Feature Stapling in SharePoint

In this article you will see how to implement Feature Stapling in SharePoint.

Scenario

I want a custom list to be created by default whenever a site is created using the Team Site template. The best way to do this is to create a Feature Stapling.

Feature Stapling

Feature Stapling can be created for the site definition that is already in use. Feature Stapling has two features.

1. Stapler feature: staples another feature to the site definition
2. Staplee feature: that which will be stapled

Steps involved

The following is the procedure steps to to implement Feature Stapling in SharePoint:

1. Create Empty SharePoint Project
2. Create a feature
3. Create the feature stapler
4. Create FeatureAssociation.xml
5. Deploy the solution
6. Check whether the feature stapler is activated in a web application
7. Testing

Create Empty SharePoint Project

1. Open Visual Studio 2010 by going clicking "Start" then select "All Programs" | "Microsoft Visual Studio 2010" then right-click on Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 and click on "Run as administrator".
2. Go to the File tab, click on "New" and then click on "Project".
3. In the New Project dialog box, expand the Visual C# node, and then select the SharePoint 2010 node.
4. In the Templates pane, select "Empty SharePoint Project".
5. Enter the Name as FeatureStapling and then click "OK".
   
   
   
6. Enter the local site URL for debugging, select "Deploy as a farm solution" as in the following and then click on "Finish".
   
   
   

Create a feature

In this section you will see how to create a new feature and feature receiver to create a custom list in the site.

1. In the Solution Explorer, right-click on the Feature folder and then click on "Add Feature".
   
   
   
2. Rename the feature to "CreateListFeature".
3. Double-click on the feature and enter the Title and Description for the feature.
   
   
   
4. Select the scope as web from the drop down list.
5. Right-click on CreateListFeature and then click on the Add Event receiver.
   
   
   
6. Double-click on CreateListFeature.EventReceiver.cs and replace the code with the following:
   
   
   
7. The code above creates a custom list on the feature activated.