Chapter 2. Using and configuring Web Parts in SharePoint 2010

 

A key factor in becoming a great developer is a good understanding of how end users work with the tools that SharePoint 2010 provides. As a developer, you may often be asked to build a solution or a Web Part that accomplishes a specific task. Taking advantage of the out-of-the-box features can get you up to speed faster. Sometimes, you may even end up with a solution that requires no programming and no new code.

As you learned in the first chapter, the best SharePoint developers know how to leverage the platform and use the tools that SharePoint supplies. You’ll most likely build better Web Parts if you know how your end users will use your Web Parts and how they’ll create their own applications using them. In this chapter, we’ll explore a few of those possibilities.

Once you know what users can accomplish using only the web interface and SharePoint Designer, you should use the same techniques. You can use the built-in Web Parts to create mockups and demos to show a concept application or to validate your solution with your customer even before you start programming. The out-of-the-box Web Parts can also be a part of your final solution, in combination with your custom Web Parts and pages.

2.1. The SharePoint 2010 user interface

2.2. The Web Part Gallery

2.3. Out-of-the-box Web Parts

2.4. Working with Web Parts and pages

2.5. Customizing and personalizing pages

2.6. SharePoint Designer 2010

2.7. Exporting and importing Web Parts

2.8. Summary

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