pac-cli

name	pac-cli
description	Operate the Microsoft Power Platform CLI (pac) for solution pack/unpack, environment auth, and import. Use after an agent emits an unpacked solution tree to validate it, pack it into a zip, and import it into a Dataverse environment.
metadata	{"author":"AgentX","version":"1.0.0","created":"2026-05-30"}
compatibility	{"surfaces":["low-code-builder","engineer","devops"],"platforms":["power-platform","dataverse"]}

Power Platform CLI (pac)

Purpose: provide the agent and the maker with exact pac commands to validate, package, and import a generated solution. The builder agent never invokes destructive commands; it documents them for the maker.

When to Use

• After emitting an unpacked solution, validate pac solution pack succeeds.
• Generate the import script in the example README.
• Diagnose pack/import failures.

Installation

The maker installs once:

dotnet tool install --global Microsoft.PowerApps.CLI.Tool

Or via MSI from aka.ms/PowerPlatformCLI. Verify:

pac --version

Minimum supported version for this skill: 1.30.x (2025+).

Authentication

pac auth create --environment https://<env>.crm.dynamics.com --name agx-dev
pac auth select --name agx-dev
pac auth list

The builder agent MUST NOT call pac auth (no access to user credentials). The agent only documents the command in the generated README.

Core Commands (Solution Lifecycle)

Command	Purpose	Safe from Agent?
pac solution init --publisher-name agentx --publisher-prefix agx	Bootstrap a new solution project	yes
pac solution unpack --zipfile <file>.zip --folder ./src --packagetype Unmanaged	Convert vendor-exported zip into source	yes (read-only)
pac solution pack --zipfile build/solution.zip --folder ./src --packagetype Unmanaged	Convert source into importable zip	yes (writes only to build/)
pac solution check --path build/solution.zip	Run Solution Checker static analysis	yes
pac solution import --path build/solution.zip --async --publish-changes --activate-plugins	Import zip into the current env	NO -- maker only
pac solution export --name <UniqueName> --path build/exported.zip --managed false	Export solution back to zip	NO -- maker only
pac solution publish	Publish customizations	NO -- maker only
pac solution delete --solution-name <UniqueName>	Delete a solution from the env	NO -- destructive

Round-Trip Validation (Builder Agent Loop)

After emitting the source tree, the builder agent quality loop MUST run:

pac solution pack --zipfile build/solution.zip --folder ./src --packagetype Unmanaged --allowDelete true

• Exit code 0: tree is structurally valid. Continue.
• Non-zero: read stderr, identify the bad component (usually malformed XML), fix, repeat.

Optionally, run pac solution check to catch governance issues before import.

The Makers 3-Command Import Flow

Every generated solution README ends with this exact block:

pac auth create --environment https://<your-env>.crm.dynamics.com --name <env-name>
pac solution pack --zipfile build/solution.zip --folder ./src --packagetype Unmanaged
pac solution import --path build/solution.zip --async --publish-changes --activate-plugins

The importer will prompt the maker to bind each connectionreferences.json entry to a real connection on first import.

Common Failures

Symptom	Cause	Fix
Solution.xml not found	--folder points wrong	Point at the folder that contains Other/Solution.xml
Invalid customization prefix	Component schema name does not match publisher prefix	Rename the component or fix the publisher
Duplicate root component	Same component listed twice	Dedupe RootComponents
Could not load file or assembly Microsoft.Crm...	Stale pac install	dotnet tool update -g Microsoft.PowerApps.CLI.Tool
Authentication expired	Token aged out	pac auth create again
Solution depends on missing components	MissingDependencies not satisfied	Install the parent solution first
Connection reference not bound	Import skipped the binding prompt	Open in maker portal and bind the connection
Pack succeeds but flow fails on import	GUID in filename does not match properties.workflowId	Make them match or omit workflowId

Useful Inspection Commands

pac org who
pac solution list
pac solution online-version --solution-name <UniqueName>
pac data export --schemafile schema.xml

Anti-Patterns

Anti-Pattern	Why It Fails
Agent calling pac solution import directly	No credentials in agent context; destructive in shared envs.
Hardcoding env URL in repo scripts	Repo becomes single-tenant. Use a parameter.
Skipping pac solution check before review	Misses naming, perf, security violations.
Committing packed zip to git	Zip is a build artifact. Source of truth is the unpacked tree.
--packagetype Managed for source authored from scratch	Loses round-trip.

Skill Outputs

1. Document the makers 3-command import flow in the generated README.
2. Include the one-line round-trip validation command for the builder loop.
3. Provide the failure-mode table for the makers reference.

See Also

• low-code/solution-anatomy -- source tree pac packs.
• low-code/dataverse-schema -- tables pac validates.
• low-code/power-automate-flow-json -- flows pac round-trips.
• Microsoft docs: learn.microsoft.com/power-platform/developer/cli/introduction