Salesforce developers often manage multiple aspects of a project. Together, these include metadata configuration, Apex coding, UI development, and deployment. The progress of the project slows down when these tasks are not carried out with the right tools. Progress here refers not just to how fast a project is completed, but also to how accurate, repeatable, and maintainable the work is.
This blog highlights the most effective tools and practical methods that help developers structure their daily workflow. The aim is to make the development cycle more reliable, predictable, and easy to maintain.
Helpful Code Editors and IDEs
A proper development environment saves time and reduces coding frustration. Salesforce provides an official extension pack for Visual Studio Code, which has become the most widely used code editor among developers.
1. Visual Studio Code with Salesforce Extensions Pack
- Supports Apex, Lightning Web Components, and SOQL.
- Comes with intelligent suggestions, syntax highlighting, and an integrated terminal.
- Allows developers to manage scratch orgs and retrieve or deploy metadata quickly.
2. Illuminated Cloud (for IntelliJ users)
- Best suited for developers who prefer working in IntelliJ IDEA.
- Offers deep Apex code insight, test runners, and automatic metadata sync.
- Helps in debugging and running tests inside the IDE.
These environments are not only equipped with tools for writing and editing code but also support continuous integration steps like pushing code, tracking bugs, and running tests.
Use the CLI to Automate Repetitive Tasks
Salesforce CLI, known as SFDX CLI, is used for command-line interactions. It manages orgs, metadata, and source code. With it, developers can:
- Run tests and analyze logs.
- Create and manage scratch orgs quickly.
- Deploy and retrieve components without manual UI interactions.
Your team can also write simple scripts using shell or Node.js to automate builds and data loads. This reduces time spent on browser-based workflows and keeps everything version-controlled.
Salesforce Development Services Under Version Control
Version control is not an option anymore. It acts as the backbone of team collaboration and rollback safety. Git with GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket is the standard choice for multiple projects because it:
- Handles branching, merging, and change tracking.
- Encourages peer reviews with the help of pull requests.
- Allows teams to roll back or compare code versions at any time.
In addition to Git, deployment tools like Gearset, Copado, or AutoRABIT provide extra layers of safety. Because these tools:
- Support CI/CD pipelines.
- Check for metadata differences, manage environment-specific variables, and automate unit tests before pushing code to production.
- Reduce damage when a release introduces bugs.
By combining Git with CI/CD tools, teams can work asynchronously while ensuring a consistent code quality.
Testing and Debugging
Testing cannot be postponed or rushed. But some tools can simplify this process to save hours of rework. For instance, salesforce developer console is useful for quick SOQL queries and log viewing.
On the other hand, for heavier debugging:
- Apex Replay Debugger in VS Code allows offline debugging by simulating log events.
- Debug Logs help trace issues related to governor limits or logic failures.
For UI and integration testing, automated tools like Provar or Selenium can validate user flows repeatedly without manual clicks.
The Right Approach
A good testing approach involves writing unit tests for every Apex class. It must target at least 75% coverage. By doing so, the focused testing ensures that changes do not break unrelated features. Logs should be regularly checked during development, not just when something goes wrong.
Build Projects the Right Way from the Start
Modular development involves writing Apex classes and Lightning Web Components in a structured, reusable manner. Each unit of code must serve a single purpose. So, it is better to avoid large monolithic scripts. This easily fixes problems.
Moreover, make sure your team uses clear naming conventions. For instance:
- Components: lwcContactForm, lwcOrderSummary
- Apex classes: AccountHandler.cls, InvoiceTriggerHandler.cls
Last but not least, organize metadata into folders. Keep validation rules, flows, and layouts easy to find. In this way, your team can follow consistent patterns and shorten onboarding time for new members.
Continuous Integration and Delivery
CI/CD means to automate the build cycle, to test the code, and to release updates. Once a developer pushes code to a Git branch, automation handles the rest.
Steps Include:
- Validate tests.
- Check metadata changes.
- Deploy to a test org.
- Notify your team of success or failure.
Tools & Platforms
Tools like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, and GitLab CI can do this. Specialized Salesforce platforms like Copado or Gearset provide user-friendly dashboards.
Adopting CI/CD helps enforce good habits. Developers are encouraged to commit smaller, testable changes more often. This shortens the feedback loop and reduces last-minute surprises.
This level of workflow organization is part of a larger salesforce development solution that aims to boost productivity while lowering deployment risk.
Effective Code Review Practices
Peer reviews catch errors early and enforce standards. So, use Git pull requests to request a review before merging changes.
Expert-Followed Tips:
- Review code in small batches.
- Use comments to explain logic.
- Ask for clarification rather than assuming.
Code reviews serve as a learning opportunity for new developers, who gain insight by examining real examples. At the same time, senior developers stay informed about code changes across the team and can offer feedback that reinforces consistency.
Performance Tracking
Salesforce enforces strict limits to ensure fair usage across all applications. Therefore, the experts must not cross these limits to prevent runtime failures.
Applicable limits include:
- SOQL queries per transaction
- CPU time usage
- DML operations
To stay compliant, salesforce app developers must use the Developer Console to inspect debug logs and to refer to the “Limits” class in Apex.
Tips For Coding
To write reliable code, adopt bulk-safe programming techniques. Moreover, the usage of batch classes when processing large data volumes should be made necessary. In addition, never place queries inside loops. Instead, aggregate data outside of heavy logic blocks to improve performance.
Time-Saving Techniques
Use VS Code snippets to auto-fill common blocks of Apex and LWC code. Also, build package.xml files with tools like Package.xml Builder to fetch metadata faster. You can also use scratch org aliases and login shortcuts to avoid repeating commands.
Bookmarking and Checklist Creation
Bookmark tools like Salesforce Schema Builder or Workbench. They reduce time navigating setup menus.
Keep a checklist of frequent tasks. For instance:
- Run sfdx force:source: pull
- Run unit tests before every commit
- Use test data factories instead of hardcoded values
These habits reduce mental load and keep development predictable.
DOM Can Help You. But How?
If your team is looking to streamline projects or expand capacity, consider outsourcing your services to DataOnMatrix. As a salesforce development company, we focus on helping clients build scalable and secure solutions. With a focus on quality results, our expert developers help businesses accelerate delivery cycles to meet critical project goals.
Let’s schedule a meeting to discuss our salesforce consulting services and explore how we can support your goals.
