Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Tools: Visual Studio 2005 Extensions

Ok, maybe this blog was about using SharePoint Designer and avoiding coding, but in some cases you have to code. In that case as a developer you should try to make your life as simple as possible.

Back when I was developing webparts in 2003, deploying a webpart was a long(ish) procedure of signing assemblies and copying to the GAC and a lot of of other steps.

Fast forward to SPS 2007 and I've come to write my first webpart. Seems like the process has been made easier thanks to a nice Visual Studio 2005 extension: Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Tools: Visual Studio 2005 Extensions. If you select the Web Part project, as soon as you build, your webpart is immediately deployed to your local SharePoint installation. Quite elegant I must say ... Haven't tried it and don't know if it works with remote servers or anything, but this is already a good step IMHO.