add-server-logic
SkillFiles & storageCreates, edits, and manages Power Pages Server Logic files — server-side JavaScript that runs securely on the Power Pages runtime. Orchestrates the full lifecycle: gathering requirements, fetching documentation, implementing code, configuring site settings, and deploying. Use when the user wants to add server-side code, create API endpoints, or move logic from the browser to the server in their Power Pages site.
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What this skill tells your AI
The instructions your AI receives, as published by microsoft/power-platform-skills in plugins/power-pages/skills/add-server-logic/SKILL.md and read by ahel’s review.
Plugin check: Run
node "${PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/check-version.js"— if it outputs a message, show it to the user before proceeding.
Add Server Logic
Create and manage one or more Power Pages Server Logic files — server-side JavaScript that runs securely on the Power Pages runtime, hidden from the browser and protected by web roles and table permissions. Server Logic enables secure external API integrations, Dataverse operations, and custom business logic without exposing sensitive code or credentials to the client.
Core Principles
- Microsoft Learn is the source of truth: Always fetch the latest documentation before writing code. The Server Logic feature is in preview and the SDK may change — never rely on cached knowledge alone.
- No browser APIs, no dependencies: Server Logic runs in a sandboxed server environment with ECMAScript 2023 support. There is no
fetch,XMLHttpRequest,setTimeout, or any DOM API. No npm packages are available. - Five functions only: A server logic file can only export these top-level functions:
get,post,put,patch,del. The namedeleteis a reserved word in JavaScript and cannot be used. - Always return a string: Every function must return a string. Use
JSON.stringify()when returning objects or arrays. - Use TaskCreate/TaskUpdate: Track all progress throughout all phases — create the todo list upfront with all phases before starting any work.
Prerequisites:
- An existing Power Pages code site created
- The site must be deployed at least once (
.powerpages-sitefolder must exist) — server logic files live inside.powerpages-site/server-logic/, so deployment is required before any server logic can be created
Initial request: $ARGUMENTS
Workflow
- Verify Site Exists — Locate the Power Pages project, explore existing patterns, and verify prerequisites
- Understand Requirements — Determine the user intent and whether the solution needs one or more server logic files
- Fetch Latest Documentation — Query Microsoft Learn for the most current Server Logic SDK reference
- Review Implementation Plan — Present the plan to the user and confirm before writing code
- Implement Server Logic — Create the approved
.jsand.serverlogic.ymlfiles in.powerpages-site/server-logic/<name>/ - Configure Table Permissions — (Conditional: only if Server.Connector.Dataverse is used) Set up table permissions for Dataverse tables accessed by the server logic
- Manage Secrets & Environment Variables — (Conditional: only if the server logic requires secrets) Store sensitive values securely using Azure Key Vault (recommended) or direct environment variables in Dataverse
- Configure Site Settings — Set up ServerLogic site settings if needed
- Client-Side Integration — Help wire the server logic into the site's frontend code
- Verify & Test Guidance — Validate the code and provide testing instructions
- Review & Deploy — Present summary and offer deployment
Phase 1: Verify Site Exists
Goal: Locate the Power Pages project root and confirm prerequisites
Actions:
- Create todo list with all 11 phases (see Progress Tracking table)
1.1 Locate Project
Look for powerpages.config.json in the current directory or immediate subdirectories
If not found: Tell the user to create a site first with /create-site.
1.2 Read Existing Config
Read powerpages.config.json to get the site name and configuration:
1.3 Detect Framework
Read package.json to determine the frontend framework (React, Vue, Angular, or Astro). This is needed for Phase 8 (client-side integration guidance). See ${PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/framework-conventions.md for the full framework detection mapping.
1.4 Explore Existing Server Logic and Frontend Code
Use the Explore agent (via Task tool with agent_type: "explore") to analyze the site for existing server logic patterns and frontend code that may call or need to call server logic endpoints.
