Solution Checker vs ppanalyzer: when to use which
A straight answer to the question every Power Platform architect asks when they find this tool.
Microsoft Solution Checker is a rule-based linter that runs inside maker.powerapps.com against a live solution in a live tenant. It flags code issues your developers should fix before shipping.
ppanalyzer is a deliverable generator that runs in your browser against an exported solution ZIP. It produces the narrative documentation, health PDF, architecture diagram, and client-ready bundle your consulting engagement actually hands off.
They solve different jobs. Most practicing Power Platform consultants end up using both.
When to reach for which
| Scenario | Better tool |
|---|---|
| You need an ALM gate that blocks bad solutions before deploy | Solution Checker |
| You need to prove Microsoft best-practice compliance for an audit | Solution Checker |
| You need to explain a solution to a non-technical stakeholder in 10 minutes | ppanalyzer |
| You inherited a solution and have no idea what's in it | ppanalyzer |
| You're onboarding a new developer to an existing solution | ppanalyzer |
| You need a security & health review your client will pay for as a deliverable | ppanalyzer |
Where Solution Checker wins
Solution Checker is official. It's Microsoft. Its rule set is maintained alongside the platform, shipped free with every Power Platform tenant, and tied directly into the publish / import pipeline through the PAC CLI. If your team needs a pre-deploy CI gate or a first-party compliance receipt, Checker is the right answer.
It also runs against live solutions in your live tenant — no export required. That's the right shape for internal developer feedback during a build.
None of that is what ppanalyzer is trying to be.
Where ppanalyzer wins
The deliverable. Checker produces an issue list for the developer. ppanalyzer produces five narrative docs, a tamper-resistant health PDF, an architecture diagram you can edit in mermaid.live, and a signed bundle branded with your firm's logo. That's the artifact your client pays for.
Portability. ppanalyzer runs in your browser on an exported ZIP. No tenant access required. Useful when you're auditing a solution inherited from another consulting firm, reviewing a client environment you no longer have rights to, or preparing an M&A due-diligence pack.
Narrative. Checker finds issues; it does not explain the solution. ppanalyzer writes an Executive Summary, a Component Catalog, a Help Desk Guide, a Weekend FAQs deck, and a Developer Guide — in plain language, in your branding.
White-label ready. For consulting firms, ppanalyzer can carry your logo and company name on every artifact — cover page, page footers, document headers. Checker cannot. (Federal / regulated engagements also benefit from ppanalyzer's no-cross-tenant, no-data-egress posture.)
Checker guards your pipeline. ppanalyzer briefs your client.
Run Solution Checker in your dev pipeline. Run ppanalyzer before your client meeting. The two tools solve different jobs in the same engagement.
Still researching?
A few more places the comparison matters:
- Your dev pipeline (ALM Accelerator, Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions) — Checker is CI-native via PAC CLI. ppanalyzer is not a pipeline tool.
- Your CoE — Checker surfaces tenant-wide compliance. ppanalyzer analyzes one solution at a time and hands you a document bundle.
- Your client deliverable — Checker produces findings. ppanalyzer produces editable Word, tamper-resistant PDF, and a branded ZIP. This is where we fit.
For pricing, see the pricing overview on the main page.