Difference between Solutions and Regular Package Export

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Posted on 15 May 2020 17:51:36 by Community Power Pla...

Hello experts,

We are developing two apps that we want to sell as a package. Our first instinct was to add the apps in a solution and export it and give it our clients. But I have also seen people using regular "Export Package (Preview)". What is the difference between solution and packaging?

Does solution just let you package more than one app and other components at the same time instead of individually?

Thanks!

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Application Lifecycle Management (ALM)

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EricRegnier 8,714 Most Valuable Professional on 15 May 2020 at 21:01:37

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Re: Difference between Solutions and Regular Package Export

Hi @Anonymous,
Export Package is to export and import a only Canvas app and its components. It's mainly used to import Canvas apps to other environments (whereas Share is to make available the canvas app within the current environment).
Solutions are a "container" of components. It is used to group components to deploy them together to another target environment. A component can be a Canvas app or other types like entities, model-driven app, etc.
For example, if you build a canvas app and you created a custom CDS entity for that canvas app, you'll need to use a solution and include the app and custom entity. Otherwise the custom entity will never be deployed to your target environments and you don't manually want to reconfigure it there.
Also not to confuse a Canvas App package with CDS package (i.e. Packager Deployer). CDS packages are used to deploy solution(s), data and custom execution of scripts/code to target environments. More on Package Deployer: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customerengagement/on-premises/developer/create-packages-package-deployer
Hope this clarifies!