Deep dive into SharePoint 2013 hosted apps - Chris OBrien
Download as PPTX, PDF5 likes12,490 views
The document provides an in-depth overview of developing SharePoint-hosted applications, highlighting the importance of transitioning from server-side code to app development for enhanced user familiarity and flexibility within Office 365. It covers various app hosting options, essential decisions for app deployment, and guidelines for building and securing these apps, including challenges in app management and deployment. Additionally, it addresses key topics such as app architecture, permissions, integration with host web services, and troubleshooting common issues encountered during SharePoint app development.
Deep dive into SharePoint 2013 hosted apps - Chris OBrien
- 1. Deep-dive into SharePoint-hosted apps DEV 203 Chris O‟Brien - MVP
- 2. About me Independent Consultant Head of Development, Content and Code Blog: www.sharepointnutsandbolts.com Twitter: @ChrisO_Brien LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/chrisobrienmvp
- 3. Why apps? End-user familiarity Phones, Windows 8 etc. Move server-side code off SharePoint ..which solves MANY problems for Microsoft Game-changer for Office 365 No more sandbox restrictions
- 4. Customizing SharePoint – official guidance Microsoft: The most important guidance we can give you is to develop an app for SharePoint rather than a classic solution whenever you can. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj163114(office.15).aspx
- 5. App hosting options SharePoint-hosted JavaScript only Cloud app Provider-hosted (YOU deal with hosting) –IIS, PHP/LAMP, something else! Auto-hosted (O365 + Azure) –E.g. automatically create database in SQL Azure
- 6. 3 decisions to make on apps Are we going to allow apps? Configuration, infrastructure, obtain wildcard SSL certificate etc. Are we going to allow ANY app from the SharePoint Store to be installed? Or are we going to restrict to certain „approved‟ apps via the internal App Catalog? Will our own customisations be developed as apps?
- 7. The SharePoint apps “enterprise planning loop” DAY 1:
- 8. The SharePoint apps “enterprise planning loop” DAY 2:
- 9. The SharePoint apps “enterprise planning loop” DAY 3:
- 10. The SharePoint apps “enterprise planning loop” DAY 4:
- 11. The SharePoint apps “enterprise planning loop” DAY 5:
- 12. The SharePoint apps “enterprise planning loop” DAY 6:
- 13. How users obtain apps User-driven: Public store (if enabled) Internal “App Catalog” – admin- approved apps Administrator- driven: Installed to selected sites via PowerShell “Tenant-install” – one shared instance (not instance per site)
- 15. Ingredients of a nice 2013 “learning” app Creates and uses some content types/lists/files in app web Fetches some data from host web (with permission request) Uses JSOM/REST Provisions an app part for UX within host web Consumes farm/tenant services e.g. search (SharePoint-hosted)
- 18. SharePoint 2013 client APIs (for use in SharePoint-hosted apps)
- 19. Even though hosted on SP, app area is on an “isolated” domain (IIS web application) URL = https://cob-387fbe6473fd9e.spapps.dev/MyApp –App prefix (configurable) –ID (generated on each install/upgrade) –App domain (should be a distinct domain) –App name Effectively an IIS trick – content is in same site collection! Provides some security against XSS + allows identification of app requests How the app web works
- 20. Accessing Site Contents page (ViewLsts.aspx) Accessing Site Settings page (Settings.aspx) Accessing Features pages (Features.aspx?Scope=Site/Web) Computer says no:
- 21. Yes: • ListView web part • XsltListView web part • Content Search web part • Search Core Results web part • PageViewer web part No: • Content Query web part • DataView web part • ..probably many others Which web parts can I use in the app web?
- 22. App parts
- 23. App parts - gotchas Need appropriate JS files referenced See Stephane Eskeyens post - http://www.silver- it.com/node/126 No _spPageContextInfo if code hosted in app part Be careful if you have code which uses it But do have access to SPAppWebUrl/SPHostUrl Need <meta http-equiv=”X-UA-Compatible”.. element Useful trick: App part page dynamically resizing parent iFrame (using postMessage)
- 24. Apps which provision into the host web
- 25. ..brand a SharePoint site? ..provision files into a SharePoint site? ..delete end-user data? ANSWER: If it has the right permissions, yes (*) Full Control of Web = do anything Host web considerations: can an app? * Assumes that: • User ALSO has appropriate permissions OR • App uses “app- only” policy (not SP-hosted app)
- 26. Office 365 submission policy – no Full Control http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj938162.aspx
- 27. APPS WHICH PROVISION INTO THE HOST WEB
- 28. Other things
- 29. SPHostUrl bug – this URL param „lost‟ when navigating around app web (causing code to fail) Search bug – app with Permission Request for Search/QueryAsUserIgnoreAppPrincipal gives “Only tenant administrators can install this app” for on-premises installations ALSO: can now run multiple app domains with reverse proxy/AAM Bugs fixed in March 2013 update (all undocumented!)
- 30. Microsoft: Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a requirement for web applications that are deployed in scenarios that support server-to-server authentication and app authentication. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee806885(v=office.15).aspx Apps and SSL
- 31. Configuring SSL in dev Pre-reqs: DNS - entries created (wildcard for apps, unique IP for apps WA) IIS - ensure apps WA uses „All Unassigned‟ Use SELFSSL to generate certs Sites (wildcard = *.cob.dev, or individual) Apps (wildcard = *.spapps.dev) Export as .pfx then import (SELFSSL bug) Re-bind certs in IIS IISReset!
- 32. Continuous Integration for apps Microsoft have released PS scripts See http://officesharepointci.codeplex.com Works with on-premises or Office 365 Uses PS + .NET CSOM to install app Support for: SharePoint-hosted apps Provider-hosted apps (via WebDeploy) Can be used with visualstudio.com (TFS online)
- 33. Can I use navigation controls/providers? Unlikely. Providers have context of host web, not app web. Static links likely to be better WebDAV is disabled for apps SP-hosted apps currently cannot be used on SAML claims sites Other notes:
- 34. Some beginner issues 1. Error occurred in deployment step 'Install app for SharePoint': Sideloading of apps is not enabled on this site You tried to “F5 deploy” to a site not based on Developer Site template OR sideloading Feature is not activated 2. JavaScript runtime error: 'Type' is undefined JavaScript dependency issue – MicrosoftAjax.js needs to be earlier! 3. App part difficulties (e.g. JavaScript errors) Need correct JS references – see http://www.silver-it.com/node/126 Need AllowFraming tag and <meta http-equiv..tags No _spPageContextInfo Troubleshooting apps
- 35. Advanced topics 1. Updatability – CSS/JS/images are difficult to update across app instances (OR SANDBOX!) ANSWER: Use Azure (or internally hosted location) to centralise 2. Architecture – should I deploy to the host web? ANSWER : –Maybe, if the app is trusted –But what is the app framework giving you over a sandbox/farm solution? Designing SharePoint-hosted apps
- 36. Possible reasons for cloud app Need to go beyond JavaScript to develop functionality E.g. service layer E.g. use of back-end non- SharePoint data Needs Remote Event Receivers (app installed, app upgraded etc.) Needs scheduled process On-prem SharePoint sites using SAML claims You don‟t want to develop entire app in JavaScript OR, you want to leverage .Net/PHP/whatever skills
- 37. Thank you for attending! www.sharepointnutsandbolts.com @ChrisO_Brien