My Client has a huge farm solution and wants everything to be in the same farm solution so I am restricted with the option of web parts.
They want their custom tile menu NOT using the Promoted Links (long story, but there is no negotiation)

So I have 2 questions:

1- I want to do this in a proper way. Do you think creating a custom list, then picking up the items based on the category selected in web part options, and rendering as a menu inside the web part code is a good way to do this? (Not a visual web part but a normal one)

2- I wish I could do this in a client web part (Add-in part?) But I cannot find this option when I am inside their farm solution. When I create an Add-in Project the Option is there though but I am not allowed to do this. Is there a trick to add a Client side web part into a farm solution?

Thanks.
Ova