CodeAppJS Extension
CodeAppJS Extension is a VS Code wrapper around Power Platform CLI workflows for code-first apps. The extension no longer hosts an 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.
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
- A lightweight Activity Bar view with title-bar actions for setup, data sources, debugger, and deploy.
- Status bar items for Power Platform authentication and environment switching.
- 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.
- One-click deploy with
pac code push, including app URL detection and appId update when available.
Requirements
- VS Code
1.95.0 or newer.
- Power Platform CLI (
pac).
- An open workspace folder.
The extension uses the CLI bundled with the Power Platform Tools extension when it is available. Otherwise it falls back to pac on your system PATH.
Quick Start
- Open the folder that will contain your Power Platform code-first app.
- Click the
Auth status bar item to start pac auth create.
- Click the environment status bar item to select the target environment.
- Open the
CodeAppJS Activity Bar view.
- Use the view title actions for
Setup Project, Add Data Sources, Toggle 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: Authenticate |
Starts pac auth create in a terminal so you can sign in to Power Platform. |
CodeAppJS: Change Environment |
Lists environments, switches the active org selection, stores the selection locally, and updates power.config.json when possible. |
CodeAppJS: Add Data Sources |
Reads connectionReferences from power.config.json, inspects available PAC connections, and updates reference details. |
CodeAppJS: Toggle Debugger |
Adds or removes the codeapp debugger snippet from the current build entry point. |
CodeAppJS: Deploy |
Runs pac code push, 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.
- 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.
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