SharePoint Site vs. Page vs. Web Parts [Step by Step Guide for Beginners]

Getting started with SharePoint? Then you need to understand SharePoint Site vs. Page vs. Web Parts. These are the three core building blocks, and each has its importance in maintaining a clean and manageable workspace.

Today, I’ll explain what is the difference between a SharePoint site and page simply and in-depth. 

So, let’s explore:

• Introduction
• Types of SharePoint Sites, Pages, and Web Parts
• Creation Process
• Who Should Use What?
• Common Mistakes I’ve Seen
• Best Practices
• Author’s Verdict
• People Also Ask

Difference Between SharePoint Site, Page, and Web Parts – Overview

Let’s have a look at the quick introduction of SharePoint Site vs. Page vs. Web Parts:

#What is a SharePoint Site?

A SharePoint site is a container that intact all of the activities, resources, projects, or specific team discussions. To meet the requirements of the organisations, SharePoint offers different types of sites.

For example, the SharePoint admin can create a Team site to track the progress of the project and assign tasks to the users. Communication sites can also be created to share information with a large audience.

All access to SharePoint, including permissions, restrictions, and integration, is managed by the SharePoint administrator by following the SharePoint document management best practices.

Key Features of a Site:

• Separate permissions and security settings
• Own storage quota and site settings
• Can have subsites or just multiple pages
• Can host apps like document libraries, calendars, task lists, etc.

Now, to get insights about the SharePoint site vs. page vs. web parts, let’s move to the SharePoint page overview.

#What is a SharePoint Page?

A SharePoint page is a component of a SharePoint site. It shows a particular part of the SharePoint site. Additionally, it follows a structured layout to share the information with users. 

These are used to share static information like team introductions, project updates, or company news.

Key Features of a Page:

• Created inside a site
• Used to display news, dashboards, reports, or any content
• Built using web parts
• Can be saved as templates

#What are the SharePoint Web parts?

In SharePoint, web parts are the elements that help to customise the SharePoint pages by adding various content, including:

• Text
• Image
• Document library
• List
• Quick links
• Microsoft Forms
• Power BI

You can explore all the available modern web parts in SharePoint from Microsoft’s documentation.

Key Features of Web Parts:

• Can be added, moved, and customised on any page
• Most modern web parts are responsive and user-friendly
• Adding web parts, the SharePoint page looks more attractive and professional

Types of SharePoint Sites, Pages, and Web Parts

The difference between SharePoint Site and Page and web parts types is listed below:

#Types of SharePoint Sites

These four are the main SharePoint sites which are primarily used across the world: 

• Team Site is used for team collaboration with shared files, lists, and conversations.
• Communication Site is ideal for sharing news or updates with a wide audience.
• Hub Site helps to connect multiple related sites.
• Project Site is a classic template for managing tasks and issues.

Except for these, there are more types of sites: Document Center Site, Records Center Site, Blog Site, Enterprise Wiki Site, Community Site, and Publishing Site.

#Types of SharePoint Pages

• Site Page is a modern page for building layouts with web parts.
• News Post is used for publishing updates or announcements.
• Wiki Page is a classic-style page for team documentation and internal notes.
• Web Part Page is a classic layout to host multiple web parts.

#Types of SharePoint Web Parts

• Text to add formatted content like headings, paragraphs, and bullets.
• Image to display banners, photos, or visual references.
• Document Library helps to show documents.
• List display items from a SharePoint list with filters and views.
• Quick Links provides clickable links to pages.
• News displays the latest news posts from the site or hub.
• Embed content like videos, maps, or third-party apps.
• Power BI shows interactive reports.
• Microsoft Forms is used for feedback collection.
• Highlighted Content displays content.

Creation Process of SharePoint Site vs. Page vs. Web Parts

Now, learn how to create a SharePoint site, page, and web parts quickly:

#Create a SharePoint Site

1. Open the SharePoint home in Microsoft 365.
2. Click “Create site” from the top menu.
3. Choose between the Team site and the Communication site.
4. Enter a site name, description, and select privacy settings.
5. Add additional owners/members and click Finish to create the site.

#Create a SharePoint Page

1. Open the site to add the page.
2. Click New and select Page or News post.
3. Choose a layout, give the page a title.
4. Hit Publish to make the page live.

#Add Web Parts to a Page

1. Open the page in Edit mode.
2. Hover between sections and click the + sign.
3. Choose a web part from the toolbox.
4. Configure its content and layout as needed.
5. Click Republish to save the changes.

Need to Migrate SharePoint Sites, Pages, or Web Parts Easily?

If you’re planning to restructure your SharePoint environment or move content from one site or tenant to another, doing it manually can be complex and time-consuming. That’s why Download SharePoint Migration Tool to make this process much easier.

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This tool helps you:

• Migrate entire SharePoint sites, pages, libraries, and lists
• Retain metadata, version history, and permissions
• Perform site-to-site, domain or SharePoint Tenant to Tenant migration.
• Track progress with detailed migration reports

So, give it a chance if you are migrating SharePoint data to another site or tenant to get expected results in minimum time.

Difference Between SharePoint Site and Page and Web Parts: Who Should Use What?

Here’s how to assign work SharePoint Site vs. Page vs. Web Parts according to the roles:

• Site Admins / Owners will create and manage sites, permissions, and architecture
• Content Editors can design and maintain pages inside the site
• Team Members consume content and contribute through web parts (if allowed).

Dividing the work according to the roles helps to avoid accidental permission misconfigurations.

Common Mistakes I’ve Seen

When I was new to SharePoint and didn’t know the difference between SharePoint Site and Page, I made several mistakes, which are:

• Creating multiple sites instead of pages leads to permission issues
• Overloading a page with too many web parts enhances the load time, and hard to read the content
• Not using templates
• Ignoring permissions at the site level can break everything.

So, don’t repeat these mistakes to make the environment manageable.

Best Practices to Follow When Building in SharePoint [SharePoint Site vs. Page vs. Web Parts]

Here are a few principles to verify when building in SharePoint:

• Keep the site structure flat in the modern experience
• Use Hub Sites to connect related sites
• Maintain a clean layout by limiting pages to 3–5 core web parts
• Always test permissions before publishing a site or page
• Backup SharePoint Online to local storage
• Use naming conventions for easier search and indexing

Author’s Verdict

Understanding the core comparison between SharePoint Site vs. Page vs. Web Parts is essential for managing the SharePoint environment effectively. I explained everything which a user needs to know clearly. 

I guarantee that now you have a clear knowledge about the difference between SharePoint Site and Page and web parts.

People Also Ask

Q1. Can I create a page without a site?
No, pages exist within a site. You can’t create a standalone page.

Q2. Are web parts customizable?
Yes, most web parts allow you to change layout, formatting, data source, and display settings.

Q3. Can one SharePoint site have multiple pages?
Yes, you can create multiple pages within a single site to keep content well-organised.