Forum Discussion
SharePoint Modern Team sites Vs Communication sites
Rachel_Davis ok thanks for the long answer. but your answer is mainly comparing classic sites with modern sites (communication & team sites).. but my question is about when to use communication sites Vs Modern team sites... so i would like to keep my question focused on these points.
anyway i would like to comment on your reply (although this is not related to my original question), now all the recent official documentations from Microsoft are advising to use flat structure + modern sites, over classic sites and sub-sites. this is a case we always face in any technology, where traditional (old) structure/technologies will be replaced by newer technologies and modules. now sub-sites will still be used and have their own advantages (as the ones you mentioned), but when we want to make a long investment, and we are starting a new project (as in our case), then we need to use the technology where Microsoft will be investing more, maybe Microsoft will no longer provide any new features to classic team sites + sub-sites, and they will be enhancing the flat structure + modern sites. i am sure from one year from now the gap will be greater, also if you check the web parts currently available inside modern sites, they are more than the ones available for modern pages inside classic sites. now if you ask me why i chose to implement the flat structure for our new project, the answer simply is the future proof and where the enhancements/investment will be targeted .. and the answer will be in the flat structure + modern sites. not surprisingly if in the future we will find web parts or updates that only work when we have hub sites and sites associated with them, and that these new features will not be supported on sub-sites..
john john I think I posted to the wrong place (below)
I'm posting again. Rachel is correct. The Modern experience is more than a template change. The architecture is completely different. In the Modern experience, the architecture is flat. Each site is created as its own site collection. While Microsoft was providing an option to create a subsite, this is going away (and was never recommended). Rather than using parent/child permissions like the Classic architecture, Modern sites recognize that organizations change frequently. Each site collection is a link that can connect and disconnect from a hub easily. And, if you are a small organization, there is no requirement to have any hub at all.
I think this question is best answered when thinking about your objective. Since SharePoint Communication and Team sites store content, it is best to think about your content and permissions structure before selecting either a Modern Communication or Team Site.
Consider Content and Permissions When Choosing a Site Type
There have been several articles written explaining the Document Life Cycle. We have used these for our strategy, which is:
My Stuff - individuals save to OneDrive for Business for work that they are not ready to share (with the Team or company-wide). OneDrive for Business allows work to be shared with either read only or write permissions with individuals in or outside the company.
Team Stuff - Team Sites are created (with O365 Groups) so the team can collaborate. Anyone in the team has view and editing access to the documents. Any team wanting the additional benefit of the MS Teams application (Chats, online meetings, etc.), can easily use this application as well. In fact, we've noticed that the easiest way to create a Team site is through the Teams application. I do not believe there is a limitation on the number of team members assigned to a team site. I would strongly recommend using Teams, which has been adopted RAPIDLY by organizations around the world. It is a platform that integrates services (chat, conversations, online meetings) with other MS products as well as 3rd party vendors (Asana, Trello, Whiteboard etc.)
Everyone's Stuff - Communication sites are created to share (PUBLISH) company documents for everyone to view and use as well as for company news. There are fewer users (publishers) than there are readers.
Hub Sites Organize the Organization's Site Collections
Hub sites are easily created from existing communication sites and you can also add team sites to your hub. This gives you a shared look and feel and it is just as easy to associate a communication or team site to a hub as it is to dis-associate one. One advantage of the hub site is roll-up news from all the sites you associate with the hub (this is the default setting, but can be changed). Another advantage is that nobody can see what they aren't supposed to see. In other words, only users who have permission to see a connected Team site will see content from that site. In the Modern experience, using hub sites also provides a better search experience that is user-specific.
Much has been written above that seems to describe the former Classic architecture. In the Modern experience, subsites are NOT recommended. The hub provides the organization for each site collection that associates to it. Hubs are established (and governed) by IT. As a hub owner, you can opt to create an approval before a site (team or communication) joins. If you are a site that wants to join a hub, choose wisely because you can only join one hub. Per the September 2018 Ignite conference, having an association to more than one hub is not in the roadmap. You can, however, connect more than one hub and create a "Super Hub". We shall see...
