A DevOps pipeline is a compilation of various procedures, methods, and equipment that employees use to create, test, and release software. It ensures that software development is effectively planned out. Besides that, it also ensures that the software development is extensively tested to prevent various mistakes.
DevOps pipeline is a precious tool for Salesforce that helps your employees ensure code quality, combine the code in a single repository, configure infrastructure management and configuration, test automation, and simplify team communication. You may have this pipeline by yourself. However, it is advisable to contact a DevOps company as they know how to apply the DevOps best practices.
Several tools are available to Build a Successful DevOps Pipeline for Salesforce, which are listed below with descriptions.
Before that, the core concept.
DevOps in Salesforce- Key Principles and Benefits
DevOps embodies a fusion of approaches that merges software development (Dev) and IT management (Ops) to expedite the software development process. The use of DevOps practices in Salesforce is for applying strategies to the development, customization, and deployment activities in Salesforce.
Key Principles of DevOps in Salesforce
- Encourage synergy among the developers, testers, and operations staff
- Simplify the deployment mechanism for regular and reliable code updates
- Streamline code deployments, testing, and setting up environments to automation
- Utilize code to define infrastructure, achieving uniformity and replicability
- Regularly integrate code alterations into a common repository
- Having monitoring solutions to capture valuable insights and feedback
Benefits of DevOps in Salesforce
- Faster Time-to-Market
- Lesser risks due to incremental and automated deployments
- Better software quality
- Cross-functional teams collaborate
- High scalability and flexibility
- Efficient use of resource
How To Implement DevOps In Salesforce?
Branching Approach
A branching approach is a collection of rules that specify branch production, branch naming conventions, the intended usage of branches, and other details.
As per experts on DevOps practices, there are a few benefits of a sound branching strategy, such as creating changes becoming much easier with this approach; on top of that, it enables the independent distribution of any update. Issues with code overrides will be greatly decreased, and if problems arise, changes can be readily undone.
Version Control System
The VCS keeps records of changes in the code. In case of any problems, this will enable users to compare the existing version of the code with the prior version, then find the trouble and solve it. There are a few types of version control systems available such as GitHub, Azure DevOps, GitHub, etc.
Sandbox Arrangement
A sandbox is a testing platform where users can run programs and files without harming the application or the system on which they store their live data. Software programmers primarily use it to run new programming code.
It is completely isolated from the production platform; hence, it allows you to write your code, build configuration, and make as many changes as you want without affecting the data in your production platform. Sandboxes are more like replicas of your production platform in Salesforce, and you can apply DevOps best practices for pipeline development.
Depending on the complexity of the implementation, each Salesforce customer uniquely uses sandboxes. It might be as easy as using a single sandbox for testing and development, or the complexities may arise if many organizations use it.
CI/CD Tools
Here, CI means Continuous Integration, whereas CD means Continuous Delivery. CI/CD provides apps to clients regularly by absorbing automation into the stages of app development.
In particular, CI/CD brings continuous monitoring and continual automation throughout the whole lifespan of an app, from the integration and testing stages to the delivery and deployment stages.
You can use CI/CD tools to automate code review and distribution. It will help tie everything up nicely with a DevOps Pipeline crossbow. These tools with DevOps practices evaluate the code before distributing it to your chosen Sandbox or production organization.
IDE (Integrated Development Environment) Tool
An integrated development environment (IDE) is software helpful in developing applications. Those applications incorporate developer tools in a single (GUI). IDE typically consists of:
- Editor for source code
- Debugger or inspector that shows the site of a bug in an original code
- Regional build automation
Command Line Interface (CLI)
CLI helps you to send loop commands to carry out tasks within your organization. The Salesforce CLI is a potent command line interface that makes working with your Salesforce org’s development and building automation simpler.
Final Word
These technologies work together to provide Salesforce with a high-quality DevOps pipeline. A single developer or group of developers can use that. Don’t forget to use DevOps best practices when using DevOps in Salesforce.
