Microsofts Vision for Developing Next-Gen Applications Explained

Microsoft's Vision for the Future of App Development

In pursuit of enabling developers to shape the future of app development, Microsoft, over the years, has released a suite of tools and technologies targeting different categories of developers: professional and non-professional. These tools are part of a broad strategy carefully designed to address the dynamic needs of the hybrid-work era. Microsoft believes a diverse range of apps is required in today’s evolving digital landscape.

The grand vision was first revealed in a marketing slide from Microsoft a few years ago, shedding light on the concept of Collaborative Apps. Initially, these were portrayed as apps designed to be used inside Teams and obtained from the Teams app store. Yet, Microsoft has expanded the Collaborative Apps definition to incorporate more than just Teams.

To foster synergy between Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365, Microsoft gives the concept even broader dimensions. Collaborative Apps could also be apps embodied in Dynamics 365, or Dynamics components incorporated into your apps.

Collaborative Apps: Microsoft's Approach (more information)

At the base level, a Collaborative App is an application that facilitates collective work on a business process. Developers are given the freedom to leverage any tools they're familiar with to create such an app, be it low-code tools in the Power Platform or pro-dev options like Visual Studio, TypeScript, JavaScript etc.

The apps can be connected to data sources from Microsoft and other partners, with several optional elements available to developers—including Microsoft Fluid Framework, Loop synchronization components, Adaptive Cards, custom-built Connectors, and Azure Communication Services. Collaborative Apps can be surfaced in Teams, Office, Dynamics, and custom line-of-business apps.

Microsoft’s Power Platform, a collection of low-code tools designed to turn business users into developers, forms a significant part of the evolving vision for Collaborative Apps. This collection is seen as potentially crucial to Microsoft Cloud's future.

Looking Ahead: Microsoft's Developer Tools

During the Microsoft Build conference, officials disclosed the ability to create Loop components by upgrading Adaptive Cards. Developers can create these cards using Power Apps Designer, even benefiting from Power Fx integration. More advanced apps such as polls and surveys, or data gathering apps, can also be designed using this tool.

Microsoft also revealed a novel feature called co-authoring in Power App Studio, enabling users and developers to work synchronously on tasks like in Word and PowerPoint. This functionality, combined with the Collaboration Controls in Power Apps, allows developers to incorporate Microsoft 365 collaboration features such as Teams chats, meetings, files, and Tasks into custom apps built with Power Apps.

In the end, the goal is to develop applications that are easy, efficient, and engage users in a familiar way, while integrating the built-in security and governance capabilities of the Microsoft Cloud platform.

To sum up, Microsoft's future-centric plans for app development aim to bring in more effective collaboration among developers and business users, assuring faster and better results.

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Learn about Understanding Microsoft's grand vision for building the next generation of apps

Microsoft's vision for the future of application development revolves around a new breed of apps - the Collaborative Apps. These new tools are designed to enhance the team's ability to work together on various business processes. The concept of Collaborative Apps can be intriguing, especially for both novice, experienced developers and non-technical folks engaged in various roles.

Microsoft's Collaborative Apps are versatile, and their usage expands various domains—everything from Microsoft Teams to Dynamics 365 falls under its umbrella. These apps could go beyond being just Teams components and include Dynamics elements in your apps.

The main idea behind Collaborative Apps is to help people simplify business processes. They can range from simple tasks like form-filling or time tracking to more complex and advanced interactions.

Resourceful tools will help you understand the evolving landscape of Collaborative Apps. Whether it's Visual Studio, TypeScript, or JavaScript for professional developers or Power Platform's low-code tools, these tools cater to different comfort levels of developers.

Moreover, data sources across Microsoft, its partners, or competitors can be connected via the Microsoft Graph programming interface, the Dataverse common data service, and Azure data. Optional features like Loop synchronization components or custom-built Connectors offer more customizable options for devs.

The Power Platform, Microsoft's triumphant suite of low-code tools, is at the heart of this vision to equip business users to become developers. Microsoft firmly believes in the Power Platform and sees it as an essential part of its cloud strategy.

Developers can now create Loop components and Adaptive Cards by leveraging Power Apps Designer. This evolution allows them to create different types of apps, such as surveys or polls, for data gathering purposes.

Now, the real magic appears when Office gets inside of Power Platform. The introduction of co-authoring inside the Power App Studio allows developers to import Microsoft 365 collaboration features in custom apps built with Power Apps. Teams chats, meetings, files, and Tasks can easily be dragged and dropped into apps.

The Collaborative Apps sphere is growing and expanding, with Microsoft leading by example. A leading illustration of a Collaborative App is Viva Sales, designed to help salespeople capture data and integrate it with Teams chats, calls, and Outlook mails.

Microsoft believes in the practical applicability of their Collaborative Apps and justifies this with their testament - "We're walking the talk of what we tell our customers."

The construction of the Collaborative Apps employs Power Platform to construct business processes. This results in an interactive application that not only boosts user engagement but also simplifies complex tasks into manageable workflows and micro Apps.

Looking at the big picture, Microsoft Cloud fits perfectly with the Collaborative Apps strategy. Building atop the full Microsoft stack offers the built-in security and governance capabilities that are crucial to developers and customers today.

To put it simply, to build better apps faster that are easier to govern, Microsoft's advice is to start building your apps with the Power Platform and integrate them with Microsoft 365 Teams, Office, and other necessary integrations.

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