SharePoint 2010 as a Development Platform

Chapter 4. Data Access

Everything from the site level (SPSite) down to a list item (SPListItem) can be read, modified, and saved back to the database using the API. However, before using the object model, you need a basic understanding of lists and the content type model. Different data access techniques are necessary when dealing with large sets of data. They include querying with the Collaborative Application Markup Language (CAML) and the API based on its SPQuery object. SharePoint 2010 provides extensive support for accessing lists and libraries using Language Integrated Query (LINQ). Using spmetal.exe, you can create a type-safe object layer over any existing list or library. This layer uses LINQ to access and retrieve, write, or delete data. ...