Fusion Development with Dataverse: Balancing Low-Code and Code-First Solutions in the Enterprise

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, enterprises face the challenge of developing and deploying applications that can keep pace with business demands while maintaining scalability, security, and compliance. Microsoft's Dataverse platform provides a solution to address various needs using a unique combination of low-code development speed and the flexibility of code-first solutions. This fusion development approach changes how enterprises can build and maintain their application ecosystems, enabling organizations to focus on iterating on business solutions versus repetitive development tasks typically associated with custom applications.

While the Dataverse / Power Platform story may seem new, it is an evolution of a time-tested platform that has been successfully powering enterprises for decades. I will be exploring this theme in a session at the upcoming Power Platform Community Conference, where I will discuss how to make the most of the technology by understanding both its heritage and its latest enterprise-class advances. (Use discount code SHAHPARI100 for a $100 discount on admission.)

A Brief History: From CRM to XRM to Dataverse

Dataverse's journey began in 2001 with Microsoft's acquisition of iCommunicate.net, laying the foundation for its CRM offering. The platform evolved rapidly, introducing Custom Entities in 2008 and birthing the XRM concept, expanding its potential beyond traditional CRM.

A pivotal shift came in 2015 with PowerApps and Flow, marking Microsoft's entry into low-code development. The Common Data Service, launched in 2016, formalized many of the XRM concepts and capabilities that both Microsoft and the community had been evolving over the years. It provided a new standard way to unify data across Microsoft's Business Application ecosystem, setting the stage for the Power Platform in 2019.

Rebranded as Dataverse in 2020, the platform is now a comprehensive data service that powers a vast range of standard and custom business applications, automated processes, and integration scenarios. And it enables fusion development that blends low-code accessibility with pro-code power. 

As the timeline below shows, some key leaders at Microsoft helped drive the low-code mission forward.  It was (and continues to be) their vision that has set Dataverse apart from similar solutions.  From its CRM roots to a versatile business application platform, Dataverse exemplifies Microsoft's commitment to innovation in enterprise software.

The Citizen Developer Ecosystem: A New Paradigm

Dataverse's true power lies in its support for fusion development, blending low-code and pro-code approaches. This has given rise to a thriving developer ecosystem, with different types of people working on business solutions that can be categorized into three tiers: