Web Part Platform

The Web Part Page and Web Part infrastructure is part of the integrated platform named Microsoft® Windows® SharePoint™ Services, a set of services that you can use to create and maintain many team sites. (Windows SharePoint Services and Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003, together, are referred to as Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies).

One of the minimum system requirements for Windows SharePoint Services is the Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003 operating system. Additionally, you must install and configure Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) and ASP.NET before you install Windows SharePoint Services. When you install Windows SharePoint Services, it creates and configures a virtual server named SharePoint Central Administration. Additionally, if you install Windows SharePoint Services in a single-server configuration, it automatically extends the existing default Web site that was created when you installed IIS.

Solution developers for SharePoint Products and Technologies now need to know only one user interface technology (ASP.NET Web pages and controls), one data storage technology (Microsoft SQL Server™), and one SharePoint Products and Technologies object model to create advanced sharing solutions with SharePoint Products and Technologies. You can use the Windows SharePoint Services object model in code running on the server to access and work with Web Parts. The object model is fully integrated with Microsoft ASP.NET so that you can work, for example, within the Microsoft Visual Studio® .NET integrated development environment (IDE) to customize Web Parts for use in relation to a Windows SharePoint Services deployment.

For more information on client support for Web Part Pages, see Web Part Client Support. For information on the Web Part Page and Web Part infrastructure, see Web Part Infrastructure.