BC Quick Deploy

BC Quick Deploy increments an AL app version, builds the app, synchronizes translations, builds again, and deploys the resulting per-tenant extension through the Business Central Automation API.

Commands

For 1.0.0.119:

Every command performs the same workflow:

1. Increment app.json.
2. Run the AL extension's normal Ctrl+Shift+B build (al.package).
3. Run xliffSync.synchronizeFile.
4. Build again.
5. Upload and install the generated .app through the Business Central Automation API.
6. Wait for the deployment status.

Requirements

• Business Central SaaS
• AL Language
• XLIFF Sync
• A licensed Business Central user with permissions to use the Automation API and manage extensions

On-premises deployment is not supported because the Automation API can upload per-tenant extensions only to Business Central SaaS.

Microsoft Entra setup

Create a public-client app registration in the target tenant:

1. Add the delegated Dynamics 365 Business Central permission for user impersonation.
2. Add these Mobile and desktop applications redirect URIs:
   • https://vscode.dev/redirect
   • ms-appx-web://Microsoft.AAD.BrokerPlugin/<application-client-id>
3. Enable public client flows if required by the tenant policy.
4. Grant consent.
5. Set VS Code setting bcQuickDeploy.clientId to the Application (client) ID.

BC Quick Deploy uses VS Code's built-in Microsoft authentication provider. The callback is always one of the two fixed URIs above; it does not use a random localhost port. On Windows, VS Code normally uses the native Microsoft broker and therefore selects the ms-appx-web URI. Other flows use https://vscode.dev/redirect. VS Code routes the callback back to the correct open window and securely manages the account and token cache.

For example, client ID 3b77b565-6489-42a7-ba4f-6e31d062aefc requires:

ms-appx-web://Microsoft.AAD.BrokerPlugin/3b77b565-6489-42a7-ba4f-6e31d062aefc

deploy.json

Create .vscode/deploy.json in the AL project. It accepts JSON with comments and trailing commas and uses the same configuration shape as launch.json.

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "Dev-1",
      "request": "launch",
      "type": "al",
      "environmentType": "Sandbox",
      "environmentName": "Dev",
      "tenant": "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000",
      "startupCompany": "Test Lager",
      "schemaUpdateMode": "ForceSync"
    },
    {
      "name": "Dev-2",
      "request": "launch",
      "type": "al",
      "environmentType": "Sandbox",
      "environmentName": "Dev-2",
      "tenant": "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000",
      "startupCompany": "Test Lager",
      "schemaUpdateMode": "Synchronize"
    }
  ],
  "compounds": []
}

One configuration is selected automatically. Multiple configurations produce a target picker.

ForceSync maps to Automation API Force Sync; Synchronize and an omitted mode map to Add. Recreate is rejected.

Debugger and browser fields are accepted for launch-file compatibility but are ignored during API deployment.

Failure behavior

The original app.json version is restored after a confirmed build, synchronization, authentication, or deployment failure. If Business Central accepted the upload but the final remote state cannot be determined, the version is kept to avoid deploying the same version twice.

Detailed non-secret diagnostics are written to the BC Quick Deploy output channel.

The BC Quick Deploy progress notification is cancellable. Build completion is determined from the AL command result, compiler diagnostics, and the generated package. If the AL language server stops responding entirely, bcQuickDeploy.buildTimeoutSeconds stops the wait instead of leaving the workflow running forever. bcQuickDeploy.xliffTimeoutSeconds controls the corresponding XLIFF wait. Cancellation is propagated to Business Central HTTP requests and deployment monitoring.

The extension treats command return values and HTTP outcomes as authoritative. A failed AL command cannot be accepted merely because an old package exists, unsupported schema modes are rejected, and an uncertain remote deployment state keeps the incremented version to prevent an unsafe duplicate deployment.

Development

npm install
npm run check
npm run lint
npm test
npm run build
npm run package

Microsoft references:

• Introduction to automation APIs
• API endpoint structure
• OAuth authentication for Business Central