Approaches to integrate ASP.NET web application into SharePoint

There are various approaches to intergrating ASP.NET web application pages into SharePoint.

IFRAME Approach

By far the easiest way to integrate any web application into SharePoint is using an IFRAME which can be added to a SharePoint Page via a Content Editor Web Part.

Pros	Cons
Extremely fast	No SharePoint Context
Web Application doesn't even have to be part of SharePoint IIS	Not easy to have the same look & feel
	Can not use out-of-the-box security of SharePoint

SharePoint Application Pages Approach

This approach deploys a standard ASP.NET Web Application into a subfolder of the _layouts directory in the SharePoint Web Application within IIS.

Pros	Cons
Full access to SharePoint Context	Requires deployment to individual IIS Web Applications
Almost exactly the same as ASP.NET Web Development	Can't use Master Page of Site in context as it will use Application.master

• Deploying ASP.NET Web Applications in the Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 _layouts Folder by MSDN
• Creating an ASP.NET Application in the "_layouts" Directory using the Visual Studio 2005 Plug-In "Web Application Project"
• Integrating ASP.NET 2.0 Web Pages into SharePoint 2007

User Control Approach

This approach converts each ASP.NET Page into an ASP.NET User Control (USCX) and then deploys a SharePoint Page Layout relating to each control and then a SharePoint Page in the Pages library.

Pros	Cons
Full access to SharePoint Context	Added complexities of having Page Layouts, User Controls and Page Instances for one page
Can develop outside of SharePoint first (if not using SharePoint Context)

• [Integrating ASP.NET Web Application pages into SharePoint using User Control and Page Layout approach]

ASP.NET Web Part Approach

If you were lucky enough to write your ASP.NET Web Application using ASP.NET Web Parts you can simply import these into SharePoint.

Pros	Cons
Can be added to SharePoint Web Part Zones in Pages	No drag and drop design surface in Visual Studio
Leverage connected web part framework
Reusing same architectural approach as existing app

• Using ASP.NET Web Part into MOSS 2007 Web Site - Just Export and Import

External References

Application Development on MOSS 2007 & WSS V3