Compiling and deploying PCF controls after TSX edits

Source: Claude.ai chat (original: compiling-pcf-control-after-tsx-modifications__83cb67df.md) Added: 2026-10-02

Summary

• Local build / test cycle: npm install (first time or new packages) → npm run build (TSX → out/controls/.../bundle.js) → npm start watch (opens test harness with hot reload).
• Dev fast-loop: pac auth select --name dev → pac pcf push --publisher-prefix <yourprefix> — builds and imports into a temp solution PowerAppsTools_<prefix>. Fine for dev only — never promote this way.
• Promotion to Test/Prod requires: bump version in ControlManifest.Input.xml (else env keeps old bundle), add the control to the real solution once (Add existing → Custom control), then pull.ps1 + production build (npm run build -- --buildMode production or dotnet build -c Release on the .cdsproj) + push.ps1.

Key takeaways

• "My change isn't showing" is almost always a cached bundle — hard-refresh (Ctrl+F5), or add ?ver=N to the URL, or use a private window.
• The version bump is mandatory — without it, the environment ignores the new bundle even if the solution import succeeds.
• Treat PowerAppsTools_<prefix> as the dev scratch solution; it must never cross environment boundaries.

Learnings / how to apply

• Package the loop as a scripts/pcf-build-push.ps1 so iteration is one command. Standard Praxisis PCF developer pattern.
• Include "version bump + cache bust" in every PCF promotion checklist — these are the two deployment-fails-silently traps.

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