Contribute permission level overview (SharePoint Server 2010)

Permissions for the Contribute permission level in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 are the same. However, the Contribute permission level in SharePoint Server 2010 allows users to complete a more limited set of tasks.

For example, the default Contribute permissions in Office SharePoint Server 2007 allow users to edit scriptable Web files and Web Parts. Although the permissions are identical in SharePoint Server 2010, users who have the default Contribute permissions cannot edit scriptable Web files and Web Parts. The ability to edit scriptable Web files and Web Parts in SharePoint Server 2010 requires the Add and Customize Pages permission. The absence of this permission in the default Contribute permission level of SharePoint Server 2010 prevents users from editing scriptable Web files and Web Parts. Despite the absence of the same permission in the default Contribute permission level of Office SharePoint Server 2007, users who have the default Contribute permissions in Office SharePoint Server 2007 can edit scriptable Web files and Web Parts.

This article describes the Contribute permission level in SharePoint Server 2010 and does not explain how to enable users with the Contribute permission level to edit scriptable Web Parts. 

In this article:

• About updating Web files
• About editing Web Parts 

About updating Web files

Web files are a set of special files that provide a full range of customization of a Web page. These files can contain scripts (such as JavaScript) that can call Web services and interoperate with data on a site. Web files are stored as a modifiable list based on their file extensions. The default list of file extensions is as follows:

• .ascx
• .aspx
• .asmx
• .master
• .jar
• .swf
• .xap
• .xsf
• .xsn

Note:
A member of the Farm Administrators group can use Windows PowerShell cmdlets to modify the above list.

Although users with the default Contribute permission level in Office SharePoint Server 2007 can complete the following tasks, users with the default Contribute permission level in SharePoint 2010 Products cannot complete these tasks:

• Update the content of a Web file
  
• Move a Web file
  
• Upload a Web file
  
• Rename a Web file
  
• Publish, migrate, import and export a Web file
  

Note:
In SharePoint 2010 Products, a user must have the Add and Customize Pages permission to complete the above tasks.

Users with the default Contribute permission level in Office SharePoint Server 2007 and SharePoint 2010 Products can complete the following tasks:

• Check in, check out, or revert a Web file
  
• Revert a version from version history for a Web file
  
• Delete a Web file
  
• Recycle a deleted Web file
  

About editing Web Parts

Users who have the default Contribute permission level in Office SharePoint Server 2007 can add or edit Web Parts that developers have marked as unsafe for editing. However, users who have the default Contribute permission level in SharePoint 2010 Products cannot add or edit the same Web Parts.

Note:
To add or edit Web Parts that developers have marked as unsafe for editing, users in SharePoint 2010 Products must have the Add and Customize Pages permission.

The following Web Parts are marked as safe for editing by default and can be added or edited by users who have the default Contribute permission level:

• Basic Chart Web Part
  
• Image Web part
  
• Page Viewer Web Part
  
• Picture Slideshow Web Part
  
• Relevant Documents Web Part
  
• Site Users Web Part
  
• Title Bar Web Part
  
• User Tasks Web Part
  

A member of the Farm Administrators group can update permissions to allow users with the default Contribute permission level to add or edit Web Parts that are marked as unsafe for editing.

Source : Techent Article.