create-powerapp ⚡

One command to scaffold any Power Apps project — ready to vibe-code with GitHub Copilot or Claude Code.

npx create-powerapp

No config files to write. No folder structure to figure out. Just answer four questions and your project is ready to open in VS Code with your AI assistant.

What it does

Running npx create-powerapp asks you four questions:

▶ Project name:  employee-leave-app

▶ App type:
  1. Canvas App        — Design every screen. Best for custom employee tools & mobile apps
  2. Model-Driven App  — Database-first. Great for CRM / record management
  3. PCF Component     — A reusable custom control to embed inside other Power Apps
  4. Power Pages       — A public-facing website connected to Dataverse
  5. Code App          — A full custom web app (React/TypeScript) on Power Platform

▶ AI assistant:
  1. GitHub Copilot
  2. Claude Code

▶ Power Platform environment URL (optional):  https://yourorg.crm.dynamics.com

Then it automatically creates everything in under 10 seconds:

| What gets created | Why | |---|---| | Project folder with correct structure | Right layout for your app type from day one | | .gitignore | Passwords and generated files never get uploaded by accident | | .env | Safe place for your environment URL and secrets | | README.md | Project overview with useful PAC CLI commands | | instructions/ | AI context files that teach your AI how this app type works | | prompts/starter.md | Copy-paste first prompts to build your first screens immediately | | CLAUDE.md or .github/copilot-instructions.md | Your AI reads this to understand the project | | Git initialised + first commit | Version control ready immediately | | pac auth create (if URL given) | Signs you into your Power Platform environment | | VS Code opened automatically | Jump straight into building |

Prerequisites

You need these installed once on your machine. The VS Code Setup Guide walks through every step in plain English.

| Tool | What it is | Install | |---|---|---| | Node.js 18+ | Required to run this tool | nodejs.org → download LTS | | Git | Version control | git-scm.com | | PAC CLI | Connects to Power Apps | npm install -g pac | | VS Code | Your coding editor | code.visualstudio.com | | GitHub Copilot or Claude Code | Your AI assistant | See setup guide |

Quick start

# Run directly — no install needed, always uses latest version
npx create-powerapp

# Or install globally so you can run it anytime
npm install -g create-powerapp
create-powerapp

After the command finishes:

1. VS Code opens automatically with your project
2. Open prompts/starter.md — copy-paste prompts for your first screens
3. Open your AI assistant (Copilot Chat icon, or claude in the terminal)
4. Paste a prompt and start building

Full setup guide

New to VS Code, Power Apps, or vibe coding entirely? Read the full step-by-step guide:

📖 VS Code Setup Guide for Vibe Coding

It covers everything from installing VS Code for the first time to writing your first AI prompt — with plain-English explanations and a glossary of every technical term.

Supported app types

| App type | Best for | Key files created | |---|---|---| | Canvas App | Custom employee tools, mobile apps, branded interfaces | canvas-src/ (unpacked YAML), instructions, starter prompts | | Model-Driven App | CRM tools, record management, data-heavy apps | solutions/ placeholder, MDA instructions, starter prompts | | PCF Component | Custom interactive controls embedded in other Power Apps | PCF instructions, starter prompts with pac pcf init command | | Power Pages | External customer/partner portals | site/ folder structure, Power Pages instructions | | Code App | Full custom React/TypeScript web apps on Power Platform | src/, package.json, tsconfig.json, Code App instructions |

Repository structure

create-powerapp/
├── index.js              ← CLI entry point (the tool itself)
├── package.json          ← npm package config
├── LICENSE               ← MIT licence
├── README.md             ← This file
├── CONTRIBUTING.md       ← How to contribute
├── CHANGELOG.md          ← Version history
├── docs/
│   └── setup-guide.md   ← Full beginner VS Code + vibe coding guide
└── .github/
    ├── workflows/
    │   └── ci.yml        ← Automated tests on every pull request
    └── ISSUE_TEMPLATE/
        ├── bug_report.md
        └── feature_request.md

Contributing

Contributions are welcome — whether that's fixing a bug, adding a new app type template, or improving the beginner docs. See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.

Licence

MIT — see LICENSE.