If you want to track changes and improve the efficiency of your server in the production org of a company, you need to use efficient tools and systems for the task. One such system is a version control system that permits developers and their teams to regulate processes and deliver projects quicker. For a Salesforce platform and applications, this version control system plays a crucial role. With the aid of this system, software developers are able to maintain a unique branch for every project without the fears of another developer overwriting the code or the configuration that has been planned for another project. Thanks to this system, software developers and everyone associated with their team are able to keep the changes of the code in the repository of the version control system.
The advantages of using this system for software development
In order to understand how the system works for Salesforce, it is prudent to know the benefits it offers to the organization-
- It helps in communication as well as a collaboration- This system is highly beneficial for those units that have cross-functional teams located in different geographical regions. It helps everyone associated with the development environment to communicate and collaborate without hassles. The system is the repository of the production source code that has metadata and data. It allows every developer to view the coding from any place in the world at any time.
- Isolated or parallel development environment-With the aid of this system, developers get the opportunity to work on many features together. At the same time, they can also safeguard their work from any kind of impact or influence when changes are made to the code by other developers who are working with the help of branches. The branch code can be individually tested for the purpose of functionality, and as and when needed, these branch codes can be merged together too.
- Restore and backup- The system over time ensures that all changes to the source code are saved. This, in turn, helps the development teams to evaluate these changes that have been made. If the changes do not fulfill the desired expectations, it can be reverted back to its previous versions. The project will not suffer from any kind of code failure because of the changes that are done to the code.
- Change the tracking-The system is able to offer visibility into changes that are made to the code. It gives developers the information as to who has made the change and when. It has the name of the contributor tagged along with timestamps as to when the change was done. All the developers who are involved with the project are able to annotate every change with their comments so that tracking the change can be a simple affair.
The concept behind the system and high- quality codes in the development environment
The Salesforce version control system is popular in several organizations. In fact, version control is used for most software platforms as well as languages. It is a major enabler for the successful development of Agile, and it focuses on the primary task of tracking all the changes to the code with the passage of time. It is a system that helps developer teams to work smarter. They are able to complete the project faster and prevent any kind of code failures and conflicts.
Best practice for software development
Those teams that work with Salesforce must ensure that they use version control for better quality configuration and codes. Thanks to this system, they are able to maintain improved visibility and reporting. They do not suffer from the issues of bugs, and they are in a better position to rollback any change that has been done recently. Experts in the field of Salesforce state that developers that use the version control system are able to embrace the best practices for the development of software.
Eradicate issues in the production environment
In order to prevent problems when working in the production environment, developer teams create Salesforce Sandboxes to create and test the codes before they are launched into the production org. There are different types of sandboxes under Salesforce, and the choice of the right sandbox depends upon the data and files stored along with their complexity. Using a sandbox over developments in the production has a number of benefits. The developers, as well as the admins that are associated with the project, are able to work parallel with one another, and there are no risks of a developer overwriting the code of another developer or even taking over the project.
Testing to the changes in the code
The changes can be effectively tested before the product is released. This greatly reduces the threats of bugs and their risks when it comes to meeting the expectations of the end-user. The code under Apex can effectively be created and tested before it is migrated to the production org. This leaves the company a lot of room for customization of the developer environments without hassles. These different environments can also be segregated effectively so that the control of these changes can be managed better.
Better scalability can be achieved
Thanks to the above advantages, production teams are able to move faster to the development models under Salesforce. They can easily adapt to the environment even though it becomes complex and the size of the team that works on the project over time.
Therefore, if you want to attain the best out of your production org and its development, it makes sense for you to use Salesforce and its different sandboxes. Ensure you choose a good version control system to help you track all the changes done to the code and embrace the best practices when it comes to high-quality software development. At the same time, a company that uses Salesforce and its sandboxes get a competitive edge in the market primarily because it is able to work smarter and faster than its peers who do not deploy Salesforce sandboxes for their production org at all!