Tools

When working with SharePoint I prefer using different tooling. This list provides an overview of the tools I use and direct links to downloads. I will keep updating the list as new tools are available or tools a no longer interesting.

On this page:

SharePoint Tools

  • SharePoint Client Browser for SharePoint 2010 and 2013
    Applies to: SharePoint Online, SharePoint 2013, 2010
    The SharePoint Client Browser uses the CSOM to connect to a remote SharePoint Site Collection and shows the site structure with related properties and values.
  • ULS Viewer
    Applies to: SharePoint 2013, 2010
    ULSViewer allows users to open a ULS log file and display its contents in a user friendly format.
  • SharePoint 2013 Search Query Tool
    Applies to: SharePoint Online, SharePoint 2013
    Use this tool to test out and debug search queries against the SharePoint 2013 Search REST API. Learn how to build an HTTP POST query, and how the different parameters should be formatted. After running the query, you can view all types of result sets returned; Primary Results, Refinement Results, Query Rules Results, Query Suggestions, in addition to the actual raw response received from the Search service.
  • SharePoint Search Services Tool
    Applies to: SharePoint 2010, 2007
    The SharePoint Search Service Tool is a rich web service client that allows a developer to explore the scopes and managed properties of a given SharePoint Search SSP, build queries in either Keyword or SQL Syntax, submit those queries and examine the raw web service results. This tool can be useful in troubleshooting and verifying the behavior and configuration of a SharePoint environment.
  • Developer Dashboard
    Applies to: SharePoint 2013, 2010
    The Developer Dashboard is an instrumentation framework introduced in Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010. Similar in concept to ASP.NET page tracing, it provides diagnostic information that can help a developer or system administrator troubleshoot problems with page components that would otherwise be very difficult to isolate.

Software Development Kits (SDK)

Must have tools

  • Notepad++
    Applies to: –
    Notepad++ is a free (as in "free speech" and also as in "free beer") source code editor and Notepad replacement that supports several languages.
  • 7-zip
    Applies to: –
    7-Zip is a file archiver with a high compression ratio.

Visual Studio 2013 extensions

  • Microsoft Office Developer Tools for Visual Studio 2013
    Applies to: SharePoint 2013, Visual Studio 2013
    Create rich, immersive apps for Office and SharePoint using the premiere tool for professional developers.
  • CKS – Dev for Visual Studio 2012 and 2013
    Applies to: SharePoint 2013, 2010, Visual Studio 2013, 2012
    More info: http://cksdev.codeplex.com/
    The CKS – Development Tools Edition for Visual Studio 2012 is a collection of Visual Studio templates, Server Explorer extensions and tools providing accelerated SharePoint 2010/2013 development based on Microsoft’s SharePoint 2010/2013 development tools.
  • SharePoint Code Check (SPCop)
    Applies to: SharePoint 2013, 2010, 2007, Visual Studio 2013, 2012, 2010
    Essential tool to ensure SharePoint code quality. SPCop analyses SharePoint code from .wsp and .app files and checks all contained code incl. XML, ASPX, JS, CSS for correctness, best practices, memory disposal etc. SPCop is the free component of SPCAF.
  • PowerShell Tools for Visual Studio
    Applies to: Visual Studio 2013, 2012
    PowerShell integration for Visual Studio 2012, PowerShell Syntax highlighting, IntelliSense and code folding, Debugger Extensions, Project System Support.
  • Productivity Power Tool 2013
    Applies to: Visual Studio 2013
    A set of extensions to Visual Studio 2013 Professional (and above) which improves developer productivity. My personal favorite is Quick tasks -  PresentOn/PresentOff: Turns  on presenter mode which increases environment and text editor font sizes, and  sets them to certain font families, so that VS is easier to see and read on a  projector.
  • Beyond Compare
    Applies to: Visual Studio 2013, 2012, 2010
    Allows better and easier file and folder compare actions within Visual Studio. Besides this it integrates in the Windows Explorer context menu.
  • Snippet Designer
    Applies to: Visual Studio 2013, 2012, 2010
    The Snippet Designer is a plugin which enhances the Visual Studio IDE to allow a richer and more productive code snippet experience.

Visual Studio 2012 extensions

  • Microsoft Office Developer Tools for Visual Studio 2012
    Applies to: SharePoint 2013, Office 2013, Visual Studio 2012
    More info: http://dev.office.com (downloads)
    Create rich, immersive apps for Office and SharePoint using the premiere tool for professional developers.
  • Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2012 Update 1 Power Tools
    Applies to: Visual Studio 2012
    Power Tools are a set of enhancements, tools, and command-line utilities that increase productivity of Team Foundation Server scenarios.
  • CKS – Development Tools Edition (Server)
    Applies to: SharePoint 2010 (server), Visual Studio 2012, 2010
    The SharePoint 2010 Visual Studio 2010 Extensions project (CKSDEV) is a collection of Visual Studio templates, Server Explorer extensions and tools providing accelerated SharePoint 2010 development based on Microsoft’s new SharePoint 2010 development tools.
  • Productivity Power Tools 2012
    Applies to: Visual Studio 2012
    A set of extensions to Visual Studio 2012 Professional (and above) which improves developer productivity. My personal favorite is PresentOn/PresentOff: Turns  on presenter mode which increases environment and text editor font sizes, and  sets them to certain font families, so that VS is easier to see and read on a  projector.

Visual Studio 2010 extensions

  • Visual Studio 2010 SharePoint Power Tools
    Applies to: SharePoint 2010
    Templates and extensions that provide a sandboxed Visual Web Part together with enhanced support for sandboxed compilation to help you develop SharePoint solutions even more productively.

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