Screens - Multiple Screens vs One Screen with multiple containers

[AlanMichas]

Hi

I was wondering if it is better to have multiple screens in a canvas app or to use with one screen with multiple containers whose visibility is controlled by a variable.

The benefit of using one screen is that you can use one header and one footer container throughout the app.

It's fairly easy to navigate through the application by using a variable to control which body container should be visible.

My question is to whether the one approach is better from a performance standpoint.

Kind Regards

Alan Michas

[Drrickryp]

@AlanMichas 

It probably doesn't matter which way you do it if you load your screens one by one.  There is no limit on the number of screens but there is a limit on the overall app size.  Video adds to the size.  If the app size becomes an issue, many developers will leverage the Launch() function and break the app up if performance becomes an issue.  Performance is probably more limited by the type of backend where the data is stored (SQL & Dataverse vs SharePoint vs Excel) and the type of functions used to retrieve it. 

[RobEitzen]

Great question @AlanMichas and one that I've pondered myself.  Even with components it's easier and the app is lighter when you build a single screen.

@Drrickryp When you have a single screen app, I'm assuming that all "containers", as Alan puts it, are loaded at the same time (after App.OnStart maybe)? For example, if a single screen app that has seven galleries, whose visibility is controlled by variables, are all seven loaded when the app loads?

Antithetically, if these each of these galleries resided on their own respective screen, would they be loaded only after the screen is navigated to making the app's initial load a bit quicker? Or, are they also loaded when the app loads?

[AlanMichas]

I initially had multiple screens for each canvas app but  I eventually decided that it was easier to have one screen with a header, a footer and a body. When the powerapps team  added groups and then containers I started using containers for the different parts of the app. I control the visibility of the containers by using an index which is linked to each menu item. Now that we create responsive apps its a pleasure. The biggest issue I've had is setting the font sizes for the different size screens. My concern is whether or not having one screen is less or more efficient. 

[Anonymous]

Any conclusions with regards to efficiency. Alan?

Would be better IMHO to allow something like "screens within screens" or to be able to share components between screens. 

[ShalabhGupta]

One challenge I am observing having one screen vs multiple screens is the ability to use DeepLink using Params on the App StartScreen property. I am using containers to set visibility of my galleries and struggling to perform deepliking to a specific container from the StartScreen, any ideas are really appreciated.

[austinlopez]

Any conclusions on this point yet? I have been tasked with taking a perfectly good, highly performant react app and recreate it in a canvas app. I am so used to the idea of components and conditional rendering all within an SPA (Singe Page Application) and I started doing that with the power app. What I can't figure out is if it's slow performance is related to a few fairly heavy PCFS/custom components (node graph, custom pdf viewers, and complex multilayer gallery) all on the same screen only hidden. I haven't been able to find a definitive answer about it whether tons of screens and component duplication is better or just a single screen is best.