SMA265201: Avoid deployment of ContentTypes via Feature Framework

Deploying ContentTypes through the Feature Framework creates dependencies on the provisioning XML files. Break this dependency to help future migrations, and updates by using the Remote Provisioning techniques from Microsoft.

CheckId	SMA265201
TypeName	ContentTypeRecommendations
Severity	CriticalWarning
Type	ContentType

Resolution

Full Trust Approach	App Approach
Content Types A content type, is a shared definition of a list. It describes Fields and Views, which can be reused where they are deployed.	Paradigm Shift - Deployment through Code An alternate method is the creation of Content Types through code. This method takes the structure of a List, and creates the Content Type programmatically. While also popular in Full-Trust solutions, it is the preferred method through the App Model, doing the same provisioning process remotely.
Impact of Full Trust Approach	Benefit of App Approach
Dependency on Deployed Files When you create a an element in SharePoint from a Declarative file, the content you have created is then dependent on the xml files they are described in. When these need to be retracted, due to an update, a change in the system, or part of a disaster recovery plan, this link is broken. This will ultimately cause issues in the long run.	Cloud Application Model The Cloud Application Model or CAM, is designed to create content through code, therefore not creating any dependency links.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <Elements xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/"> <ContentType ID="0x0101009189AB5D3D2647B580F011DA2F356FB2" Name="Contoso Document" Group="Contoso Content Types" Version="0"> <FieldRefs> ... </FieldRefs> </ContentType> </Elements>	ContentTypeCollection contentTypes = web.ContentTypes; cc.Load(contentTypes); cc.ExecuteQuery(); foreach (var item in contentTypes) { if (item.StringId == "0x0101009189AB5D3D2647B580F011DA2F356FB2") return; } // Create a Content Type Information object ContentTypeCreationInformation newCt = new ContentTypeCreationInformation(); newCt.Name = "Contoso Document"; newCt.Id = "0x0101009189AB5D3D2647B580F011DA2F356FB2"; newCt.Group = "Contoso Content Types"; ContentType myContentType = contentTypes.Add(newCt); cc.ExecuteQuery();

Efforts and Benefits

Migration Impact	High
Re-Design Effort	Medium
Re-Development Effort	High
Long Term Benefit	Critical

Effort Drivers

No hard links between the provisioning procedure, and the content
Easily Migratable, and Future Proofed