If I were starting with the Power Platform today, with all the AI hype, agents everywhere, and “vibe coding” dominating the conversation, I wouldn’t do what most people expect me to say.
And that probably surprises some folks.
I didn’t come into this space yesterday. I started with the Power Platform before it was even called the Power Platform. Back when I was a SharePoint and .NET developer, running my own consulting business, building forms with InfoPath and workflows in SharePoint Designer. If you were around then… you know. 😅
Then I heard about this little thing called Project Sienna that promised a way to build apps without all the pain of InfoPath, and I remember thinking, this feels like a better way to get things done. Project Sienna turned into Power Apps. Power Apps became part of the Power Platform. And here we are, a decade later.
That long, sometimes messy evolution shapes how I think about what actually matters today.
So no, I wouldn’t tell you to just “embrace vibe coding” and let Copilot do everything for you.
I’d do the opposite. I’d double down on fundamentals, then layer AI on top.
Because here’s the reality no one likes to say out loud: You can’t blindly trust what AI tools give you, even in the Power Platform
They will:
- Suggest Dataverse schemas that won’t scale
- Generate flows that technically run… but are fragile or inefficient
- Confidently make things up
And if you don’t understand the platform underneath, you won’t even know when something is wrong. That’s why fundamentals matter more now, not less.
Here’s exactly where I’d focus if I were starting today.
1. Obsess Over the Foundation: Dataverse
If the Power Platform is the house, Dataverse is the foundation. I’d spend serious time here before chasing shiny things.
That means understanding:
- The Dataverse security model (users, roles, business units, all of it)
- Table design and relational data modeling
- Column types, limits, and constraints
- Where data actually lives and how it’s stored
- Business rules and what they can (and can’t) do
- Environments and solutions, and why they matter
Dataverse underpins almost everything: apps, automations, agents, and integrations.
If you don’t understand how your data is structured, secured, and deployed, you’re building on sand. Things may work at first, but they will crack under pressure.
2. Go Beyond Canvas App + SharePoint Comfort Zones
I love Canvas apps.
I love SharePoint.
They’re a huge part of why I’m here.
But if I were starting today, I wouldn’t stay locked into that narrow lane.
Leveling up means knowing:
- When a model-driven app is the better choice
- When Dataverse-backed solutions outperform SharePoint lists
- When a SQL backend makes sense
- When pro-dev integration is needed
This isn’t about abandoning Canvas apps or SharePoint. It’s about discernment. Knowing when to pivot is what separates builders from architects.
3. Master the Essentials of Power Automate (Yes, Still)
Agents are hot right now.
Copilot Studio is exciting.
But here’s a quick reality check: Peek under the hood of most agents, and you’ll find Power Automate flows everywhere.
So I’d double down on:
- Expressions (really understanding them, not copy-pasting)
- Variables and Compose actions
- Loops and conditions
- Trigger behavior
- Error handling and resiliency patterns
This is automation literacy, and you’ll need it whether you’re building simple workflows or sophisticated agents.
4. Go Deep with Copilot Studio (But Build Real Things)
Copilot Studio is the future, and honestly, if you haven’t noticed agents creeping into everything, you might be living under a rock. 😉
We now have agents in:
- Power Apps
- Microsoft 365
- Outlook, Word, Excel
Copilot Studio is your low-code gateway into that world.
Focus on:
- How agents reason and orchestrate actions
- How they interact with data
- Where grounding and context actually come from
- What real business use cases look like (not just “hello world” or weather bots)
Identifying good agent scenarios is almost as important as knowing how to use the tool.
If you want hands-on, real-world practice, that’s exactly why I helped build the Agent Academy curriculum (https://aka.ms/agent-academy).
5. Step Outside the Power Platform Bubble
The most impactful solutions don’t live in silos.
So I’d intentionally go outside the Power Platform ecosystem:
- Learn how Microsoft 365 Copilot works and integrates with Power Platform
- Explore Azure AI and Foundry
- Pay attention to GitHub Copilot and VS Code workflows
- Look at non-Microsoft LLMs like Claude and understand what they’re good at
You don’t need to master everything. But you do need awareness.
Understanding how the Power Platform fits into the bigger AI and developer ecosystem makes you a much stronger builder and a better problem solver.
6. Understand Connectors and Get Ahead of MCP
The Power Platform has always been about integration. That’s why connectors matter so much.
I’d make sure I understood:
- What an API actually is
- How connectors work under the hood
- Standard vs. premium connectors
- How to build custom connectors
That knowledge unlocks real-world solutions.
Then I’d go one step further and learn Model Context Protocol (MCP). MCP isn’t “just another connector.” It’s a protocol designed for agent-first, conversational AI scenarios.
It:
- Provides semantic context
- Defines actions in ways AI can reason over
- Enables grounded, reliable interactions with external systems
Microsoft services are already getting MCP servers, and you can even build your own for custom APIs.
Long term?
Connectors still matter, but for agents and Copilot Studio, MCP will lead.
If I were starting now, I’d absolutely get ahead of that curve.
7. Plug Into the Community Early (Seriously)
You don’t have to do this alone.
The Power Platform and Microsoft 365 communities are one of the biggest reasons people succeed in this space.
I’d:
- Join regular community calls
- Explore sample galleries
- Ask “basic” questions anyway
- Share what I’m learning before I feel ready
Giving back accelerates your growth more than you think.
And speaking from personal experience: The community really is the gift that keeps on giving.
Final Thoughts
If I were starting with the Power Platform in 2026, I wouldn’t just vibe code and hope for the best.
I’d build muscle memory in the fundamentals.
I wouldn’t rush shortcuts.
I’d focus on understanding how the platform actually works, then let AI help me move faster on top of that foundation.
That’s how you build solutions that last.
And that’s how you future-proof your skills, even in an AI-first world.
Video: What I’d Do Differently if Staring the Power Platform Today
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