SharePoint 2013 brings connectivity for employees across the Microsoft cloud network, with a treasure trove of options for sharing ideas, engaging with team members and customers, and reinventing the way you use the cloud online. But perhaps some of the most exciting news about recent SharePoint 2013 updates comes for developers.
1. SharePoint 2013 Uses A Familiar Programming Model Based on Web Standards
If you know how to code in HTML, CSS, and Javascript, you'll have no issues integrating powerful SharePoint 2013 apps with SharePoint solutions. The 2013 version uses established protocols such as OData and OAuth to make web implementation as seamless as possible.
Why Programmers Are Excited: Have a developer that isn't yet familiar with SharePoint 2013 apps? No problem - any web developer (even one who doesn't work on Microsoft platform stacks) will now be able to make quick changes without using apps.
2. New Social Tools Enhance Staff Communication
Microsoft's recent acquisition of Yammer is well-timed with the company's new offering of social tools meant to improve communication between people using SharePoint 2013. Users can now use tools like:
- microblogging (complete with mentions, replies, tags, and likes)
- social search improvement
- mobile support
- badges, moderation, and reputation scores
Why Programmers Are Excited: SharePoint 2013 programmers can now seamlessly blend internal and external social groups, create notes and discussions around files, and access server files across multiple devices. Get ready to cut overhead with a team of mobile programmers at your disposal.
3. Web Content Management Updates Eliminate Migration Problems
Old SharePoint users won't have any issues migrating to 2013 this year, as critical updates to SharePoint 2013 include a seamless content manager. You can now migrate content in the same or across multiple SharePoint environments to reduce propagation and reorganization time. This allows programmers to quickly migrate content from legacy systems into the new SharePoint, including:
- Documentum eRooms
- SharePoint 2007
- Exchange Public Folders
- Lotus Notes
- File System
- LiveLink
Why Programmers Are Excited: It's not enough anymore to offer seamless migration from legacy Microsoft products alone. Programmers should be excited that Microsoft has taken the first important steps to making migrations simple across all platforms.
4. Search Fully Integrates FAST and SharePoint Search Engines
FAST and SharePoint search engines will now operate as a single search function. Not only will the new search engine cover these two indices, but will also include Exchange 2013.
Why Programmers Are Excited: Search has become a core feature for a variety of tasks performed within SharePoint, above and beyond simply searching documents. The new search engine will also include web content, analytics, social, and recommendations.
5. Email Integration Improvements Finally Allow Users to Store and Classify Emails
Microsoft introduced plenty of new features to help users publicly index Exchange folders into search results, but did little for programmers looking to store and classify emails. SharePoint 2013 finally solves this problem with Site Mailbox. Site Mailbox comes with many features, including:
- forward emails to SharePoint
- cc SharePoint sites
- drag and drop emails into a site mailbox
- drag and drop email attachments into document folders
Why Programmers Are Excited: Don't forget about the new eDiscovery Centre, which makes it possible for users to search across all documents (online and email), place content and inboxes on hold, and extract documents. Compliance and auditing just got a great deal easier with SharePoint 2013.
The Cloud App Model (new for 2013) lets developers create apps to extend the capabilities of any SharePoint website. But programmers have several other reasons to be excited about SharePoint 2013 and the changes that will make Microsoft tools a vital tool for small to mid-sized businesses well into the future.
