Using the SDK to Perform Advanced Customization (Windows SharePoint Services 2.0)

The Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services Software Development Kit is a great resource for learning to customize Web sites programmatically. Using the information and examples in the Software Development Kit (SDK), you can:

  • Customize sites, including layouts, navigation bars, themes, and lists.

    Most site-level customization, such as page layouts, themes, and custom lists, can also be performed by using a Web page editor compatible with Windows SharePoint Services, such as Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003. However, if you want to perform identical customizations across sites, it is much easier and quicker to do so programmatically.

  • Create custom templates.

    Although you can create list and site templates from within the Web browser, you can create more complex templates (for example, templates that link to databases) or edit the front-end templates by using information from the SDK.

  • Create custom Web Parts.

    Although you can easily customize instances of Web Parts from within the Web browser, to create a new Web Part assembly (.dll) to support a custom class of Web Parts, you need the information in the SDK.

  • Connect an application to Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services.

    For example, if you want to use Windows SharePoint Services as a front-end to another application such as a workflow application, you can learn how to connect by reading the SDK.

This is just a short list of some of the tasks you can perform by using information from the SDK. The SDK also contains information about other customization tasks and programmatically administering sites and servers. For more information about any of these tasks, see the Windows SharePoint Services Software Development Kit.