Organizations across the globe have come to rely on SharePoint to create and manage their content within their environments. As a “one-stop shop” of sorts for the organization’s content, SharePoint offers a host of tools for enterprise content and document management, internet and social network, group collaboration, and even file hosting services.
More importantly, SharePoint allows users to create their own custom web applications depending on their organization’s specific needs and preferences. As such, developers are given a great deal of freedom and capability to integrate SharePoint into corporate directories and data sources through existing standards such as REST, OData, or OAuth.
As such, there is a huge demand for developers specializing in the SharePoint environment. Whether you are an experienced developer or a developer looking to branch into SharePoint, here are some important skills that will help you achieve success in this field in 2025.
Familiarity with the SharePoint Framework
At the heart of SharePoint’s capabilities that has made it possible for developers to build their applications is the SharePoint Framework (SPFx), a page and web part model that provides full support for client-side SharePoint development, integration with SharePoint data, as well as extend the capabilities of other Microsoft services.
Familiarity with SPFx is of critical importance for SharePoint developers, especially with its feature set. Some SPFx characteristics and features that developers should familiarize themselves with include:
SPFx’s framework-agnostic nature, which means developers can use any JavaScript such as React, Handlebars, Knockout, Angular, and Vue.js, among others.
The developer toolchain is based on popular open-source client development tools such as NPM, TypeScript, Yeoman, webpack, and gulp.
JavaScript is already embedded on a SharePoint page so there are no iFrames for customization
End users can use SPFx client-side solutions that are approved by the tenant administrators (or their delegates) on all sites, including self-service team, group, or personal sites.
SPFx solutions can be used to extend Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Viva Connections, Outlook and Office 365.
Knowledge in Programming Languages
SharePoint developers should also have knowledge of the different coding languages used in the SharePoint environment. There are primarily four coding languages to keep in mind:
.NET - This is the basis of SharePoint and any custom development that needs to be done in this environment requires knowledge of the .NET syntax to make it work.
JavaScript – As mentioned previously, JavaScript is embedded in the SharePoint as it runs the scripts that help in the completion of complex tasks, as well as in customization tasks.
C# - It is described as “a general-purpose, multi-paradigm programming language” that runs on. NET.
CSS and HTML - These languages are instrumental in developing the features that establish the aesthetics and user experience of the application. In turn, this informs how users interact with the application.
Other Must-Have Technical Skills
Given the scope of work SharePoint developers are envisioned to be doing, it is handy as well that they possess some key technical knowledge and skills, particularly in the following:
Ui/UX design – As user experience and problem-solving serve as the core of almost all SharePoint projects, UI/UX design is critical in ensuring that the user experience and problem-solving capabilities are front and center in a SharePoint application. Thus, SharePoint developers should have an eye for identifying problems end users are struggling with, combined with the ability to envisage the perfect solution and then build the most suitable features to alleviate the problems.
Testing and debugging – SharePoint developers should be proactive in finding potential bugs and issues and immediately address them. It helps to have knowledge in Incremental testing, unit testing, integration testing, alpha, and beta testing, as well as knowledge in traceback techniques and an ability to conduct Defect Analysis, report preparation, and a good understanding of the common debuggers such as Radare2, WinDbg, and Valgrind.
Cloud technology – Cloud technology is expected to define the next generation of SharePoint solutions. As such, developers possessing the expertise in effectively utilizing cloud-based platforms and applications have an edge and are seen as invaluable for organizations who are fully in or are transitioning to the cloud.
Soft Skills Required
As SharePoint is a mainly collaborative environment, it is the SharePoint developer’s job to work with different people in helping bring the projects in the platform to life. A developer who knows how to collaborate with different people within and even outside the organization and is eloquent in communicating what a project is about and what needs to be done to ensure its success is a valued asset for any organization.
Good communication skills are also important so developers can effectively convey the project details to collaborators and other stakeholders to ensure that the SharePoint project is effectively carried out.
Final Thoughts
SharePoint developers with the desired skillset and knowledge are poised to achieve success and career growth this year and beyond. Start your own path towards a fulfilling SharePoint developer career by checking out our job openings today,
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