A product of the world’s most valuable company Microsoft, SharePoint is one of the widely adopted business application platforms that was ever developed. Today, more than 200,000 organizations use SharePoint to integrate and collaborate.
Although SharePoint developer is a job that has been around for quite some time, when the question of how to become one comes, interested candidates are still confused. Of course, education is a needed criterion, but what are some other practices that can help one get started on the career path? Let’s take a look.
Let's take a look at some of the key skills that a SharePoint developer needs.
SharePoint certifications are divided into three sections- Fundamental, Associate, and Expert.
Fundamental certification is for beginners with no experience. Associate certification is for developers with two years of experience. Fundamental certification is not necessary to obtain associate certification. Expert certification requires in-depth SharePoint knowledge and 2-5 years of experience. Associate certification is necessary for Expert certification.
What is SharePoint?
SharePoint is a platform that supports collaboration, document management, and content management. It has increased in popularity in the recent past. According to statistics, in 2020, it has the highest market position in terms of traffic and popularity compared to other content management systems such as WordPress, WIX, or Drupal. The acclaim for SharePoint has made SharePoint developer to claim a spot among the most demanded software skills in the marketplace. Through this article, I intend to provide a complete overview of SharePoint developers. What a SharePoint developer does, how to become one, and the skills needed; I talk about all this and more. Let’s get started.What Does a SharePoint Developer Do?
The main role of a SharePoint developer is to create customized SharePoint solutions for businesses for front end-use. SharePoint developers build and establish SharePoint websites. Their job is to create solutions based on the client requirements to enhance the business processes of organizations. It includes writing codes, debugging software, building scalable applications, and also training staff to use SharePoint.What Are the Key Responsibilities of a SharePoint Developer?
SharePoint developers need to have an affinity towards computers and software. But they also need to be good at communication and observation- to train people to use their solutions and find errors that others may overlook. The benefits of Sharepoint can only be fully availed when the SharePoint developer is highly efficient. Some key responsibilities of a SharePoint developer are:- Design, code, and implement secure and scalable applications using programming languages such as .NET, C#, SQL, XML, etc. as per client requirements.
- Test and debug software to ensure that the code is working as intended, and there are no errors.
- Troubleshoot software issues that were found using the testing phase.
- Collaboration with the design team to review website interfaces.
- Maintain, update, and enhance SharePoint applications to serve the needs of clients.
- Provide training for potential users to enable a smooth transition to SharePoint solutions.
How to Become a SharePoint Developer
Although SharePoint developer is a job that has been around for quite some time, when the question of how to become one comes, interested candidates are still confused. Of course, education is a needed criterion, but what are some other practices that can help one get started on the career path? Let’s take a look.
1. Get familiar with the SharePoint environment
SharePoint is a comprehensive platform that has a lot of features. To create SharePoint solutions, one must first be familiar with the development environment. Getting an idea of SharePoint features, layout, user control, UI components, templates, etc. can be of tremendous help for becoming a good SharePoint consultant.2. Real-world applications
Working on demo scenarios and working on real-life solutions are very different. Real-world processes can be tricky and complicated. So try to apply demo scenarios in a real-world environment and work on solutions.3. Have a mentor
Sure, there are many resources online using which one can learn SharePoint on their own but having a mentor can be of advantage. When learning through the web, there is a high possibility of getting stuck or confused. A mentor to whom one can turn for help is a great asset.4. Learn .NET
Although an understanding of several programming languages like C#, XML can be of help in SharePoint development, knowing .NET is unavoidable. Implementation of any solution will involve some coding in .NET. Thus, getting started with .NET can further help one adapt to the SharePoint ecosystem.5. Get acquainted with Windows
SharePoint is integrated with several Windows products such as Windows Server, SQL Server. Therefore, the knowledge of Windows infrastructure is beneficial.What Are the Key Skills Every SharePoint Developer Needs?
Development in a platform like SharePoint is not straightforward; it includes several dimensions. A SharePoint developer needs technical skills, analytical skills, and communication skills to employ the power of SharePoint completely. Also, for each organization, their SharePoint requirements differ, so a developer must also be flexible and be able to adapt his skills according to the organization's needs.
Let's take a look at some of the key skills that a SharePoint developer needs.
1. Programming skills
Knowledge of .NET is required to execute any development in a SharePoint environment. It is a fundamental skill required of a SharePoint developer. Expertise in other languages such as C#, HTML, Javascript, JQuery, etc. is also beneficial to build professional SharePoint solutions.2. Communication skills
SharePoint development is not just about building extraordinary features but about developing the right solutions for end-users. Every end-user requirement might be different, so a SharePoint developer should have good communication skills to assess what exactly the client requirement is and suggest appropriate inputs and solutions.3. Basic web designing skills
SharePoint development involves enterprise intranet development and extranet web portal development. These portals act as platforms for communication and collaboration. So basic web designing knowledge can be a great skill.4. Knowledge of third-party tools
SharePoint has several third-party tool support such as Nintex, Sharegate, and AvePoint that simplifies development. When a developer has knowledge about these tools, it helps them develop solutions faster. Else it would lead to wastage of time and effort reinventing solutions from scratch.5. Understanding of other MS services
SharePoint is closely integrated with other MS Services such as MS Teams, MS Planner, and MS Flow. The decision of which services to choose when and how to put it into action is crucial for the productivity of businesses. Thus, a developer should have a good understanding of other integrated MS services.6. Knowledge of out of the box features
SharePoint provides several out of the box features such as content management, search, social computing, branding, etc. These out of the box features are tested by QA professionals, have Microsoft support, and is less likely to have issues. These out of the box features can be used by a developer to leverage the existing features.7. Expertise in providing training and documentation
A SharePoint developer's job does not end with the development of solutions. They also have to train the employees of the organization to use the solution. It includes providing demonstrations and creating clear cut documentation that gives all the help required to employees to use SharePoint effectivelyWhat Are the Certifications Available for Sharepoint Developers?
SharePoint certifications are divided into three sections- Fundamental, Associate, and Expert.
Fundamental certification is for beginners with no experience. Associate certification is for developers with two years of experience. Fundamental certification is not necessary to obtain associate certification. Expert certification requires in-depth SharePoint knowledge and 2-5 years of experience. Associate certification is necessary for Expert certification.