Learn Salesforce Development: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

Salesforce is one of the most in-demand tools in today’s tech world, making it essential for anyone in the field to master its use. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced professional, finding the right and reliable methods to learn Salesforce development is crucial. With so many training resources and references available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. Additionally, learning preferences and budgets vary from person to person. However, certain learning approaches work well for most people. In this post, you'll discover the best ways to learn Salesforce development and understand its importance.

Salesforce Development Training equips you with the skills to program a Salesforce application using Apex, a programming language similar to Java, to handle the software's backend, and Visualforce to create the front end.

When businesses require custom functionalities that built-in Salesforce features can't provide, developers step in to code those specific needs. By mastering these skills, you can pursue a career as a Salesforce developer, with an average salary of $95,423. It’s considered one of the highest-paying jobs in IT or software development.

There are numerous online Salesforce training courses available where you can enroll and begin your journey toward becoming a Salesforce developer.

Basic Aspects of Salesforce Development

Back-end Development: For server-side development, Salesforce developers use Apex, a strongly typed, object-oriented programming language with syntax similar to Java. Apex code is organized into classes and triggers and is used to implement custom logic on the platform. Salesforce also has its own query language, SOQL (Salesforce Object Query Language), which is similar to SQL but optimized for Salesforce’s data structures.

A key consideration for developers is the platform's governance limits, which restrict the amount of certain resources that can be consumed to ensure system efficiency. Another important rule is that any Apex code deployed to production must have at least 75% code coverage, meaning it has been thoroughly tested before deployment.

Front-end Development: Salesforce's user interface (UI) can be built using a couple of different frameworks. The older framework is Visualforce, which uses a tag-based markup language and provides a set of built-in controllers for UI development.

However, Salesforce’s modern front-end framework is Lightning, which offers more interactive and dynamic UI capabilities. Lightning includes two major programming models: Aura Components and Lightning Web Components (LWC). LWC, which is built on modern JavaScript, provides a faster, more efficient way to build UIs and is recommended over Aura for new development.

Importance of Learning Salesforce

Many people wonder why Salesforce is so popular and why it's important to learn it. Salesforce initially entered the market as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company, offering top-notch Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions. Today, it also provides organizations with its Salesforce Platform as a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), allowing them to develop and deploy applications without the hassle of managing infrastructure.

While Salesforce is slightly more expensive than some other CRMs, it offers an exceptional user interface and is considered the world’s leading CRM. It provides businesses with a wide range of applications to generate more leads and increase sales. Beyond that, Salesforce has made significant advancements in marketing, customer support, and analytics. Many major brands rely on Salesforce due to its security features and broad range of app services.

Read: Difference Between Salesforce and Servicenow

Is Salesforce Worth Learning?

As professionals, we believe learning Salesforce is crucial if you aim to work in a CRM environment. Salesforce’s structure is similar to other platforms, making the skills you learn applicable beyond Salesforce itself once you understand its functionality.

According to the latest IDC report, the "Salesforce Economy" is expected to generate over 11.6 million jobs and $2.02 trillion in global business revenues between 2022 and 2028, with much of this growth driven by AI-powered solutions integrated into Salesforce platforms. This substantial job creation highlights the ongoing demand for Salesforce skills, especially as more companies adopt cloud and AI-driven applications​.

This trend makes it clear that Salesforce will continue to create job opportunities, particularly for companies that embrace cloud technologies and digital transformation, ensuring strong demand for professionals skilled in Salesforce development.

What Are The Best and Easy Ways to Learn Salesforce?

Looking to embark on a journey to learn Salesforce? With its growing prominence in the business world, mastering Salesforce can significantly enhance your career prospects. Here's a breakdown of effective ways to acquire this valuable skill:

1. Online Courses:

• Self-Paced Learning: Online courses offer flexibility, allowing you to learn at your own pace.
• Comprehensive Curriculum: Platforms like Udemy and Coursera provide structured courses covering various Salesforce topics.
• Hands-On Practice: Many courses include practical exercises to solidify your understanding.

