Introduction
Solution architects are responsible for a solution's overall design. Understanding the capabilities of Microsoft Power Apps is imperative when designing the apps for a solution. This module explains the different types of apps, the differences between apps, and when and which type(s) of apps to use. Additionally, you will learn how to divide apps and discern how many apps that you need.
This module provides technical details around Power Apps but doesn't discuss best practices because they consistently change in Microsoft Power Platform. A solution architect should always check the latest information for Power Apps.
The main objective of this module is to ensure that solution architects learn how to decide which app type to use.
Types of apps in Power Apps
The three types of apps in Power Apps are:
- Canvas - These apps consist of screens, forms, and controls. You have full control over all visual elements of your app through the Properties pane, where you can set values and properties, control navigation, and save data by using functions and expressions that are similar to Microsoft Excel.
- Model-driven - Apps that are built on the data model that you create in Microsoft Dataverse. Model-driven apps are constructed from separate components, such as forms, views, charts, and dashboards. Each component type has its own editor, and to build an app, you will assemble the separate components.
- Portal apps - These apps are customer-facing websites that are built on top of Dataverse. With a portal app, you can expose your data to external stakeholders and allow them to view and update data in a more secure way.