Where should I start if I have to get into SharePoint as well as ASP.NET?

Question

I am a fairly experienced Programmer - but my field has been Lotus Notes. So i am not familiar with OOP. I want to get into Sharepoint Development and wanted to know where to start. The basic understanding that I have (after reading some of the answers to similar questions here) is that I will have to study C# and ASP.NET. What I want to know is, what order to start with - C# first and then .NET or both together... I am sort of overwhelmed with the amount of information available about this all over - but haven't been able to use it as I don't know where to start.

It would be great if you could guide me as to where to start and which books to pick up. One other problem that i have is that I find it a little difficult to just read without seeing how it works in practice... in other words I learn quicker with a hands-on training - but I have to do it on my own here as there is no one else I can sit with and observe.

I hope I have asked the right questions :)

Answer 1

Check out some Virtual Labs. They let you get your hands on the technology quickly. There are also general labs to help pick up things like C#.

Answer 2

A few explanations:

• C# is a programming language. It's not the only one you can use (any static language under the .NET umbrella should work) but it seems to be the most popular for SharePoint and probably the wider .NET community.

• .NET is a platform. It is comprised of aspects such as the languages used with it (e.g. C#, VB.NET, F#), its runtime which is the CLR for static languages, and various other technologies that come together to fit under the .NET banner.

• ASP.NET is the API for web development on the .NET platform. The web forms model is what is used by the SharePoint engine. Newer models such as MVC aren't applicable at this stage.

So to get started, learn C# which will give you exposure to the underpinnings of .NET. There are many good resources available, not least of which are the ones Microsoft provide such as the Virtual Labs JP mentions and MSDN in general. Personally I would start with a book that gives me simple console applications to get the hang of the language, then progress to ASP.NET. Make sure you learn C# 3.0, not 2.0, as the newer LINQ framework is important to know (particularly when SharePoint 2010 is released).

ASP.NET 3.5 is the latest version but this has a significant foundation on version 2.0 (which is what WSS 3.0/SharePoint 2007 was actually targeted for). So if you find a good 2.0 resource don't knock it back because it doesn't contain 3.5 content. Checking Amazon, some decent options appear to be:

• ASP.NET 3.5 For Dummies
• ASP.NET 3.5: A Beginner's Guide
• Beginning ASP.NET 3.5 in C# 2008: From Novice to Professional

Then finally when you are comfortable with that, go back to these Stack Overflow questions (and I'm sure there are others) to get pointers on learning SharePoint:

• Should I learn .NET and C# before learning ASP.NET and Sharepoint?
• How to start learning SharePoint

The Inside Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 book is my personal favourite. I don't believe any online resources come close to a good book on SharePoint such as this.

Some other general tips:

• Don't move on to the next stage until you feel confident with the current one. SharePoint can have a steep learning curve for some people and you don't want to enter it unprepared!

• Get certified. This gives great motivation to really know what you're doing and also confidence once you pass the exam. Can help your CV as well.

• Don't worry about feeling overwhelmed, just keep plugging on - you will get there. Even those of us that hope to be experts have had trouble trying to keep up with all that Microsoft has been putting out in the last couple of years!