Salesforce is a cloud-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform.
It helps organizations manage their sales, marketing, and customer service activities — all in one place.
It provides two main sides of work:
- Salesforce Administration → focuses on configuration (no-code setup)
- Salesforce Development → focuses on customization and coding
💻 What Is Salesforce Development?
Salesforce Development is about building and customizing applications on the Salesforce platform using code.
Developers work on the technical side of Salesforce — creating custom logic, interfaces, and integrations that go beyond what admins can do with point-and-click tools.
🧩 What Does a Salesforce Developer Do?
| Responsibility | Description |
|---|---|
| Custom Development | Write code to extend Salesforce features. |
| Apex Programming | Use Salesforce’s Java-like language for backend logic. |
| Lightning Components | Build custom UI components using HTML, JavaScript, and Aura or LWC (Lightning Web Components). |
| Integrations | Connect Salesforce with other systems using APIs. |
| Data Management | Work with large data sets and automate data operations. |
| Testing & Deployment | Write test classes, deploy code using tools like Change Sets or VS Code. |
🧰 Key Salesforce Development Tools & Technologies
| Tool / Language | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Apex | Backend programming language (like Java). |
| SOQL & SOSL | Salesforce’s query languages to retrieve data. |
| Lightning Web Components (LWC) | Modern UI framework for custom frontends (built with HTML, JS, CSS). |
| Visualforce | Older UI framework (still used in classic Salesforce). |
| Salesforce CLI (SFDX) | Command-line tool for managing Salesforce projects. |
| VS Code + Salesforce Extensions | Main IDE for development. |
| APIs (REST / SOAP) | For integration with external systems. |
⚙️ Salesforce Platform Layers
- Data Layer → Objects, fields, and relationships (like a database).
- Logic Layer → Apex code, workflows, and triggers.
- UI Layer → Lightning pages, components, and apps.
- Integration Layer → APIs, web services, and middleware tools.
🌐 Why Salesforce Developers Are in Demand
✅ Salesforce is one of the most popular CRM platforms in the world.
✅ Every business needs custom apps and integrations.
✅ Developers can build scalable cloud apps using Salesforce’s tools.
✅ Strong global demand = high salaries and career growth.
🎓 Skills a Salesforce Developer Needs
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| Apex Programming | For backend logic. |
| LWC / Aura | For front-end UI development. |
| SOQL / SOSL | To query Salesforce data. |
| Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) | Helps write structured Apex code. |
| APIs & Integrations | To connect Salesforce with other systems. |
| Version Control (Git) | For team collaboration and code tracking. |
| Problem Solving & Debugging | Essential for any developer. |
🚀 How to Become a Salesforce Developer
- Learn the Basics of Salesforce
→ Understand objects, relationships, and CRM fundamentals. - Get Hands-On Practice
→ Create a free Salesforce Developer Org at developer.salesforce.com. - Learn Apex & SOQL
→ Practice backend programming with Salesforce data. - Learn Lightning Web Components (LWC)
→ Build interactive web interfaces. - Use Trailhead (Free Learning Platform)
→ trailhead.salesforce.com — learn everything step-by-step. - Get Certified
→ Start with Salesforce Platform Developer I certification. - Build Projects & Portfolio
→ Create small apps or automations to showcase your skills.
📘 Summary
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Tool | Salesforce Platform |
| Role | Salesforce Developer |
| Main Job | Customize, code, and integrate Salesforce apps |
| Languages Used | Apex, SOQL, LWC (HTML, JS) |
| Goal | Build scalable business solutions on Salesforce |
This made me want to learn more.