I've been building Power Apps Code Apps for a while now, and the question that kept coming up was always the same: how do I call actual server-side logic from here? With the @microsoft/power-apps npm CLI hitting v1.1.1, that question finally has a clean answer. This guide walks through everything — discovering and scaffolding Dataverse actions, functions, and Power Automate flows, the generated TypeScript service classes, error handling, deployment, and the architectural decisions I'd make on a real project.
VS Code vs Windsurf vs Cursor: My Honest Take After 6 Months Using All Three
After spending hundreds of hours with all three editors, here's the bottom line: VS Code + Copilot is the reliable workhorse with unmatched ecosystem support. Windsurf + Cascade is the AI-native innovator with continuous context awareness. Cursor is the agentic middle ground with excellent tab completion and Composer mode. Each excels in different scenarios, and for Power Platform developers? The answer depends entirely on your workflow. Let me show you exactly how to choose.
Article 1: Introduction to AI-Powered Canvas App Development
What used to take 45 minutes of clicking through property panels now takes 8 minutes of conversation with AI. Discover how AI-powered canvas app development is bringing version control, real IDEs, and professional development practices to Power Platform—and why this changes everything.
Announcing: Building Power Apps Canvas Apps with AI – The Complete 5-Part Developer Guide
What if you could build canvas apps in 8 minutes instead of 45? What if version control, real IDEs, and CI/CD finally worked with Power Apps? I'm launching a 5-part series that shows you exactly how to do it—with AI-powered development tools that are changing everything.
Power Apps: Canvas Apps vs. Code Apps – When Low-Code Hits Its Ceiling
Most Power Platform architects reach for Canvas Apps by default — because they know them, and they work. This article will help you compare Canvas Apps vs Code Apps and understand the pros and cons of each. But there's a moment in every serious project where Canvas stops being an advantage and starts being a ceiling. In this article, I break down exactly where that line is, what Code Apps actually are (they're not PCF), and how to decide which one belongs in your next solution.
Dataverse Skills for Enterprise Architects: Governance, ALM, MCP Billing, and Production Readiness
Enterprise architects evaluating Dataverse Skills need answers to governance, economics, and integration questions before approving adoption. This comprehensive guide addresses MCP billing models (with real-world cost benchmarks: $200-800/month for 20-100 developers), Managed Environment security architecture, ALM pipeline integration patterns, and production deployment strategies. Learn the governance implications of 6-10x faster schema creation, understand Business Skills vs Developer Skills clarity, and get actionable recommendations for environment segmentation, DLP policy configuration, and cost control. Based on production learnings from early adopter organizations across consulting firms, ISVs, and enterprise CoEs.
Under the Hood: How Dataverse Skills Work and How to Write Your Own
Understand the engineering decisions behind Dataverse Skills and learn to build your own custom skills for organizational patterns. This advanced guide dissects both skill file formats (Microsoft's table format and extended YAML frontmatter), explains how AI agents select and chain skills, and reveals the three-tool strategy (MCP Server, Python SDK, PAC CLI) that optimizes performance and cost. Includes production-tested examples for automating environment provisioning and integrating agent-built solutions into Azure DevOps ALM pipelines. Essential reading for solution architects extending Dataverse Skills for enterprise use.
Getting Started with Dataverse Skills: Install, Configure, and Build Your First Agent-Driven Solution
Ready to build Power Platform solutions with AI? This comprehensive tutorial covers the complete Dataverse Skills installation process for both GitHub Copilot and Claude Code. Learn how to configure PAC CLI authentication, enable the Dataverse MCP server in Managed Environments, and build your first agent-driven solution from a single natural language prompt. Includes enterprise-tested authentication patterns, troubleshooting common errors, and a real-world project tracking system built entirely by AI. Perfect for Power Platform developers transitioning to intent-driven development workflows.
From Scripts to Intent: How Dataverse Skills Redefines Enterprise Development
Microsoft's Dataverse Skills represents a paradigm shift in Power Platform development—from manual tool orchestration to intent-driven AI coding. This open-source plugin for GitHub Copilot and Claude Code eliminates the developer tax of context-switching between PAC CLI, maker portal, and API documentation. Instead of writing scripts, developers describe their intent in natural language, and AI agents build complete Dataverse solutions automatically. Learn how this changes enterprise development workflows, why it matters for solution architects, and what skills-based development means for the future of low-code platforms.
The Complete Guide to Dataverse Skills: From Intent to Enterprise Production
Microsoft's Dataverse Skills transforms Power Platform development from manual tool orchestration to AI-driven intent. This comprehensive guide covers the complete journey: understanding the paradigm shift from scripts to natural language, installing and configuring for GitHub Copilot and Claude Code, mastering custom skill development with YAML frontmatter, and implementing enterprise governance with MCP billing controls and ALM integration. Whether you're a developer learning intent-driven workflows or an architect evaluating production readiness, this series provides the technical depth and real-world insights you need
GitHub Agentic Workflows: The Next Evolution of Repository Automation for Power Platform and Enterprise Developers
Traditional GitHub Actions workflows are powerful but deterministic — they can only do what you explicitly tell them. GitHub Agentic Workflows change that. Launched in February 2026, they bring AI coding agents (Copilot CLI, Claude Code, Codex) into GitHub Actions with natural language specifications, security guardrails, and human review. Instead of writing imperative YAML, you describe outcomes in plain language and let AI agents figure out the implementation. This guide explores the six core automation categories and practical applications for Power Platform developers managing PCF controls, Dataverse solutions, and ALM pipelines.
Power Pages Authentication Methods: The Complete Guide (2026)
Microsoft Power Pages supports five authentication methods — local credentials, OpenID Connect (OIDC), SAML 2.0, OAuth 2.0 social login, and open/invitation-code registration. This guide explains how each one works, when to use it, how to configure it, and what security risks to watch out for before you go live.
