Microsoft describes Power Apps as a ‘Low Code’ development tool that aims to make modern app development available to non-developers, but is this an accurate description?
It somewhat depends on which ‘flavour’ of Power Apps you’re using. Model Driven apps do use the underlying Dataverse database to provide rules for the app to follow, removing a lot of the need to create custom logic (i.e. code) at the interface level. However, as soon as you need to get a bit more creative with your interface, you’re going to need to master Power FX.
If you’re creating a more standalone app, then you’ll likely choose Power Apps Canvas Apps, and again you’re going to want to get to know Power FX pretty well.
Power FX is PowerApps’ core functional language. Unlike traditional development languages, it’s a formula-based language, rather than a structural, or object-oriented language. This makes Power FX more accessible (think Excel formulas on steroids); however it also brings limitations (call them challenges) when it comes to manipulating data, and controlling program flow.
Like Excel formulas, you can get pretty creative by nesting and combining formulas to achieve some pretty impressive results (for example we routinely create sophisticated CRM, Stock Control, and Document Management apps to name but a few). Power Apps also does a pretty good job of protecting you from common mistakes, such as circular references, and changing a variable’s state during an iterative loop; although the latter can be pretty frustrating to traditional programmers, resulting in a whole ecosystem if develops suggesting various hacks and workarounds.
