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As a Salesforce developer, I find myself feeling like I'm on a different planet compared to other developers. I can't: - develop locally. - easily backup using

As a Salesforce developer, I find myself feeling like I'm on a different planet compared to other developers. I can't: - develop locally. - easily backup using source control. - contribute to or create open source projects easily. There are a lot more barriers to do so compared to JavaScript or Golang communities. In addition, I'm always working with sugar-coated Salesforce tech. Apex (kinda like Java), Aura Components (crappy js framework that doesn't even come close to react). I'm happy that Salesforce is going in the right direction with their web components, but it still feels like they are 10-15 years behind.

vips7L 7y ago
they're moving forward on some of these fronts: develop locally: they're bringing at least front end development here. source control: easily done if you are using the DX project format. apex: still shitty aura: deprecated and replaced with LWC.
chance_state 7y ago
Have you looked into Salesforce DX? (https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2018/02/getting-started-salesforce-dx-part-1-5.html https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2018/02/getting-start...) >- develop locally. - easily backup using source control. - contribute to or create open source projects easily. It addresses all of these concerns nicely. I'm also a full-time SF developer and am finding the transition to DX a bit rough, to be honest.
- thrav 7y ago
  They're getting there, but it's still beta for a reason
  - sfa_aok 7y ago
    Salesforce DX has been generally available since October 2017: https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2017/10/salesforce-dx-is-now-generally-available.html https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2017/10/salesforce-dx...
    - thrav 7y ago
      They made it to generally available to everyone, but still had a (*beta) tied to it for a while. Maybe that’s gone now, but it’s still missing a lot of essential features and they know it.
- TbobbyZ 7y ago
  DX works great if you have a new project in a new org. But as a contractor, there are many times I have to work in orgs that are 4-5 years old that have been through tons of admins and devs. I can't exactly convert an old org instantly to a dx project. Plus, as a contractor I'm not generally paid to convert their meta data. They want new features or bug fixes. They don't give a flying duck if their org is dx or how their code is organized.
  - chance_state 7y ago
    > They don't give a flying duck if their org is dx or how their code is organized. I understand this 100%. I often end up using ForceCode (https://github.com/celador/ForceCode https://github.com/celador/ForceCode) for the get-in-get-out projects.
  - teh_klev 7y ago
    >But as a contractor, there are many times I have to work in orgs that are 4-5 years old I'm a contractor as well. You know, there's a ton of legacy shite out there that isn't greenfield and you just need to get in there and guddle (Scottish word) about to earn the bucks. Sure I'd love to work all day long with .NET Core (or even .NET 4.7), but I also need to maintain a bunch of crap that dates back to 2006 and written in .NET 2.0. But as a contractor I kinda get on with it. It pays for my hobbies (model railways and building analogue synths, growing chillis and other stuff), so I kinda just suck it up because the rates are pretty ok. And you know, there's no shame in being a maintenance dev, some of the best devs I've met are looking after ancient crap long after the overpaid, unsupervised "superheros" that dug those holes moved on to their next 1000% glory roles, and we have to mop up afterwards (for a tidy hourly rate).
bamboozled 7y ago
What’s the actual point of being a “SF developer” or investing in sales force development over traditional development then ? It sounds super limiting and frustrating ? It also sounds like very non transferable skills you’re learning which might be difficult to use in other roles ?
- TbobbyZ 7y ago
  There is a high demand. Like exceptionally high. As a contractor I have endless work and never have a hard time negotiating my rate. There is such high demand because Salesforce is not as sexy as being a front-end dev that uses react or a back-end dev that uses go. It's limiting and can be frustrating, yes. Apex and aura components are not transferable directly, but what is is learning how to work with enterprise software. Plus, my bred and butter with Salesforce work is integrations, which has given me plenty of opportunities to learn other languages as needed to get the work done.
  - brightball 7y ago
    Yep. Having a niche is usually more from doing things that other people don’t find sexy than anything else.
  - Denzel 7y ago
    How’d you learn to work with these Salesforce technologies? Any specific book recommendations?
    - TbobbyZ 7y ago
      https://trailhead.salesforce.com/credentials/administratoroverview https://trailhead.salesforce.com/credentials/administratorov... Get a couple certifications. Once I got 3-4 and a few years of experience, recruiters approach me on regular basis. FYI I have no college degree. Companies don't care. Certs and experience are worth more than any degree in the Salesforce space.
  - matchagaucho 7y ago
    We've been able to develop Salesforce apps using React. There are some good open source libraries out there. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stabilizing-salesforce-lightning-development-react-design-mike-leach/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stabilizing-salesforce-lightn...
blogenlust 7y ago
local development was just previewed at TrailheadX. It's on the way.
- TbobbyZ 7y ago
  but can I have an entire org locally on my machine?
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
victor106 7y ago
Can you suggest any resources for getting into salesforce development? I am aware of trailhead and its seems to be a great place to start. Any other resources?
- TbobbyZ 7y ago
  Look at books on Amazon... maybe. Honestly trailhead, studying for certs, and building stuff are the best way. focusonforce.com is nice. Best book I've read on learning the how to build with Salesforce using clicks over code is: https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Salesforce-Development-Without-Code/dp/1484248708/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3SO3XUKTEE2AW&keywords=salesforce&qid=1561571318&s=books&sprefix=salesforce%2Caps%2C203&sr=1-5 https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Salesforce-Development-With...
ajankovic 7y ago
Take a look at https://bluecanvas.io/ https://bluecanvas.io/ it might help you with some of that.
sickmartian 7y ago
As an ABAP developer, we are on a planet next to yours... There are efforts for all those things, but it's still painful.