Prompt for the Explore agent:
"Analyze this Power Pages code site for server logic context. Check:
- Does
.powerpages-site/server-logic/exist? If yes, list all subdirectories and their .js files. Summarize what each server logic does (which functions it implements, what SDK features it uses). Also read the corresponding .serverlogic.yml files to check web role assignments.- Search the frontend source code (
src/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx,vue,astro}) for any existing calls to/_api/serverlogics/— these indicate server logic endpoints already being consumed.- Look for CSRF token handling patterns (
__RequestVerificationToken,_layout/tokenhtml) — these show how the site currently makes authenticated API calls.- Check for any TODO/FIXME comments mentioning server logic, backend, or server-side processing.
- Look for hardcoded API URLs, mock data, or placeholder fetch calls that might need to be replaced with server logic calls.
- Check for any existing service layer or API utility files in
src/shared/,src/services/, or similar directories that could be reused for server logic integration.- Read
.powerpages-site/web-roles/*.webrole.ymlfiles to list available web roles and their GUIDs — these are needed when creating the server logic metadata YAML.- For each existing server logic, assess whether it can be reused or safely extended for the requested capability instead of creating a brand-new server logic file. Call out any strong reuse candidates and explain why. Report all findings so we can avoid duplicating work and match existing patterns."
From the Explore agent's findings, note:
- Existing server logic files — what's already implemented, and which ones are candidates for reuse or extension
- Frontend calling patterns — how the site makes API calls (match this pattern in Phase 9)
- Existing service/utility files — reuse these when adding client-side integration
- Gaps — frontend code that references server logic endpoints that don't exist yet
1.5 Check Deployment Status (Mandatory)
Look for the .powerpages-site folder:
If not found: The site must be deployed before server logic can be created — server logic files live inside .powerpages-site/server-logic/. Tell the user:
"The
.powerpages-sitefolder was not found. Server logic files are stored inside this folder, so the site must be deployed at least once before creating server logic. Would you like to deploy now?"
🚦 Gate (plan · add-server-logic:1.5.deploy-first):
.powerpages-sitemissing — server logic files live inside it. Deploy first or stop.Trigger: Phase 1.5 found no
.powerpages-sitedirectory. Why we ask: Server logic.js/.ymlfiles written to a non-existent path won't deploy. Cancel leaves: Nothing — no server logic files written yet.
Use AskUserQuestion:
| Question | Options |
|---|---|
The .powerpages-site folder is required for server logic. Would you like to deploy the site now? | Yes, deploy now (Required), Cancel |
If "Yes, deploy now": Invoke /deploy-site first, then continue to Phase 2.
If "Cancel": Stop the workflow — server logic cannot be created without .powerpages-site.
Output: Confirmed project root, .powerpages-site exists, existing server logic (if any), available web roles
Phase 2: Understand Requirements
Goal: Determine the user intent, identify whether one or more server logic files are needed, and capture the required HTTP methods for each item
Actions:
2.1 Analyze User Request
From the user's request, determine:
- Intent shape: Does the request map to a single server logic or multiple server logic?
- Reuse opportunities: Can an existing server logic satisfy or be safely extended for part of the request?
- Server logic inventory: For each required server logic, capture the purpose, suggested endpoint name, and whether it should be reused, extended, or created new
- HTTP methods needed: Which of the 5 functions should be implemented for each server logic (
get,post,put,patch,del)
Prefer reuse or safe extension of an existing server logic when it already matches the domain, security model, and lifecycle of the requested capability. Only create a new server logic when reuse would make the existing file confusing, over-broad, or unsafe.
Prefer multiple server logic files when the use case naturally separates into different responsibilities, security boundaries, or lifecycle concerns. Examples:
- Separate read vs. write workflows with different web role requirements
- Distinct integrations with different external systems or site settings
- Independent business capabilities that would be harder to test or reason about if merged into one endpoint
2.1.1 Identify Validate-and-Execute Patterns
For each planned server logic item, determine whether it should validate-and-execute — meaning the server logic both validates a business rule AND performs the resulting Dataverse write, rather than just returning a validation result for the client to act on.
