Comprehensive VS Code extension for Power Platform development and administration - your complete toolkit for Dynamics 365, Dataverse, and Power Platform solutions.
Key Features
Data Explorer
- SQL and FetchXML query execution against Dataverse
- Visual Query Builder with point-and-click interface
- IntelliSense autocomplete for entities and attributes
- Notebooks (.ppdsnb) for saving and sharing queries
- Export results to CSV, JSON, or query to FetchXML/SQL
Web Resources
- Browse, edit, and publish web resources directly in VS Code
- Syntax highlighting for JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and XML
- Conflict detection prevents accidental overwrites
- Unpublished changes detection with diff view
Solution Explorer
- Browse, filter, and export solutions
- Open directly in Maker or Classic interfaces
- Real-time solution analysis
Metadata Browser
- Three-panel interface for exploring Dataverse entities
- Browse Tables, Columns, Keys, Relationships, and Privileges
- Smart caching for instant navigation
- Export metadata to JSON
Plugin Trace Viewer
- Analyze plugin execution with advanced filtering
- Environment trace level management (Off/Exception/All)
- Export traces to CSV with syntax-highlighted stack traces
Connection References Manager
- Browse Power Automate flows and connection relationships
- Solution-based filtering with "Open in Maker" functionality
- Sync deployment settings for ALM workflows
Environment Variables Manager
- Manage environment-specific configuration
- View definitions, current values, and defaults
- Deployment settings sync for automated scenarios
Import Job Viewer
- Monitor solution imports with real-time status
- View detailed logs and XML configurations
Environment Management
- Connect using 4 authentication methods (Service Principal, Interactive, Username/Password, Device Code)
- Multi-environment support with easy switching
- Set default environment with ordering controls
Quick Start
- Install from VS Code Marketplace (search "Power Platform Developer Suite")
- Add Environment - Click the + icon in the Environments panel or run
Power Platform: Add Environment from Command Palette
- Configure - Enter your environment URL (e.g.,
https://yourorg.crm.dynamics.com) and choose authentication method
- Test Connection - Verify credentials work before saving
- Start Using - Click any tool in the sidebar to begin
Tip: Service Principal auth is recommended for CI/CD and shared development. Interactive auth is easiest for individual use.
Settings
Configure the extension via VS Code Settings (Ctrl+, → search "Power Platform"):
| Setting |
Default |
Description |
pluginTrace.defaultLimit |
100 |
Number of traces to fetch (1-5000) |
pluginTrace.batchDeleteSize |
100 |
Records deleted per batch (50-1000) |
pluginTrace.defaultDeleteOldDays |
30 |
Default days for "delete old traces" (1-365) |
virtualTable.initialPageSize |
100 |
Records on first page (10-500) |
virtualTable.backgroundPageSize |
500 |
Records per background fetch (100-2000) |
virtualTable.maxCachedRecords |
10000 |
Max records in memory (100-100000) |
webResources.cacheTTL |
60 |
Content cache duration in seconds (10-600) |
metadata.cacheDuration |
300 |
Metadata cache duration in seconds (60-3600) |
api.maxRetries |
3 |
Retry attempts for API failures (0-10) |
Requirements
Power Platform Access:
- Dataverse environment with Web API enabled
- User account with appropriate security roles (System Customizer or higher recommended)
- For Service Principal: Azure AD app registration with Dataverse API permissions
Authentication Methods:
| Method | Best For | Setup Required |
|--------|----------|----------------|
| Service Principal | CI/CD, shared dev | Azure AD app registration |
| Interactive | Individual developers | None (uses browser) |
| Username/Password | Service accounts | User credentials |
| Device Code | Headless environments | None |
Installation
From VS Code Marketplace:
- Open VS Code
- Go to Extensions (
Ctrl+Shift+X)
- Search for "Power Platform Developer Suite"
- Click Install
Troubleshooting
- Extension not visible: Reload window (
Ctrl+Shift+P → "Reload Window")
- Authentication issues: Verify environment URL format (
https://org.crm.dynamics.com) and check app registration permissions
- Console errors: Help → Toggle Developer Tools → Console tab
- Slow loading: Adjust
virtualTable.initialPageSize setting for your connection speed
Contributing
We welcome contributions! See CONTRIBUTING.md for development setup, coding standards, and pull request guidelines.
Changelog
See CHANGELOG.md for release history and feature documentation.
License: MIT | Publisher: JoshSmithXRM
