PL-400· AssociateCurrent exam

Power Platform Developer

By Emil Björk · Microsoft business apps consultant, Gothenburg

Plug-ins, PCF controls, the Dataverse Web API, and pro-code extensions to the platform.

16 guides · about 50 minutes of reading · Official exam page and skills outline on Microsoft Learn →

This is a reading order, not exam-dump material. The areas below are how this site groups what PL-400covers; Microsoft's study guide on the exam page lists the measured skills and their weightings, and that outline changes between releases. Read the guides for the concepts, then spend the rest of your preparation in a trial environment.

1.Server-side: plug-ins and custom APIs

  1. Dataverse plug-ins explained2 minHow Dataverse plug-ins work — pipeline stages, sync vs async, registration, debugging, and when to use a plug-in vs a Power Automate flow.
  2. The Dataverse plug-in execution pipeline3 minHow Dataverse executes plug-ins — stages, pre/post images, transactional scope, and how multiple plug-ins interact on a single operation.
  3. The Plug-in Registration Tool — a deep dive3 minHow PRT registers Dataverse plug-ins — assemblies, steps, images, secure/unsecure configuration, and where the tool fits in modern ALM.
  4. Low-code plug-ins in Dataverse3 minHow Dataverse low-code plug-ins let makers run server-side logic without C# — Power Fx, when to use them vs Power Automate vs traditional plug-ins.
  5. Custom actions in Dataverse3 minHow Dataverse custom actions expose named operations as callable messages — designed for integration, reusable, callable from many surfaces.
  6. Dataverse plug-in exceptions explained6 minThe Dataverse plug-in errors that recur on every project — ISV code aborted (0x80040265), missing privilege (0x80040220), sandbox timeout, worker crash, infinite loop depth, key not present, assembly load — with fixes.

2.Client-side: PCF, client API, command bar

  1. PCF controls in Power Apps2 minWhat Power Apps Component Framework (PCF) controls are, when to use them, and the developer toolchain to build, package, and deploy.
  2. Power Apps Component Framework (PCF) control development3 minHow to build custom controls with the Power Apps Component Framework — the dev environment, lifecycle, manifest, packaging.
  3. Form scripting with the Client API3 minHow to write JavaScript form handlers in Dynamics 365 — the Client API, event handlers, common patterns, and the rules for maintainable code.
  4. Ribbon and command bar customisation3 minHow to add, remove, and modify commands on the model-driven app command bar — the modern command designer and the ribbon-XML legacy.

3.Integration

  1. Custom connectors in the Power Platform2 minHow to build custom connectors for Power Apps, Power Automate, and Copilot Studio — OpenAPI definitions, authentication, certification.
  2. Webhooks vs events in Dataverse4 minHow Dataverse exposes change notifications — webhooks, service endpoints to Azure Service Bus / Event Hub / Event Grid.
  3. Azure Service Bus integration with Dataverse3 minHow Dataverse publishes change events to Azure Service Bus — registration, message format, queues vs topics, and resilient consumer patterns.
  4. Dataverse Web API errors explained6 minDataverse Web API errors by code — 0x80040217 does not exist, 0x80040220 privilege, 0x80040333 duplicate, 0x80040237 duplicate key, 0x80048d19 payload, 0x80072322 throttling, @odata.bind mistakes — with fixes.

4.ALM

  1. Power Platform ALM with Azure DevOps2 minHow to set up CI/CD for Power Platform using Azure DevOps — Build tools, pipelines, source control, and automated deployment between environments.
  2. ALM with GitHub Actions for Power Platform2 minHow to run Power Platform CI/CD with GitHub Actions — Microsoft's official workflows, source structure, and the differences from Azure DevOps.

Also references PL-400

Related learning path

Frequently asked questions

Is PL-400 still available?

Yes. PL-400 (Power Platform Developer) is a current exam as of the last review of this page. Check the official Microsoft Learn exam page for the live skills outline, languages, and any scheduled retirement.

How long does the reading on this page take?

The 16 guides total roughly 1 hour of reading (50 minutes). They cover the concepts the exam assumes, not exam questions — pair them with the official learning path and hands-on time in a trial environment.

Where is the official skills outline for PL-400?

On Microsoft Learn, at the exam page linked from this page. The areas here are this site's grouping of the topics; the official study guide lists the measured skills and their weightings and is the only authoritative source.

Other Power Platform exams

Exam status reflects Microsoft's public retirement announcements as of August 2026. This site is independent of Microsoft; exam names and codes are Microsoft's.