A server logic item should validate-and-execute when any of these are true:
| Condition | Example |
|---|---|
| It enforces a state machine or lifecycle | Order status: Draft → Submitted → Approved |
| The write is conditional on a business rule that must be tamper-proof | "Only allow bid submission before the deadline" |
| The operation spans multiple tables atomically | Award a bid + reject all others + update event status |
| The write involves a computed or derived value | Server calculates a score and writes it |
| The client should not have direct write access to the field | Status fields with strict transition rules |
For each validate-and-execute item, note:
- Which Dataverse writes the server logic will perform (UpdateRecord, CreateRecord, etc.)
- Which fields are being written — these fields should NOT be writable via Web API from the client
- What the server logic returns to the client — typically a success/failure result with the before/after state, NOT a validation flag that the client acts on
Anti-pattern to avoid: A server logic item that only validates and returns { valid: true/false }, expecting the client to make a separate Web API call to perform the write. This allows the client to skip validation and write directly.
2.1.2 Discover Dataverse Custom Actions
If any planned server logic item involves Dataverse operations, check whether the user's Dataverse environment has existing custom actions (Custom APIs or Custom Process Actions) that could be leveraged instead of building logic from scratch.
Step 1 — Fetch custom actions:
node "${PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/list-custom-actions.js" "<ENV_URL>"
The script outputs a JSON object with:
customApis— Modern Custom APIs with full request parameters and response propertiescustomProcessActions— Legacy Custom Process Actions (activated only)total— Total count of both types combined
Each entry includes: name, displayName, description, type (action or function), binding (unbound, entity, or entityCollection), boundEntity, and source (customApi or customProcessAction). Custom APIs also include requestParameters and responseProperties arrays.
Step 2 — Present and ask the user:
If custom actions are found (total > 0), present a summary to the user grouped by binding type (unbound vs. entity-bound) and ask whether any should be used:
🚦 Gate (plan · add-server-logic:2.1.2.use-custom-actions): Custom actions discovered — decide whether to wrap existing Dataverse Custom APIs/Process Actions or build server logic from scratch. Choice changes the Phase 5 implementation shape.
Trigger:
list-custom-actions.jsreturned at least one entry. Why we ask: Auto-wrapping could attach the wrong action; auto-skipping duplicates logic that already exists in Dataverse. Cancel leaves: Nothing — no server logic files written yet.
Use AskUserQuestion:
| Question | Options |
|---|---|
Your Dataverse environment has <total> custom action(s). Would you like to use any of these in your server logic instead of writing the logic from scratch? | Yes, let me choose which ones to use; No, build everything from scratch |
Present the list clearly — for each action show: name, description, type (action/function), binding, and bound entity (if applicable). Group them as Unbound and Entity-bound for readability.
If the user says No, skip to Phase 2.2.
Step 3 — Map custom actions to server logic items:
If the user says Yes, for each server logic item being created, ask which custom action (if any) it should wrap:
Use AskUserQuestion for each server logic item:
| Question | Context |
|---|---|
For the <server-logic-name> endpoint, which custom action should it use? | Present the list of custom actions with their names, descriptions, and binding types. Include "None — build from scratch" as an option. |
Record the mapping for each server logic item. For items that wrap a custom action, note:
- The custom action name (used in the
InvokeCustomApicall) - Whether it's a function (
GET) or action (POST) - The binding type and bound entity (if applicable)
- The request parameters and response properties (if available from Custom APIs)
This mapping will be used in Phase 5.3 when generating the server logic code, and will appear in the HTML plan (Phase 4) to indicate which items wrap existing custom actions.
2.2 Identify SDK Features Needed
Based on each planned server logic item's purpose, identify which Server SDK features are required:
| Feature | When to use |
|---|---|
Server.Connector.HttpClient | Calling external REST APIs (NOT Dataverse) |
Server.Connector.Dataverse | Reading/writing Dataverse records (CRUD + InvokeCustomApi for Dataverse Custom APIs) |
Server.Context | Accessing request parameters, headers, body |
Server.User | User-scoped operations, role checks |
Server.Logger | Always — every function should log entry/exit and errors |
Server.Sitesetting | Reading site setting configuration values |
Server.EnvironmentVariable | Reading Dataverse environment variable values directly via Server.EnvironmentVariable.get(name) — an alternative to Server.Sitesetting for non-secret config |
Server.Website | Accessing site metadata |
2.3 Identify Secret Values
Determine whether any server logic item requires secret or sensitive configuration values that should not be hardcoded. Common examples:
| Scenario | Secret needed |
|---|---|
| Calling an authenticated external API | API key, client secret, bearer token |
| Connecting to a third-party service | Connection string, access token |
| OAuth2 client credentials flow | Client ID + client secret |
| Webhook verification | Signing secret, shared key |
For each identified secret, capture:
- Secret name: A descriptive name (e.g.,
ExchangeRateApiKey,PaymentGatewaySecret) - Purpose: Why the secret is needed
- Site setting name: The name the server logic will use with
Server.Sitesetting.Get()(e.g.,ExternalApi/ExchangeRateApiKey) - Environment variable schema name: The Dataverse environment variable schema name (e.g.,
cr5b4_ExchangeRateApiKey)
These values will be used in Phase 7 to create the environment variables and site settings.
2.3.1 Key Vault Decision
If secrets were identified in Phase 2.3, ask the user now whether they want to use Azure Key Vault. This decision must happen before Phase 4 so the implementation plan can show the chosen secret management approach.
🚦 Gate (plan · add-server-logic:2.3.1.keyvault): Pick secret-storage mechanism (Key Vault vs plain env var). Choice changes the Phase 4 rendered plan and the Phase 7 implementation pipeline.
Trigger: Phase 2.3 identified at least one secret value. Why we ask: Plain env var creation can expose secrets in solution exports; auto-picking Key Vault forces additional Azure setup. Cancel leaves: Nothing — no env var definitions written yet.
Use AskUserQuestion:
| Question | Options |
|---|---|
| This server logic requires secret values (e.g., API keys, client secrets). Azure Key Vault is the recommended way to store secrets securely. Would you like to use Azure Key Vault? | Yes, use Azure Key Vault (Recommended), No, store directly as environment variable |
Record the user's choice — it will be shown in the HTML plan (Phase 4) and executed in Phase 7.
2.4 Confirm with User
If the requirements are ambiguous, use AskUserQuestion to clarify:
| Question | Context |
|---|---|
| What should this server logic solution do overall? | If the purpose is unclear |
| Should this be one server logic or multiple server logic? | If the request could reasonably be modeled either way |
| Which HTTP methods does each server logic need? | If not specified — suggest based on the use case (e.g., read-only = GET, form processing = POST) |
| Does each server logic need to call external APIs, Dataverse, or both? | Determines which connectors to use |
| What should each server logic be named? | Suggest URL-friendly names based on the responsibilities |
| Does the server logic need any secret or sensitive values (API keys, client secrets, tokens)? | If the server logic calls authenticated external APIs or services |
Output: Clear understanding of the overall intent, the list of server logic items to reuse/extend/create, their HTTP methods, SDK features needed, and any secrets required
Phase 3: Fetch Latest Documentation
Goal: Discover and read all current Server Logic documentation from Microsoft Learn before writing any code
This step is critical because Server Logic is a preview feature and the SDK surface may change. The documentation on Microsoft Learn is the authoritative source.
