CodeAppJS Extension
CodeAppJS Extension is a VS Code wrapper around Power Platform CLI workflows for code-first apps. The extension no longer hosts its own agent panel or chat harness. It now exposes PAC-driven setup, authentication, environment switching, data source sync, debugger toggling, and deploy actions directly in the editor chrome, and it contributes a packaged codeapp custom agent plus related skills to Copilot Chat.
This extension is built on codeapp.js, which is aimed at developers building Power Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in a code-first workflow.
What You Get
- Top editor buttons for
Debugger and Deploy.
- Bottom status bar actions for
Deploy, Debugger, Dataverse, Table, Env Var, Flow, Mockup, Import, Setup, Env, and Auth.
- A packaged
codeapp custom agent in the Copilot Chat agent picker, backed by the bundled codeapp-js agent and skill files.
- Extension commands backed by the bundled
codeapp-js-cli, without changing terminal PATH.
- Project setup that copies starter files into your workspace and updates
power.config.json through native VS Code input prompts.
- Connection reference syncing against the active environment.
- Code app import that lists available code apps in the selected environment, exports the chosen solution, and unpacks it into the workspace.
- Mockup launching that lists HTML mockups in
agent/ and opens the selected file in your default browser.
- One-click deploy through the packaged
codeapp-js-cli Power Apps runner, including app URL detection and appId update when available.
- A
Ctrl+Alt+D keybinding for CodeAppJS: Deploy.
Requirements
- VS Code
1.95.0 or newer.
- An open workspace folder.
The extension runs its Power Platform commands through the packaged codeapp-js-cli dependency. The extension uses CAP authentication and environment APIs plus the Power Apps runner bundled with codeapp-js-cli, so no separate PAC installation or local wrapper is required for extension commands.
The extension does not add its bundled CLI to terminal PATH. To use CAP directly in a terminal, install codeapp-js-cli separately.
Quick Start
- Open the folder that will contain your Power Platform code-first app.
- Click the
Auth status bar item to start CAP authentication through the bundled CLI.
- Click the environment status bar item to select the target environment.
- Use the bottom status bar actions for
Setup, Dataverse, Table, Env Var, Flow, Mockup, and Import as needed.
- Use the top editor buttons for
Debugger and Deploy.
Command Surface
| Command |
What it does |
CodeAppJS: Setup Project |
Copies the bundled template files into the workspace and updates power.config.json. |
CodeAppJS: Import Code App |
Lists code apps in the selected environment, exports the selected solution, and unpacks it into the workspace. |
CodeAppJS: Authenticate |
Starts CAP authentication through the bundled codeapp-js-cli so you can sign in to Power Platform. |
CodeAppJS: Change Authentication Account |
Runs CAP auth --change to clear cached authentication and show the account picker. |
CodeAppJS: Log Out |
Runs CAP auth --logout to clear the cached Power Platform login. |
CodeAppJS: Change Environment |
Lists environments, switches the active org selection, stores the selection locally, and updates power.config.json when possible. |
CodeAppJS: Add Dataverse Schema |
Prompts for a Dataverse table logical name and generates the matching schema into the agent folder. |
CodeAppJS: Add Dataverse Table |
Uses VS Code input prompts to collect table metadata and optional fields, then creates the Dataverse table through cap table. |
CodeAppJS: Add Environment Variable |
Collects a name, publisher prefix, and JSON value, then runs CAP environment-variable. |
CodeAppJS: Add Flow Schema |
Lists flows through the packaged codeapp-js-cli Power Apps runner, lets you filter them with Quick Pick search, and adds the selected flow schema in non-interactive mode. |
CodeAppJS: Add Flow Schema by ID |
Prompts for a flow ID and runs CAP flow --<flow-id> directly. |
CodeAppJS: Skills |
Lists the skills bundled with codeapp-js and opens the selected skill file. |
CodeAppJS: Open Mockup |
Lists HTML mockups under agent/ and opens the selected mockup in the default browser. |
CodeAppJS: Toggle Debugger |
Adds or removes the codeapp debugger snippet from the current build entry point. |
CodeAppJS: Deploy |
Runs the packaged Power Apps push command through codeapp-js-cli, reports progress, and stores the detected appId in power.config.json when available. |
Setup Behavior
When you run project setup, the extension copies files from its bundled template folder into your workspace.
- Existing files are not overwritten.
- If
power.config.json is copied, the extension asks for app metadata and environment information with native input boxes.
- If the configured build entry point exists, the HTML
<title> is updated to match the app display name.
Notes
- PAC authentication must be completed before environment listing, data source sync, or deploy can succeed.
- The extension does not use a system-installed PAC CLI or the old local wrapper; auth, environment, flow, schema, and deploy command execution is backed by the packaged
codeapp-js-cli dependency.
- Flow commands still run in non-interactive mode so they fail instead of opening a browser prompt when required configuration is missing.
- Import uses a VS Code Quick Pick to choose a code app before running the packaged
cap export workflow non-interactively.
- Mockup uses a VS Code Quick Pick to choose an HTML file from
agent/ before running the packaged cap mockup workflow.
- Deploy captures command output, looks for the Power Apps URL, and stores the detected
appId in power.config.json when possible.
- Data source sync reads
connectionReferences, selects the configured environment if one is set, inspects available connections, and updates reference metadata in power.config.json.
Version
- v1.1.2 - launch version using CodeApps-JS v1.1.2
- v2.0.0 - update to CodeApps-JS v2.0.0. Removed PowerPlatform CLI dependency and migrated to power-apps-cli npm version to allow deploying apps that call flows.
- v2.1.2 - added environment-variable, auth account change/logout, direct flow ID, and skills commands; stopped exposing the bundled CAP executable in terminals.
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