I love Power Apps

No self respecting technologies/programmer/ex-programmer likes simple solutions.  I still chose C# as my go to problem solver (I learnt to use a hammer 18 years ago and now all my problem look like a nail).  Don't tell anyone under 30 I still love C#, they think you are weird if you don't use Javascript for everything.  And 15 years ago I was arguing the same with the C++ golden oldies.  So the circle of life goes on.  Enter Simba, the Lion King...  Well not really but Power Apps is just making programmers look ridiculous.

Power Apps can do a lot...

MS have announce that components and PCF’s are part of Power Apps.  I've been using this for awhile and it's awesome.

https://powerapps.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/announcing-the-public-preview-of-canvas-components-and-power-apps-component-framework/ 

This diagram outlines extending Power Apps using Components:  Developers often say you can’t extend Power Apps so it is not a real language, my answer is really… 

The other argument for PowerApps is if you need to do any complex programming.....  Use an Azure Function (this allows C#, PowerShell, JS, …).  Simple to build in your own language, expose using an http endpoint and you can call the end point using a custom connector.  

So if you need: 

• Complex UI = go PCF, 
• Reusable UI e.g. menu's = use Components, 
• Complex processing or secure code logic = Azure Functions.

Here are some PCF examples that we can use that are already built:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Canvas-Apps-Components-Samples/bd-p/ComponentsGallery

So what is stopping Power Apps:

1. Licencing - the licencing is expensive so you need to choose selectively when it is appropriate.  If MS change it's going to just go crazy the usage. IMHO. 
2. Functionality:  MS have introduced automated testing to the Power Apps platform but there are improvements scheduled.  For me the biggest issue is code reuse.  I wish there was a function library that you could write functions to and call in a single line of code, my individual field logic can be insane and tough to amend on complex large Power App UI's.   

Excellent blog on Power Apps

Top 10 Power Apps Articles Of 2021 - Matthew Devaney