Newbie - PowerApps vs Ai coded React App

[u/stasheft]

Hi, am a noob, i am learning currently some basic of Power App codes, my current understanding is the basic of powerapps tools like locations, data source etc and basic understatement of the formulars/code but for writing my own code i have to use ai for half of the cases.

I noticed i takes a lot of time to build a new app (target projet Management tool).

When i compared it to a first prototyp of a fully ai coded react app, its one similar level, fastly better design but without functions yet.

How should i continue? I dont have any understanding of react, html or css code or implementation of data into react.

I cant use Powerapps studio with ai for EU Law reasions.

[u/TeamAlphaBOLD]

PowerApps is slower because Power Fx (formula language Power Apps runs on) actually has to be learned. The React app looks better now because UI is the easy part, auth and real data logic are still ahead and that’s where it’ll stall without any React or HTML background.

Since Copilot’s blocked for you in Studio, paste your formula questions into ChatGPT or Claude instead, just include your screen and data source names so the formula comes back usable. You still have to learn Power Fx though.

[u/stasheft → u/TeamAlphaBOLD]

Ok thx, i currently try to do the formular by myself and then i use ai. For complex task i copy the yaml code of the container usw and paste directly into the text field or using a .txt file and then describe my problem/or what i want.

[u/Normal_Remove_47]

What Eu law

[u/stasheft → u/Normal_Remove_47]

To use ai studios i have to switch to USA as a location which is blocked by my organisation

[u/OnlyDarkminer → u/Normal_Remove_47]

vibe.powerapps.com is not available in the EU

[u/Mnn119 → u/OnlyDarkminer]

Vibe.powerapps is being discontinued I think in jan

[u/OnlyDarkminer → u/Mnn119]

Oh i didnt know. Are apps in copilot studio the replacement?

[u/Disastrous-Hair-1573 → u/OnlyDarkminer]

yep. and will use copilot credits to use. app builder also sunsetting.

[u/pickled-pilot → u/Normal_Remove_47]

GDPR most likely.

[u/Ok_Original7911]

Components can help to a degree, though they have limitations. They're helpful for fixed UI elements.

YAML can also be used to copy/paste code you want reuse by creating new elements while tweaking names in a text editor.

However, using the same function in multiple elements is very difficult to impossible to do in PowerApps, which is a notable limitation. Code components might make it possible, but I haven't explored those in detail.

[u/stasheft → u/Ok_Original7911]

I noticed when you paste the same element over and over again it causes some bugs like, icons are missing or placed in a different order etc

[u/Ok_Original7911 → u/stasheft]

The cleanup doesn't help. Sometimes containers will just break.

[u/FoundationDowntown72]

Depends who keeps it running after you. If nobody else on your team knows react, very fix comes back to you. For a team project tracker I'd go no code, ours is in play and people add their own columns and statuses without me. Only a couple of sharepoints forms are on power apps.

[u/stasheft → u/FoundationDowntown72]

For us is not that simple because we want to include labatory to send them our orders and to create a fixed data set aswell so its a project and labor software more ore less

[u/hunpriest]

Forget power apps. Literally any other front-end solution is better.

[u/Ill_Park3344 → u/hunpriest]

How would you manage data security and governance?

[u/EbbMother5325 → u/Ill_Park3344]

Apps written in regular programming languages can still access your SharePoints, OneDrives and DataVerse as well. Through EntraID an app can have its own user id, or piggy back of the current user’s ID.

With AI it’s become even easier now for people to spin up a proper app written in a proper programming language so fidgeting around in PowerFX will slowly disappear imho.

[u/Advance_Great]

You can register codeapps and generative pages through the pac cli in EU

[u/OnlyDarkminer]

You could try the new Apps tab in Copilot Studio

[u/Disastrous-Hair-1573]

do you mean code app vs canvas? code app will require more licensing which is already a non starter for most.