the 20110 version and also introduced various new social elements. The Microsoft Office 2013 was released with SharePoint 2013, and it was the starting phase of expanding Office 365.

3. SharePoint 2016

SharePoint 2016 encouraged users to migrate to Office 365. This new version of SharePoint was a seamless blend to Office 365. It allowed the users to simply create a site, manage it, and also increase the site size if the organization requires it. During the launch, Microsoft also determined that the updates of SharePoint 2016 and SharePoint Online will be released every three years.

4. SharePoint 2019 and SharePoint Online

SharePoint Online is a framework that automatically updates itself, which is completely opposite to other SharePoint versions. Therefore, whenever someone is planning to use SharePoint Online, he is completely accessible to the latest version of it. As for now, we can say that SharePoint Online is similar to the latest version of SharePoint, i.e., 2019. Microsoft has made it significant that SharePoint 2019 and SharePoint Online will help the SharePoint development company to create modern sites with a better user interface.

What SharePoint Framework Holds in 2020?

SharePoint is a framework that enables locating, organizing, and sharing the document is an easy task. 2019 was the year that made SharePoint a very popular technology in the market. To have a more productive workspace, the majority of the app development companies turned toward the SharePoint framework in the year 2019.

The last edition of SharePoint, i.e., 2019, has brought the most sustainable change and enables improving the experience of hybrid and on-premises users. The features that SharePoint 2019, the latest version, provides are -

• SharePoint Home
• App Launcher & Suite Navigation
• Libraries & Lists
• Modern Team
• Simple Sharing Experience

Conclusion

Previously, SharePoint was just an on-premise server tool, so large enterprises majorly used it. But now, with SharePoint Online coming into existence, SharePoint is accessible to businesses of all sizes. Now, SharePoint is also included in the Office 365 subscription. Therefore, using the SharePoint framework or hiring a SharePoint consultant can make the workflow of any organization easy and smooth.