Engineering · Growing
Salesforce Developer: Skills, Projects & Interview Questions (2026)
Customize and extend the Salesforce platform with Apex, Lightning Web Components, and integrations.
What a Salesforce Developer actually does
Writing Apex triggers, building Lightning Web Components, configuring Flows, and integrating external systems.
Top hiring companies: Accenture, Deloitte, Cognizant, Salesforce, Capgemini, Infosys.
Top industries: IT Services, Finance, Healthcare, SaaS, Consulting.
Skills you need to become a Salesforce Developer
| Skill | Importance | Learning hours | Interview weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex | 10/10 | ~70h | High |
| Lightning Web Components (LWC) | 9/10 | ~60h | High |
| SOQL / SOSL | 9/10 | ~30h | High |
| Triggers & Governor Limits | 9/10 | ~35h | High |
| Salesforce Data Model | 8/10 | ~30h | High |
| Flows & Automation | 8/10 | ~25h | Medium |
| REST / SOAP Integration | 8/10 | ~30h | High |
| Apex Test Classes | 8/10 | ~25h | High |
| JavaScript / HTML | 7/10 | ~30h | Medium |
| Visualforce | 6/10 | ~20h | Medium |
| Security & Sharing Model | 7/10 | ~25h | Medium |
| Deployment (SFDX / CI) | 6/10 | ~20h | Low |
Core tools: Salesforce CLI (SFDX), VS Code + Salesforce Extensions, Developer Console, Workbench, Data Loader, Postman, Git, Change Sets.
Salesforce Developer learning roadmap
Beginner · 2-3 months
Foundations & core tooling
Build: Model a custom app and write a bulkified Account-Contact trigger.
Intermediate · 3-4 months
Applied, real-world builds
Build: Build an LWC dashboard backed by Apex controllers and record-triggered Flows.
Advanced · 3-4 months
Production, scale & specialization
Build: Ship an inbound REST integration with Batch Apex and an SFDX CI pipeline.
9 Salesforce Developer portfolio projects
Custom Object App (Configuration)
BeginnerModel a domain with custom objects, fields, and relationships.
Skills: Salesforce Data Model, Flows & Automation
Account-Contact Trigger
BeginnerBulkified Apex trigger that keeps related records in sync.
Skills: Apex, Triggers & Governor Limits, SOQL / SOSL
LWC Search Component
BeginnerA Lightning Web Component that queries and lists records.
Skills: Lightning Web Components (LWC), SOQL / SOSL, JavaScript / HTML
Record-Triggered Flow Automation
IntermediateAutomate approvals and field updates with declarative Flows.
Skills: Flows & Automation, Salesforce Data Model, Triggers & Governor Limits
REST API Integration
IntermediateCall an external service from Apex and store the response.
Skills: REST / SOAP Integration, Apex, Apex Test Classes
Batch Apex Data Job
IntermediateProcess large data volumes within governor limits using Batch Apex.
Skills: Apex, Triggers & Governor Limits, SOQL / SOSL
LWC Dashboard with Apex
IntermediateInteractive LWC calling Apex controllers for aggregated data.
Skills: Lightning Web Components (LWC), Apex, JavaScript / HTML
Inbound Integration Webhook
AdvancedExpose an Apex REST endpoint consumed by an external system.
Skills: REST / SOAP Integration, Apex, Security & Sharing Model
CI Deployment Pipeline (SFDX)
AdvancedSource-driven deployment from scratch orgs with automated tests.
Skills: Deployment (SFDX / CI), Apex Test Classes, Apex
Common Salesforce Developer interview questions
What are governor limits and why do they exist?Medium
What they're testing: Per-transaction caps for multitenancy; must bulkify code to respect them
Why should you never put SOQL or DML inside a loop?Medium
What they're testing: Hits query/DML governor limits; query once, operate on collections
Difference between before and after triggers.Medium
What they're testing: Before edits the record pre-save; after has Ids for related updates
What is the minimum Apex test coverage to deploy?Easy
What they're testing: 75% org-wide with meaningful assertions
SOQL vs SOSL: when to use each?Easy
What they're testing: SOQL for one object/relationships; SOSL for text search across objects
LWC vs Aura components.Easy
What they're testing: LWC is modern web-standards, faster; Aura is the legacy framework
How do LWC and Apex communicate?Medium
What they're testing: @wire or imperative calls to @AuraEnabled Apex methods
How do you process large data volumes?Medium
What they're testing: Batch Apex or Queueable to chunk records within limits
Explain the Salesforce sharing/security model.Hard
What they're testing: Org-wide defaults, roles, sharing rules, profiles, permission sets
How do you call an external REST API from Apex?Medium
What they're testing: HttpRequest with named credential; handle callout limits and async
Difference between a Flow and an Apex trigger.Medium
What they're testing: Declarative automation vs code; use Flow first, Apex for complex logic
What is a rollup summary and its limitation?Medium
What they're testing: Aggregates child records; only on master-detail unless coded/DLRS
Certifications for Salesforce Developers
- Salesforce Certified Platform Developer ISalesforce · Very High value
- Salesforce Certified Platform Developer IISalesforce · High value
- Salesforce Certified AdministratorSalesforce · High value
- Salesforce Certified JavaScript Developer ISalesforce · Medium value
Salesforce Developer career path
Salesforce Developer -> Senior Salesforce Developer -> Salesforce Technical Architect / Team Lead
Common moves into this role / from here:
- → Salesforce Technical Architect (12-18 months) — close: Large-scale design, integration patterns, data architecture, multi-cloud, governance
- → Salesforce Consultant (6-9 months) — close: Requirements gathering, solution design, stakeholder management, cloud specializations
- → Backend Developer (6-9 months) — close: General-purpose language depth, databases, system design, non-Salesforce frameworks
Related roles: Salesforce Administrator, Salesforce Consultant, CRM Developer, Backend Developer
Frequently asked questions
What skills do you need to become a Salesforce Developer?
Core skills include Apex, Lightning Web Components (LWC), SOQL / SOSL, Triggers & Governor Limits, Salesforce Data Model. Always bulkify code and keep SOQL/DML out of loops.
What projects should a Salesforce Developer build for a portfolio?
Strong starter projects: Custom Object App (Configuration); Account-Contact Trigger; LWC Search Component; Record-Triggered Flow Automation.
How long does it take to become job-ready as a Salesforce Developer?
A focused plan runs roughly 2-3 months for fundamentals, then applied projects. Difficulty rating: 5/10.
What is the career path for a Salesforce Developer?
Salesforce Developer -> Senior Salesforce Developer -> Salesforce Technical Architect / Team Lead
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