vips7L 7y ago

they're moving forward on some of these fronts: develop locally: they're bringing at least front end development here. source control: easily done if you are using the DX project format. apex: still shitty aura: deprecated and replaced with LWC.

chance_state 7y ago

Have you looked into Salesforce DX? (https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2018/02/getting-started-salesforce-dx-part-1-5.html https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2018/02/getting-start...) >- develop locally. - easily backup using source control. - contribute to or create open source projects easily. It addresses all of these concerns nicely. I'm also a full-time SF developer and am finding the transition to DX a bit rough, to be honest.

thrav 7y ago
They're getting there, but it's still beta for a reason
- sfa_aok 7y ago
  Salesforce DX has been generally available since October 2017: https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2017/10/salesforce-dx-is-now-generally-available.html https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2017/10/salesforce-dx...
  - thrav 7y ago
    They made it to generally available to everyone, but still had a (*beta) tied to it for a while. Maybe that’s gone now, but it’s still missing a lot of essential features and they know it.
TbobbyZ 7y ago
DX works great if you have a new project in a new org. But as a contractor, there are many times I have to work in orgs that are 4-5 years old that have been through tons of admins and devs. I can't exactly convert an old org instantly to a dx project. Plus, as a contractor I'm not generally paid to convert their meta data. They want new features or bug fixes. They don't give a flying duck if their org is dx or how their code is organized.
- chance_state 7y ago
  > They don't give a flying duck if their org is dx or how their code is organized. I understand this 100%. I often end up using ForceCode (https://github.com/celador/ForceCode https://github.com/celador/ForceCode) for the get-in-get-out projects.
- teh_klev 7y ago
  >But as a contractor, there are many times I have to work in orgs that are 4-5 years old I'm a contractor as well. You know, there's a ton of legacy shite out there that isn't greenfield and you just need to get in there and guddle (Scottish word) about to earn the bucks. Sure I'd love to work all day long with .NET Core (or even .NET 4.7), but I also need to maintain a bunch of crap that dates back to 2006 and written in .NET 2.0. But as a contractor I kinda get on with it. It pays for my hobbies (model railways and building analogue synths, growing chillis and other stuff), so I kinda just suck it up because the rates are pretty ok. And you know, there's no shame in being a maintenance dev, some of the best devs I've met are looking after ancient crap long after the overpaid, unsupervised "superheros" that dug those holes moved on to their next 1000% glory roles, and we have to mop up afterwards (for a tidy hourly rate).

bamboozled 7y ago

What’s the actual point of being a “SF developer” or investing in sales force development over traditional development then ? It sounds super limiting and frustrating ? It also sounds like very non transferable skills you’re learning which might be difficult to use in other roles ?

TbobbyZ 7y ago
There is a high demand. Like exceptionally high. As a contractor I have endless work and never have a hard time negotiating my rate. There is such high demand because Salesforce is not as sexy as being a front-end dev that uses react or a back-end dev that uses go. It's limiting and can be frustrating, yes. Apex and aura components are not transferable directly, but what is is learning how to work with enterprise software. Plus, my bred and butter with Salesforce work is integrations, which has given me plenty of opportunities to learn other languages as needed to get the work done.
- brightball 7y ago
  Yep. Having a niche is usually more from doing things that other people don’t find sexy than anything else.
- Denzel 7y ago
  How’d you learn to work with these Salesforce technologies? Any specific book recommendations?
  - TbobbyZ 7y ago
    https://trailhead.salesforce.com/credentials/administratoroverview https://trailhead.salesforce.com/credentials/administratorov... Get a couple certifications. Once I got 3-4 and a few years of experience, recruiters approach me on regular basis. FYI I have no college degree. Companies don't care. Certs and experience are worth more than any degree in the Salesforce space.
- matchagaucho 7y ago
  We've been able to develop Salesforce apps using React. There are some good open source libraries out there. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stabilizing-salesforce-lightning-development-react-design-mike-leach/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stabilizing-salesforce-lightn...

blogenlust 7y ago

local development was just previewed at TrailheadX. It's on the way.

TbobbyZ 7y ago
but can I have an entire org locally on my machine?

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

victor106 7y ago

Can you suggest any resources for getting into salesforce development? I am aware of trailhead and its seems to be a great place to start. Any other resources?

TbobbyZ 7y ago
Look at books on Amazon... maybe. Honestly trailhead, studying for certs, and building stuff are the best way. focusonforce.com is nice. Best book I've read on learning the how to build with Salesforce using clicks over code is: https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Salesforce-Development-Without-Code/dp/1484248708/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3SO3XUKTEE2AW&keywords=salesforce&qid=1561571318&s=books&sprefix=salesforce%2Caps%2C203&sr=1-5 https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Salesforce-Development-With...

ajankovic 7y ago

Take a look at https://bluecanvas.io/ https://bluecanvas.io/ it might help you with some of that.

sickmartian 7y ago

As an ABAP developer, we are on a planet next to yours... There are efforts for all those things, but it's still painful.