2. Salesforce Trailhead:

• Free Learning Platform: Salesforce's official learning platform offers interactive modules and badges.
• Gamified Learning: Trailhead makes learning engaging and enjoyable.
• Career Paths: Follow tailored learning paths to align with your career goals.

3. Bootcamps:

• Intensive Training: Bootcamps provide a concentrated learning experience in a short period.
• Hands-On Projects: You'll work on real-world projects under the guidance of experienced instructors.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow learners and potential employers.

4. Professional Training Institutes:

• Expert Guidance: Institutes like JanBask Training offer structured Salesforce courses with experienced instructors.
• Personalized Support: Benefit from personalized attention and support throughout your learning journey.
• Certification Preparation: Many institutes prepare you for Salesforce certifications.

Choosing the Right Approach:

The best method for learning Salesforce depends on your learning style, goals, and available time. Consider factors such as:

• Learning Pace: Do you prefer self-paced or structured learning?
• Budget: What is your budget for Salesforce training?
• Career Goals: What specific Salesforce skills do you want to acquire?

By carefully considering these factors and exploring the various learning options, you can find the most effective way to master Salesforce and unlock new career opportunities.

How to learn Salesforce Development?

People enter the programming world from diverse backgrounds. Some start coding out of passion, others are inspired by developer friends, and many choose it as a career by taking online courses. With the rapid growth of the IT industry, the demand for skilled developers has surged, and Salesforce development is currently one of the hottest roles in the market. As the leading Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system globally, Salesforce is fueling the creation of more developer jobs.

Here are some top tips to get started with learning Salesforce development:

• Start with the Basics: Familiarize yourself with Salesforce’s core platform, including its data model and key functionalities.
• Learn Apex and Visualforce: These are essential for back-end and front-end development in Salesforce.
• Master Lightning Web Components (LWC): LWC is Salesforce's modern UI framework and an important skill for any Salesforce developer.
• Practice in a Developer Sandbox: Use Salesforce’s free Developer Edition to build and experiment with applications.

By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to mastering Salesforce development.

Knowledge of Basic Programming

To start a career as a Salesforce developer, you must have an understanding of basic programming languages, especially Java. Now you might be thinking how Java is connected to Salesforce development, isn’t it? Java is a widely-used programming language for various platforms and operating systems – Linux, Mac OS, and Windows due to its quality of ‘write once, run everywhere. Use Java to start Salesforce Programming by using the coding language of Salesforce – Apex & Visualforce. Now again the question is the same, why is Java important? The only reason is since Apex is almost similar to Java in style and syntax. Therefore, if you know Java programming, you can easily code in Apex and Visualforce.

You can learn Java in numerous ways and one of them is to join a course and get training from an experienced one. You can also join some free online courses too which take a week or two depending on the level you have started from. You can join a community too to learn Java and do some real-time projects.

Get Enrolled for a Salesforce Development Course

You have already come along the right path if followed by the above steps. After following the earlier steps, you need to jump onto the next level i.e. get certification in Salesforce Development. There are two major certifications for a beginner in Salesforce development – Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder and Platform Developer 1.

Joining a certification course to enhance Salesforce skills is always the right decision as all these courses are conducted by a Salesforce-certified professional who will help you understand everything in the course properly. All the required training material would be given to you, it includes a sandbox tool with all exercises to practice you in the real-time scenario. Developers deal with such cases daily. Another plus point of joining a course will be you will get all the latest information that may help you in gaining the Salesforce developer certification.

You might have confusion here to choose the one out of these two courses. If your objective is to work on a technical profile in a company, I would suggest you start with Platform App Builder. If you have zero or very little programming experience then also, my recommendation will be Platform App Builder Certification. Platform Developer 1 is a great choice for candidates having prior knowledge of coding.

