These days, Power Apps Component Frameworks are in trend because of various reasons. It has replaced the traditional HTML web resources in development practices worldwide. Also, it has enabled the programmers to reuse and configure UI components. If you haven’t heard about Power Apps Component Framework, then this blog is for you. Here we will discuss all the details of PCF(Power Apps Component Framework) and we need it in development practices. Let’s get started.
It is powered by Microsoft, allowing programmers to develop code components that can offer great user experience while working on data on forms, views, and dashboards. Microsoft used this framework some time and developed components like editable grids and others before making it public.
With PCF, programmers can create code components while working on model-driven and canvas apps. For instance, if a developer want to add some extra features and functionalities to app, then he can develop widgets and configure them with app with the help of system customizer or an app maker.
With PCF, one can transform many things to look visually attractive with great features. One of the main benefit of it is, this framework allow programmers to develop reusable components by using libraries and other features. Then these components can be easily added in canvas or model-driven apps.
Regardless of this, programmers can use various microsoft features and functionalities to develop components like component creation, built-in variation, code editing, debugging and so on. One can add many features to ease advanced interactions.
One of the main reason to usePower apps Component Framework is to address all limitations with HTML web resources. You know that HTML web resources were not flexible and portable, for instance, HTML web resources didn’t allows programmers to package components with different parameters. Whereas, this is not the case with PCF. One can easily abstract a component and use it as a reusable component with PCF.
Let’s have a look at the example- you want to add a weather forecast feature for different zip codes from record. While using HTML web resources, you need to store forecast information in configuration entity. Also you have to use a method named as window.parent to fetch the crm context to read the zip code. It’s not as complicated with PCF.
PCF allows programmers to use control configuration form to get the forecast API information and fetch zipcode data from the context object of framework. PCF is more fast, convenient, user-friendly and accessible than HTML web resources.
Generally creating and managing popups and dialog boxes in PCF control is carried out using external UI libraries such as Fluent UI. But with PopupService, a native PCF option and managing popups become so easier. Create and manage popups for your model-driven and canvas apps with methods such as- createPopup, closePopup, deletePopup, openPopup, updatePopup, getPopupsld and setPopupsld.
With the updates in PCF, now one can develop PCF control for multi select optionset field. It is possible because of the MultiSelectOptionSet type property.
When you work with clients from different geo locations all over the globe, it is necessary to deal with native languages. PCF control have the feature to run in multiple languages. Every language has its own way of script writing, some are written in left-to-right direction and some are in right-to-left direction. To deal with the situation where language of user interface is set to language that is set from right to left direction, usersettings API of power apps can be used. PCF recently released Multiselect Lookup Control in Dynamics 365 CRM.
There are two kinds of developers. Beginners and professionals. PCF is best for professional developers who are well experienced in HTML web resources and have knowledge of web development life cycle and components like NPM, Typescript and so on.
Now, professional programmers can use this framework to develop code components and beginners will use these code components to develop canvas apps. Those components are called custom controls.
To decide the licensing scheme, you need to understand the interaction of code component with the external service. There are two types of license-
In HTML web resources, XRM context is not easily accessible to code. Whereas, PCF context is highly accessible and offers full framework capabilities.
While using HTML web resources, programmers might not get a seamless experience. An example to this is, you cannot render control outside the HTML web resource boundary.
Whereas, the PCF app offers a great experience with responsive design and control intelligence.
HTML web resources are coupled with particular environment, this makes it difficult to reuse for multiple projects. Whereas, PCF components can be reused for many projects and across different entities.
In HTML web resources, control loads after loading of all out-of-the-box controls. Whereas, in PCF, all controls load simultaneously.
Deployment with HTML web resource is a lengthy and challenging process because you need to manage multiple dependencies and files.
Whereas, in PCF, you have a single deployment file to manage and this makes the deployment process more easy and simple.
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