App Stapling During the Site Provisioning Process

[Stephen Brown]

I did some digging and can't seem to find any documentation from Microsoft that clarifies this, so I am posting here (and Yammer) in hopes one of you can assist.

I want to programmatically install SharePoint add-ins during the site provisioning process (or via a post-provisioning feature) to apply a custom site header and footer to an out-of-the-box team site. 

I know side-loading can work, but does this "break" the add-ins connection to the app catalog and effectively disable our ability to make updates to the apps via the catalog? Are there any best practices to completing this? I have found references to advanced HTTP remote operations, but have to believe there are other options. 

 Any help is appreciated - thank you!

[#2]

Side-Loading is the only way to automate add-in installation in SPO...why do you say side loading breaks Add-ins update process? There is a PnP video by Vesa Juvonen where he explain the process of automate Add-in installation in SPO without loosing that connection

[#3]

Hi Juan,

Thanks for the guidance thus far! I was asking if it broke the ability to push updates to add-ins via the catalog, but I am guessing it does not..? Is this a supported model? Does this also apply / work on-prem? My question is actually focused around automating the add-in stapling as part of a SharePoint 2016 site provisioning process.

Thanks!

[#4]

Follow-up question after watching Vesa's video - he chose to install the application with tenant-level permissions first to the app catalog and then side-load it to another site collection. Is there then a way to push application updates to all sites or would it require an uninstall and re-install ("re-sideloading") of the add-in across the entire tenant?