Most SharePoint developers and consultants have heard of the Community Kit for SharePoint. Previous 2007 projects included the Enhanced Blog Edition and was widely downloaded by the community. For SharePoint 2010, development tools edition joins the CKS. This project extends the Visual Studio 2010 SharePoint project system with advanced templates and tools. Using these extensions you will be able to find relevant information from your SharePoint environments without leaving Visual Studio. You will have greater productivity while developing SharePoint components and you will have greater deployment capabilities on your local SharePoint installation.
You can find CKS: Development Tools Edition on CodePlex at http://cksdev.codeplex.com.
CKS:DEV has been formed as a merger of the SharePoint Dev Tools, SPVSX and Imtech Visual Studio Extensions projects. Each one of these projects provided extensions to the SharePoint development tooling. We decided to bring all these great tools under one roof to allow you the SharePoint Community a single downloadable package of trusted high quality tools.
We’re currently merging the tooling from the 3 projects into CKS Dev. Expect to see the first release within the next few weeks. Follow #CKSDev on twitter to stay up to date with the project.
We’re still looking for extension ideas so please post in the CKS Dev Discussions anything you think would make life better for SharePoint developers.
CKS Dev Feature highlights
Environment:
- SharePoint references tab making it easier to find SharePoint assemblies.
- Copy assembly name so no more need to use reflector to get the full strong name.
Exploration
- New Server Explorer nodes to list feature dependancies, site columns, web part gallery, style library, theme gallery.
- Enhanced import functionality for web parts, content types, themes.
- Create page layout from content type (publishing).
- Copy Id.
Content
- Project templates for Full Trust Proxt, SharePoint console application and SP metal definition.
- Item templates for Sandboxed Visual Web Part, custom action group, custom action, hide custom action, delegate control.
Deployment
- Quick deploy to copy artefacts into the SharePoint root without the need for a build.
- Recreate site.
- Reset IIS.
- Warm up site.
To see more details and the full feature list visit http://cksdev.codeplex.com/documentation.
Introducing the team.
Matt Smith
Matt is a SharePoint Server MVP who has previously worked on the final version of Microsoft’s Visual Studio Extensions for SharePoint (VSeWSS 1.3), adding such functionality as Quick Deploy and Deployment Conflict Resolution. Matt is passionate about all things SharePoint, but focuses primarily in the dev and customisation space with a specific interest in developer process and productivity improvement.
Follow him on Twitter or via http://blog.mattsmith.co.nz.
Todd Bleeker
Todd can most frequently be found teaching SharePoint developers the best ways to leverage SharePoint to meet business needs in cities all over the world. As a SharePoint Foundation MVP, Todd is also frequent speaker at key conferences like: Microsoft TechEd (US, EMEA, China, Australia, New Zealand), the SharePoint Conference, and the SharePoint Best Practices Conference as well as User Groups and SharePoint Saturdays all over the United States. Todd has authored or co-authored seven books including the Developer’s Guide to Windows SharePoint Services (with three more on the way) on Microsoft’s integrated suite of SharePoint Products and Technologies.
Follow him on Twitter or via http://sharepoint.mindsharpblogs.com/Todd/.
Waldek Mastykarz
Waldek is a current SharePoint Server MVP working with Imtech ICT Integrated Solutions. He is specialises in designing and developing Web Content Management solutions on the SharePoint platform and is passionate about increasing the developer productivity.
Follow him on Twitter or via http://blog.mastykarz.nl/.
Wouter van Vugt
Wouter is a current VSTO MVP and main author of SharePoint Developer Tools.
Follow him on Twitter or via http://blogs.code-counsel.net/Wouter/.
Wes Hackett
That’s me 🙂
Visit the CodePlex site for more information about the features and release.