3 Reasons why you Should Consider Learning Salesforce Development

• You don’t like to create from scratch - Lightning Platform has multiple ready-made units for salesforce development, which remarkably simplifies the job of a developer.
• You like to pitch into a customer’s business - Salesforce development requires exploring a customer’s business processes for which you should have an understanding that your customer's business will be a part of your job duties and will also impact your career growth as well.
• You like both back-end and front-end development - Being a Salesforce app developer you are required to work on both the server side and create user interfaces for the  clients.

5 Necessary Concepts For Every New Salesforce Developer To Learn

We all might have understood the increasing demand of Salesforce Developers all over the world and it's no surprise considering the salesforce economy is enhancing at such a crazy and high rate!
Salesforce development is a hot topic which require skills and you can expect a higher salary than equivalent developer rules in other industries as well.

Here we have mentioned some important concepts that you should learn such as:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question 1: What is the best way to learn Salesforce development in the shortest possible time?

Answer: While there's no one-size-fits-all approach, combining self-paced learning with structured training often yields the quickest results. Platforms like Salesforce Trailhead offer free, interactive modules, while online courses and bootcamps provide focused instruction and hands-on experience.

Question 2: Where can I find a beginner's guide to Salesforce development?

Answer: Salesforce Trailhead is an excellent starting point for beginners. It offers a comprehensive library of modules covering various Salesforce topics, from foundational concepts to advanced features.

Question 3: How can I learn Salesforce development step-by-step?

Answer: A structured approach can be beneficial. Start with foundational concepts like Salesforce architecture, data modeling, and Apex programming. Gradually progress to more advanced topics like Lightning Web Components, integration, and automation.

Question 4: What are the prerequisites to learn Salesforce development?

Answer: While there are no strict prerequisites, a basic understanding of programming concepts and object-oriented programming (OOP) can be helpful. Familiarity with relational databases is also advantageous.

Question 5: How can I learn Salesforce development from scratch?

Answer: Begin with a foundational course or tutorial on Salesforce development. Focus on understanding core concepts like objects, fields, relationships, and Apex syntax. Practice building simple applications to solidify your knowledge.

Question 6: How can I practice Salesforce development?

Answer: Practice is key to mastering Salesforce development. Build personal projects, contribute to open-source projects, or participate in Salesforce hackathons. Additionally, utilize Salesforce's sandbox environment to experiment with different features and functionality.

Question 7: Is Salesforce development easy to learn?

Answer: While Salesforce development is not inherently difficult, it requires dedication and practice. The learning curve can vary depending on your prior programming experience and learning style.

Question 8: How can I learn Salesforce development online?

Answer: There are numerous online resources available, including:

• Salesforce Trailhead: Free, interactive modules
• Online Courses: Platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and LinkedIn Learning offer Salesforce development courses
• Bootcamps: Intensive, hands-on training programs

Question 9: How long will it take to learn Salesforce development?

Answer: The time required to learn Salesforce development varies depending on your learning pace, prior experience, and the depth of knowledge you aim to achieve. While some individuals may grasp the basics in a few months, mastering advanced topics can take longer.

Conclusion

In addition to the resources mentioned earlier, there are countless other options available to help you learn Salesforce development. The abundance of training materials makes it easy to find something that fits your learning style and goals. In this post, I’ve gathered the most important references that can help you on your journey to becoming a Salesforce developer.

As we move into 2024, the focus is on seizing new opportunities in a tech landscape driven by AI and cloud solutions. Learning Salesforce development in 2024 will equip you with skills in one of the most valuable CRM platforms, which helps organizations streamline operations, save time, and reduce costs when managing complex customer data.

Salesforce development isn’t difficult to learn—simply searching online will yield numerous training resources. However, if you’re looking for a structured approach, you can consider enrolling in JanBask Training’s Salesforce Developer course to kickstart your Salesforce career.