What is SharePoint?

Organizations use Microsoft SharePoint to create websites. You can use it as a safe place to store, organize, share and access data from any device. All you need is a web browser such as Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Chrome or Firefox. Do you want more information? Get started with SharePoint Mobile App.

Let's take a look at the latest version of SharePoint. When you create a new team site, you see this for SharePoint and SharePoint Server 2019.

SharePoint products and downloads

SharePoint is used to refer to one or more SharePoint products or technologies, including:

SharePoint in Microsoft 365        

This is a Microsoft hosted cloud service for businesses of all sizes. Instead of installing and deploying an on-premises SharePoint Server, any company can subscribe to a Microsoft 365 or the standalone SharePoint Online service. It allows employees to create sites to share documents and information with colleagues, partners and customers. To start storing your Microsoft 365 files on your team site, see Saving and sharing files. Try to try Microsoft 365.

SharePoint Server        

Organizations can deploy and manage your SharePoint Server or with an Office 365 Enterprise to take advantage of all the latest features. And it offers additional features and capabilities such as modern site pages, modern web parts and design, modern lists and libraries, modern search, integration with PowerApps, Power BI and MS Flow, and SharePoint home page. Download SharePoint Server 2019 .

SharePoint Designer 2013        

A free program last released in 2013. Used to create powerful workflow solutions. And is used to edit external content types for an external data solution based on Business Connectivity Services. Download SharePoint Designer 2013 .

Sync OneDrive        

A desktop program that lets you sync an offline version of a team site or OneDrive for work or school library. Learn more about OneDrive.

For more information about trying, buying, or using SharePoint products and technologies, see SharePoint product details.

If you're familiar with SharePoint and want to know what's changed recently, see Follow the latest updates in SharePoint and Differences between SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019 .

Document-driven collaboration with SharePoint 

If you want to share files with many people within your organization, you can use SharePoint. By adding people to a SharePoint team site, you give them access to any documents, notes, or pages you add to this site. This way you can share all documents of a department with colleagues, without having to send separate links for specific folders or files. You can therefore compare a SharePoint team site with a shared F drive or Z drive within your organization. Within a SharePoint site you can indicate which rights your colleagues have, for example “read only”, “edit” or “full control”. 

So, do you want document-driven collaboration with one or a few people? Then you can share a link to a file or folder from your personal OneDrive. Do you want to collaborate in a document-driven way with many people within your organization? Then you can use a SharePoint team site as a shared repository for documents.