--- description: 'Power Apps Component Framework overview and fundamentals' applyTo: '**/*.{ts,tsx,js,json,xml,pcfproj,csproj}' --- # Power Apps Component Framework Overview Power Apps component framework empowers professional developers and app makers to create code components for model-driven and canvas apps. These code components can be used to enhance the user experience for users working with data on forms, views, dashboards, and canvas app screens. ## Key Capabilities You can use PCF to: - Replace a column on a form that displays a numeric text value with a `dial` or `slider` code component - Transform a list into an entirely different visual experience bound to the dataset, like a `Calendar` or `Map` ## Important Limitations - Power Apps component framework works only on Unified Interface and not on the legacy web client - Power Apps component framework is currently not supported for on-premises environments ## How PCF Differs from Web Resources Unlike HTML web resources, code components are: - Rendered as part of the same context - Loaded at the same time as any other components - Provide a seamless experience for the user Code components can be: - Used across the full breadth of Power Apps capabilities - Reused many times across different tables and forms - Bundled with all HTML, CSS, and TypeScript files into a single solution package - Moved across environments - Made available via AppSource ## Key Advantages ### Rich Framework APIs - Component lifecycle management - Contextual data and metadata access - Seamless server access via Web API - Utility and data formatting methods - Device features: camera, location, microphone - User experience elements: dialogs, lookups, full-page rendering ### Development Benefits - Support for modern web practices - Optimized for performance - High reusability - Bundle all files into a single solution file - Handle being destroyed and reloaded for performance reasons while preserving state ## Licensing Requirements Power Apps component framework licensing is based on the type of data and connections used: ### Premium Code Components Code components that connect to external services or data directly via the user's browser client (not through connectors): - Considered premium components - Apps using these become premium - End-users require Power Apps licenses Declare as premium by adding to manifest: ```xml www.microsoft.com ``` ### Standard Code Components Code components that don't connect to external services or data: - Apps using these with standard features remain standard - End-users require minimum Office 365 license **Note**: If using code components in model-driven apps connected to Microsoft Dataverse, end users will require Power Apps licenses. ## Related Resources - [What are code components?](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/developer/component-framework/custom-controls-overview) - [Code components for canvas apps](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/developer/component-framework/component-framework-for-canvas-apps) - [Create and build a code component](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/developer/component-framework/create-custom-controls-using-pcf) - [Learn Power Apps component framework](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/paths/use-power-apps-component-framework) - [Use code components in Power Pages](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/maker/portals/component-framework) ## Training Resources - [Create components with Power Apps Component Framework - Training](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/paths/create-components-power-apps-component-framework/) - [Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Developer Associate](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/power-platform-developer-associate/) --- Source: awesome-copilot (github/awesome-copilot) https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/blob/cb64ad12e32737ae764becd6885462e9b4c7cb00/instructions/pcf-overview.instructions.md MIT License Copyright GitHub, Inc. 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