SharePoint Online: Apps vs SandBox Solution for Intranet Deployment?

Question

We will be doing a new Intranet for our SharePoint Online. I have experience developing in SharePoint 2010 / 2013 but using Farm Solutions. In SharePoint Online, I believe the only options are App and Sandbox Solution, but I read that Sandbox solutions will soon be deprecated.

Is it possible to do an Intranet Deployment using the App Model? For the context, we would likely be deploying custom branding (css, javascript, page layouts), custom Lists / Libraries, along with some custom webparts / functionalities. Is it recommended to go through this route, or can the App Model even handle a deployment of sorts?

Or if Sandbox solution is still preferred for this level of project, how do we start developing since we don't have SharePoint On-Premise? Is it possible to just copy the ISAPI folder and required dlls and develop on our local machine?

Thank you!

Answer 1

The recommended approach by MS is to provision everything using app (or more recently called add-in) model. PnP has lots of examples showing how to do this but for start you can go through following:

1. Self-Service Site Provisioning using Apps
2. Introducing app script part pattern for Office365 app model
3. Site Provisioning
4. Patterns and Practices

You can also check similar question here

Hope this helps for a start. You can get lots of other examples on PnP.

I won't recommend sandbox solution for these things as they are deprecated.

Answer 2

Couple of important considerations-

Sandbox solutions will soon be deprecated.

Sandbox Solutions were depricated in 2013 are not supported in 2016 (the beta of which is already out). Hence sandbox solution is not recommended.

Is it possible to do an Intranet Deployment using the App Model?

Deploying deep customizations are definately possible with the App model itself. Ideally, you need to use sharepoint designer for light client-side customizations and extending usability, and go for apps in case there is a need for deeper customizations. Are you planning on implementing a single click deployment package ?

App model can let you implement solutions as a stand-alone entity or as app-parts which can be added to a webparts page. For lighter customizations you can go for SharePoint hosted apps (which is purely JS based), deeper customization requires Provider Hosted Apps (managed CSOM). You can create and deploy custom xaml workflows with apps.

The apps can be made pluggable (reusable accross multiple sharepoint infrastrucutres, similar to farm solutions) and allow for external provisioning (provisioning is a crucial component of single click deployemnts).

The Patten-and-Practices shared by @Garima are a very good source of insight.

This source should answer a lot of your concerns and give you a general idea of how to start off with the app model.

This example is around building a reasonably complex solution using sharepoint hosted app and BreezeJS