Salesforce development is an ever-evolving field, with new tools, features, and methodologies introduced every year. For developers to stay competitive, it’s essential to follow a set of best practices that ensure scalability, efficiency, and security.
In this blog, we’ll explore the most critical Salesforce development practices to master in 2025.
Best Practices in Salesforce Development
The primary goal of Salesforce development best practices is to ensure high-quality applications that meet business needs while being easy to maintain and scale. Adopting these guidelines is like having a GPS for your development journey—it helps you avoid unnecessary detours and reach your destination faster and more efficiently.
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Start with a Clear Plan Before Writing a Single Line of Code
Jumping straight into development without a clear plan often results in chaos. A robust blueprint acts as the backbone of any successful Salesforce project.
Define and Document Requirements Thoroughly
Before touching any code, spend time gathering and documenting business requirements. This step involves working closely with stakeholders to understand their needs and translating them into actionable development tasks. It helps avoid mid-project changes and ensures the final product aligns with expectations.
Set Realistic Goals and Milestones
Set specific, measurable goals for each phase of your project. Breaking the development process into manageable milestones not only improves focus but also makes it easier to track progress and adjust as necessary.
Harness the Power of Salesforce’s Native Features
One of Salesforce’s key strengths is its wide range of built-in features, which allow developers to reduce the need for custom coding.
Use Declarative Tools First
Salesforce’s declarative tools, such as Flow Builder and Process Builder, enable you to create complex workflows and automations without writing a single line of code. Leveraging these tools saves time and reduces the complexity of your project.
Choose Standard Objects Over Custom Ones
Whenever possible, prioritize standard Salesforce objects over custom ones. Standard objects are designed to handle common use cases and ensure optimal performance. Custom objects should only be introduced when unique business requirements cannot be met with existing options.
Write Clean, Reusable Apex Code
When custom development is unavoidable, following Apex coding best practices is crucial. Clean, efficient code not only boosts performance but also ensures easier debugging and future maintenance.
Adopt Consistent Naming Conventions
A consistent naming strategy for variables, classes, and methods makes your codebase more organized and readable. For example, use descriptive names like calculateAnnualRevenue instead of vague terms like calcRev.
Focus on Reusability
Reusable code saves time and effort. Create helper classes and modular methods to minimize redundancy, ensuring your codebase is both efficient and scalable.
Make Security a Top Priority
Security is a non-negotiable aspect of Salesforce development. A single oversight can lead to data breaches or unauthorized access, which can damage your organization’s reputation.
Implement Field-Level Security
Limit user access to sensitive information by applying field-level security settings. This ensures that only authorized personnel can view or modify critical data, reducing the risk of accidental or malicious changes.
Regularly Test for Vulnerabilities
Integrate regular security testing into your development workflow. Use Salesforce Shield or third-party tools to identify vulnerabilities and resolve them proactively.
Prioritize Data Management Practices
Efficient data management is the backbone of any Salesforce implementation. Without a solid data strategy, your Salesforce org can quickly become cluttered and inefficient.
Avoid Data Redundancy
Duplicate records can cause confusion and reduce system performance. Use tools like Salesforce’s built-in deduplication features or third-party apps to maintain clean, accurate data. Regularly audit your database to eliminate duplicates and outdated information.
Schedule Regular Backups
Data loss can be catastrophic for any business. Schedule regular backups using tools like Salesforce Data Export or third-party backup solutions. This ensures that you have a secure copy of your data to restore in case of accidental deletion or system failure.
Testing Should Never Be an Afterthought
Testing is a crucial phase in the development lifecycle, ensuring the stability and functionality of your application.
Write Comprehensive Unit Tests
Salesforce requires 75% test coverage for Apex code, but don’t stop there. Aim for 100% coverage to catch potential issues early. Use unit tests to validate functionality and ensure that new features don’t break existing workflows.
Conduct User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
UAT allows end users to test the application in a real-world scenario, ensuring it meets their needs. Their feedback can highlight gaps and help you refine your solution before deployment.
Leverage Version Control for Collaboration
Version control systems (VCS) like Git are indispensable for managing changes and collaborating with teams effectively.
Track All Changes
Version control allows you to track every change made to the codebase. This ensures that you can easily revert to a previous version if something goes wrong.
Facilitate Team Collaboration
With tools like GitHub or Bitbucket, multiple developers can work on the same project simultaneously without overwriting each other’s work. This streamlines teamwork and improves productivity.
Automate Deployment and Testing Processes
Automation is your best friend when it comes to saving time and minimizing errors during deployment and testing.
Use Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
Implement CI/CD pipelines using tools like Copado or Gearset. These tools automate deployments, reducing manual errors and ensuring consistent application delivery.
Automate Repetitive Testing
Use testing frameworks like Selenium or Provar to automate repetitive tests. This frees up your time to focus on more critical tasks, while also improving test accuracy.
Stay Updated with Salesforce Releases
Salesforce rolls out three major updates every year, each packed with new features and enhancements. Staying updated ensures that you can leverage the latest tools and maintain compatibility with the platform.
Explore Release Notes
Make it a habit to review Salesforce release notes. This helps you identify new features that can enhance your application and improve user experience.
Participate in Webinars and Trailhead Modules
Salesforce offers a wealth of resources to help developers stay informed. Webinars, Trailhead modules, and the Salesforce Developer Blog are great starting points for continuous learning.
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Avoid Common Mistakes in Salesforce Development
Even seasoned developers can fall into pitfalls that impact the quality of their applications. By avoiding these mistakes, you can save time and resources.
Don’t Over-Customize
While customization is a powerful feature of Salesforce, overdoing it can lead to unnecessary complexity and higher maintenance costs. Always prioritize simplicity and efficiency.
Plan for Scalability
A solution that works well for a small team might struggle as your organization grows. Always design with scalability in mind to future-proof your application.
The Long-Term Benefits of Best Practices
Adopting Salesforce development best practices ensures not only the success of your current projects but also lays the foundation for long-term growth. You’ll create applications that are secure, efficient, and easy to maintain while enhancing user satisfaction.
Wrapping It Up
Mastering Salesforce development best practices in 2025 is about embracing a mindset of continuous improvement. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting, these guidelines will help you deliver applications that are robust, scalable, and aligned with business goals. Remember, the journey to mastery doesn’t end—it evolves with every new project and Salesforce release.
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FAQs
What are the top skills Salesforce developers need in 2025?
Key skills include expertise in Apex, Lightning Web Components, Flow Builder, and a strong understanding of declarative tools.
How can I prevent data redundancy in Salesforce?
Use Salesforce’s deduplication features or tools like DemandTools to maintain a clean and efficient database.
Why is automated testing important?
Automated testing ensures consistent quality checks and saves time by eliminating repetitive manual tests.
What are the benefits of using CI/CD in Salesforce development?
CI/CD pipelines streamline deployment processes, reduce errors, and ensure faster application delivery.
How often should I update my Salesforce skills?
With Salesforce’s triannual releases, staying updated at least three times a year is crucial. Trailhead modules and webinars can help.
Note: The content on this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. ITD World is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided here.