Actions:
3.1 Follow the Documentation Reference
Use the reference document below as the source of truth for how to discover, classify, fetch, and reconcile Server Logic documentation:
Reference:
${PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/add-server-logic/references/server-logic-docs.md
Follow that reference to:
- Search Microsoft Learn dynamically for all current Server Logic docs
- Fetch the core reference pages and any relevant scenario-specific pages
- Search for current code samples
- Reconcile the discovered documentation with the known SDK baseline in the reference
3.2 Extract Task-Specific Notes
From the fetched docs, extract and note the items that matter for the current task:
- All SDK method signatures, parameter types, and return types
- Current supported HTTP methods and function signatures
- Site settings and their defaults
- Security model (web roles, table permissions, CSRF)
- Client-side calling patterns and response format
- Any new methods or breaking changes discovered in Microsoft Learn
Output: Up-to-date SDK reference verified against all relevant Microsoft Learn documentation pages
Phase 4: Review Implementation Plan
Goal: Present the implementation plan to the user and confirm before writing any code
Actions:
4.1 Prepare the Plan Data
Build the server logic plan data and render the HTML plan before asking for approval.
Reference:
${PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/add-server-logic/references/server-logic-plan-data-format.md
The rendered plan should summarize:
- The number of server logic items being created or reused
- Each endpoint name, API URL, and files to be created
- The functions that will be implemented and what each one does
- The SDK features, external services, and Dataverse tables involved for each item
- The web roles, security constraints, and site settings that apply to each item
- Any secrets or sensitive values that will be stored as environment variables (with or without Azure Key Vault). If the user chose Azure Key Vault in Phase 2.3.1, populate
SECRETS_DATAwithuseKeyVault: trueand the list of secrets — the HTML plan will render a Key Vault banner explaining the security benefits and show which secrets each server logic depends on. If no secrets are needed, setSECRETS_DATAtonull. - The expected next steps after approval
4.2 Render the HTML Plan
Generate the HTML plan file from the template and open it in the user's default browser before asking for approval.
When working inside a Power Pages project, write the plan to:
<PROJECT_ROOT>/docs/serverlogic-plan.html
Create the docs/ folder if it does not already exist. Keep this HTML file inside the repository so it can be reviewed and committed with the rest of the server logic work.
Do not hand-author the HTML. Use the render script:
node "${PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/render-serverlogic-plan.js" --output "<OUTPUT_PATH>" --data "<DATA_JSON_PATH>"
The render script refuses to overwrite existing files. Before calling it, check if the default output path (<PROJECT_ROOT>/docs/serverlogic-plan.html) already exists. If it does, choose a new descriptive filename based on context — e.g., serverlogic-plan-exchange-rate.html, serverlogic-plan-apr-2026.html. Pass the chosen name via --output.
4.3 Present Plan Summary
Do not present a second detailed plan in the CLI. The HTML file is the single detailed plan artifact.
In the CLI, give only a brief summary that points the user to the HTML plan open in the browser. Keep it to:
- Total server logic count
- Whether the plan is creating, updating, or reusing items
- Whether web roles, table permissions, or site settings are involved
- The actual output path returned by the render script
- A note that the browser-opened HTML contains the full details
Do not restate the per-server-logic breakdown, rationale, role assignments, or function details inline in the CLI unless the user explicitly asks for a text version. Tell the user where the detailed HTML plan file was saved, that it has been opened in the browser for review, and that the repo copy of the plan will be committed with the implementation artifacts unless the user asks to discard it.
4.4 Confirm with User
🚦 Gate (plan · add-server-logic:4.4.plan-approval): Final sign-off on the rendered HTML plan before Phase 5 writes any
.serverlogic.yml/.jsfiles or Phase 7 creates env vars.Trigger: Phase 4.2 rendered the HTML plan; Phase 4.3 surfaced the CLI summary. Why we ask: Server logic files committed under wrong names / wrong roles; env var definitions created against the wrong secret-storage mode. Cancel leaves: Nothing — no server logic files written yet.
Use AskUserQuestion:
| Question | Options |
|---|---|
| Here's the implementation plan for this server logic work. Does it look correct? | Approve and implement (Recommended), Request changes, Cancel |
If "Request changes": Ask what needs to change, update the plan, and present again.
If "Cancel": Stop the workflow.
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