Converging canvas into model-driven apps with the custom page
Important
This content is archived and is not being updated. For the latest documentation, go to What's new in Power Apps?. For the latest release plans, go to Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform release plans.
Important
Some of the functionality described in this release plan has not been released. Delivery timelines may change and projected functionality may not be released (see Microsoft policy). Learn more: What's new and planned
| Enabled for | Public preview | Early access | General availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Users by admins, makers, or analysts | 
Jul 8, 2021 |
- | To be announced |
Business value
Model-driven app makers and customizers are able to create pages with more flexibility and use low-code authoring.
Feature details
Some examples makers are excited to build include tailored landing pages, focused work pages, data-driven pages, and custom dialogs. This brings the best of canvas into the model-driven app world.
A new page type called custom page is the core concept behind converging model and canvas apps. The converged model-driven app is created using the new modern app designer, which allows creating new or adding existing custom pages. Each custom page is a separate solution element like the model-driven app pages and can be used by one or more model-driven apps. This is different than the earlier embedded canvas app in model-driven app forms, which is a component within a page. The custom page is a full-page experience similar to the model view, form, and dashboard pages.
As part of designing a tailored experience, makers use the canvas designer as the page designer. When editing a custom page, the designer focuses on the page instead of a standalone canvas app using different defaults and simplified tooling. Custom pages must be responsive to fit with the model-driven app, which works in a wide range of web sizes as well as native players. The new layout containers provide the best approach to provide both resizing and reflow for the custom page. Initially, custom pages will support a subset of controls, which includes the most common canvas controls as well as custom Power Apps component framework controls. Over time, the control and component capabilities will be extended.
The custom page can be integrated into the navigation of a model-driven app in a few ways. A custom page can be added to the site map to provide top-level navigation or even the home page for the model-driven app. The Client API can be used for model-driven app logic to open a custom page similar to the model-driven app form or view page navigation. Custom pages are a single item in the main content area page stack and support moving back to the prior page. Custom pages have an updated Navigate function that allows other custom pages or model-driven app pages to be opened. In addition to being supported in the main content area, custom pages can be opened in a center dialog, multi-session app tabs, and the new app side pane.
Within a custom page, makers are able to use either the Microsoft Dataverse or other connectors allowed in standalone canvas apps. This allows other data to be integrated into the model-driven app as part of this new page type; however, these Power Apps connectors don't extend into the model view, form, and dashboard pages.
See also
Overview of canvas app custom pages for model-driven apps (docs)