“The Evolution of SharePoint: How It Became the Service We Know and Love Today”
The Service That SharePoint Built – a cumulative evolution story
Introduction
Microsoft SharePoint has become a key component of many organizations’ digital transformation journeys. It’s no secret that SharePoint has been around for over a decade, but it’s often overlooked as one of the foundations of cloud computing. In this article, we’ll take a look at the history of SharePoint and how it has evolved over the years, from its beginnings as a file sharing and collaboration platform to its current position as an integrated solution for organizations of all sizes.
A Brief History of SharePoint
SharePoint was first released in 2001 as a server-based platform for file sharing and collaboration. It was designed to help organizations manage and share documents, and it quickly became one of Microsoft’s most popular products. Over the years, SharePoint has grown in scope, with new features and capabilities being added as the technology matured.
In 2010, Microsoft released SharePoint 2010, which introduced a new user interface and a host of new features. This version was a major upgrade from the previous version, and it cemented SharePoint’s role as a powerful collaboration platform. The following year, Microsoft released SharePoint Online, a cloud-based version of SharePoint that allowed organizations to access the platform from any device with an internet connection.
The Benefits of SharePoint
SharePoint provides organizations with a range of benefits, from increased collaboration and improved document management to enhanced security and better business intelligence. It can be used to create custom websites and portals, manage projects, and track progress on projects. It also offers a range of tools for data analysis, such as business intelligence dashboards and analytics.
SharePoint is also a popular platform for developing custom applications. It can be used to create applications for tracking customer information, managing projects, and more. Developers can take advantage of its powerful APIs to integrate these applications with other systems, such as Salesforce or Office 365.
The Future of SharePoint
Microsoft has been investing heavily in SharePoint and its future looks bright. In 2016, Microsoft announced the SharePoint Framework (SPFx), a modern web development framework that allows developers to create custom web parts and applications that can be integrated into SharePoint. In 2017, Microsoft released SharePoint 2019, which introduced a new user experience and a range of new features, including a new look and feel, better search capabilities, and improved mobile support.
SharePoint is here to stay and will continue to be a key part of organizations’ digital transformation journeys. As organizations look to the future, SharePoint will continue to evolve and become an even more integrated part of their digital strategy.
Conclusion
SharePoint is a powerful platform that has been continually evolving over the years. As an experienced Cloud Architect, I find it extremely exciting to be able to use SharePoint to help organizations create custom applications and portals, manage projects, and track progress on projects. With the introduction of the SharePoint Framework and SharePoint 2019, SharePoint is now positioned to become an even more integrated part of organizations’ digital strategies.
References:
The Service That SharePoint Built – a cumulative evolution story
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1. SharePoint Online
2. Document Collaboration
3. Content Creation