Let’s be real: most people don’t even know what “SPFx” stands for, and if they do, they probably assume it’s something that only applies to devs with Visual Studio installed and twelve coffees in their system. But the truth is—SharePoint Framework solutions are some of the best ways to unsuck the platform for everyone, and there are some absolute gems that fly under the radar.
Today, I’m shining a light on a few SharePoint Framework add-ins you should absolutely be using—or at the very least, admiring from afar while you plot how to convince your org to approve them.
1. Modern Script Editor Web Part (by Mikael Svenson)
What it does: Brings back the old script editor functionality to modern SharePoint pages. HTML, CSS, JavaScript—just drop it in and go.
Why it matters: Because sometimes you need to tweak layout or behavior without deploying an entire SPFx solution. This is the unsuck tool for power users and site owners who just want to get stuff done.
2. My Teams App Web Part
What it does: Displays a user’s Microsoft Teams memberships right inside SharePoint. No more tab-hopping.
Why it matters: It’s perfect for homepages or dashboards where context matters. Users see where they belong—and where the action is happening.
3. Highlighted Content Customizer
What it does: Customizes the layout of highlighted content web parts with your own template.
Why it matters: If you’re tired of the out-of-the-box styles and want a tailored look for promoted news, announcements, or documents, this lets you theme without suffering.
GitHub: Highlighted Content Templates
4. List Formatting Samples (okay, not technically SPFx but still genius)
What it does: JSON formatting for lists and libraries. Calendar views, progress bars, badges—you name it.
Why it matters: Because sometimes all your users need is better visual feedback. This is the fast lane to useful, human-readable list data without needing a developer.
GitHub: List Formatting Samples
But wait—aren’t these hard to install?
Sort of, but not really. If you’re a tenant admin or work with someone who is, these can be deployed centrally or added to an app catalog and made available across the tenant. If you’re in a locked-down environment, you may need to advocate for them—but that’s what champions do, right?
Bonus community shoutout
The Microsoft 365 community has been keeping SPFx alive and amazing for years. The PnP GitHub repo is an endless playground of cool, useful, and often underused tools built by folks who genuinely care about making SharePoint less painful.
Got a favorite SPFx add-in I missed? Drop it in the comments or tag me online. Let’s keep sharing the tools that help us unsuck modern work—one web part at a time.
Unsuck Microsoft365 