Power Apps: Can Two Developers Work on the Same App at the Same Time?

Question

We are a small team building a custom business application using Power Apps (Canvas App). Two developers on our team tried to open and edit the same app at the same time. The first one who opens the app in edit mode can make changes and save, while the other one can't edit, and the app is shown to him as read-only. 

We are trying to figure out the best way to collaborate on the same app at the same time

Is it possible for two developers to work on the same Power Apps canvas app at the same time without conflict? And what are the best practices for team collaboration in this case?

Answer 1

Can Two Developers Work on the Same App at the Same Time?

As a short answer: Yes for Model-Driven App and No for Canvas App.

As per your question, you are using the Canvas App., and in this situation, Power Apps does allow multiple developers to open the same app, but only one person can edit the app at a time.

• The first user to open the app in edit mode will have full editing access.
• Any other user who opens the app while it's already being edited will see a read-only version

This prevents direct conflicts or overwriting changes, but also means you can’t co-edit in real time.

Best Practices for Team Collaboration

1. Coordinate Editing Times
   Use task management tools to coordinate who is editing the app and when.

2. Use Component Libraries
   Create reusable components (like menus, headers, popups) in a component library. Developers can work on these separately and import them into the app.

3. Break Large Apps into Modules
   Split the app into multiple smaller apps (modular design). Each team member can build and maintain their piece independently.

4. Use Solutions
   Store your app inside a Power Platform solution. Solutions offer better structure, version control, and lifecycle management.

Note: If you're building complex applications and need multiple people working at the same time, Model-Driven Apps allow safer, simultaneous changes to forms, views, and tables.