SharePoint's multi-purpose platform allows for managing and provisioning of intranet portals, extranets and websites, document management and file management, collaboration spaces, social networking tools, enterprise search, business intelligence tooling, process/information integration, and third-party developed solutions. SharePoint can also be used as a web application development platform.
SharePoint is designed to be highly scalable. It is capable of supporting multiple organizations on a single 'server farm'. Microsoft provides SharePoint at no cost, sells premium editions with additional integration and functionality, and also provides SharePoint as a cloud computing solution as part of Microsoft's Business Productivity Online Standard Suite (BPOS) and Office 365. The product is also sold as a cloud solution by local third-party vendors.
SharePoint provides various methods for customization and configuration of web areas, all of which have granular governance configurations. Beyond basic page-editing, file-storing and custom design ('branding') capabilities, one of the more prevalent forms of configuration is the ability to install third-party customizations called 'web parts' (i.e. widgets/gadgets).
