Right SharePoint 2013 APIs for your needs – A ready reckoner

SharePoint products team amazes me every time they introduce a product version release. There are several options available when it comes to access SharePoint 2013 using APIs. Per my understanding the following will be the factors that decide which option to use

• Type of customization like web parts, Silverlight App, SharePoint App Page, timer job and more. All these customization are different in most aspects and choosing right API option would eventually decide its eventual success
• Enterprise governance rules will be the key differentiator in deciding the API option.
• Development skill level is the other factor. Expertize in a the technologies like .NET Framework, Silverlight, PowerShell, JavaScript, ASP.NET, REST/OData will ensure the best development practices are applied in design / development of custom components
• Devices we are targeting like farm server, client computer, mobile devices etc. The customization targeting different device should use appropriate API option.

Let me share a high level mapping based on the current info ...

API Option	Custom Component
Server Object Model	PowerShell script for farm / web app maintenance, tracking etc
	Timer job to perform scheduled actions on web app
	Web Parts to be displayed in sites
Silverlight client object model	Web Parts to be displayed in sites
	SharePoint  App
	Silverlight Application that integrate with SharePoint site data
	ASP.Net web application that integrate SharePoint site data
REST/Odata Endpoints	ASP.Net web application that integrate SharePoint site data
	SharePoint  App
	HTML/Javascript application that consume SharePoint site data
	App for office
	LAMP web application that integrate SharePoint site data
	iOS/Android app for mobile devices that access SharePoint site data
Javascript APIs	Web Parts to be displayed in sites
	ASP.Net web application that integrate SharePoint site data
	SharePoint  App
	App for office
	HTML/Javascript application that consume SharePoint site data
.Net Client Object Model	.Net application that consume SharePoint site data
Mobile Silverlight API	Silverlight app for windows phone
	XNA app for Windows Phone

more to follow...