Declarative vs Programmatic Customizations

Declarative vs Programmatic Customizations – Salesforce Platform Developer 1 Guide

Why Is This Topic Important?

Understanding the distinction between declarative and programmatic customizations is one of the most foundational concepts for any Salesforce Platform Developer 1 candidate. Salesforce was designed as a platform that empowers administrators and developers alike, offering a rich set of point-and-click (declarative) tools alongside a powerful code-based (programmatic) framework. The exam frequently tests whether you know when to use each approach, not just how. Choosing the wrong approach in a real-world scenario can lead to unnecessary complexity, maintenance headaches, and governance limit issues. On the exam, expect multiple scenario-based questions that challenge you to pick the most appropriate solution.

What Are Declarative Customizations?

Declarative customizations are configurations made through the Salesforce user interface — no code required. They are sometimes called "clicks, not code" solutions. Common declarative tools include:

• Validation Rules – Enforce data quality by preventing records from being saved when certain conditions are not met.
• Formula Fields – Calculate values dynamically based on other fields on the record or related records.
• Roll-Up Summary Fields – Aggregate child record data (SUM, COUNT, MIN, MAX) on a master record in a master-detail relationship.
• Workflow Rules (legacy) – Automate field updates, email alerts, outbound messages, and task creation based on record criteria.
• Process Builder (legacy) – A more powerful visual tool that can update related records, invoke Apex, post to Chatter, and more.
• Flows (Flow Builder) – The most powerful declarative automation tool. Screen Flows collect user input; Record-Triggered Flows automate behind-the-scenes logic; Scheduled Flows run at specific times; Platform Event–Triggered Flows react to events.
• Approval Processes – Route records through a multi-step approval cycle with automatic actions at each step.
• Custom Objects, Fields, Relationships, and Page Layouts – The backbone of any Salesforce data model, all built declaratively.
• Lightning App Builder – Drag-and-drop page composition for record pages, home pages, and app pages.

What Are Programmatic Customizations?

Programmatic customizations require writing code and are deployed through development tools like the Developer Console, VS Code with Salesforce Extensions, or CI/CD pipelines. Key programmatic tools include:

• Apex Classes and Triggers – Server-side code written in Salesforce's proprietary language (similar to Java). Triggers fire before or after DML events on records. Classes encapsulate business logic, utility methods, and service layers.
• Visualforce Pages – A legacy markup language for building custom UIs with an associated Apex controller.
• Lightning Web Components (LWC) – The modern, standards-based framework for building custom UI components using HTML, JavaScript, and CSS.
• Aura Components – The predecessor to LWC; still supported but LWC is preferred for new development.
• SOQL and SOSL – Query languages for retrieving Salesforce data within Apex or APIs.
• REST and SOAP APIs – Allow external systems to interact with Salesforce data programmatically.
• Batch Apex, Queueable Apex, Schedulable Apex, and Future Methods – Asynchronous processing patterns for handling large data volumes or long-running operations.
• Custom Metadata Types and Custom Settings accessed via Apex – While the types themselves can be created declaratively, complex logic around them may require code.

How It Works: The Decision Framework

Salesforce strongly recommends a declarative-first approach. This means you should always evaluate whether a requirement can be met with point-and-click tools before resorting to code. Here is a practical decision framework:

1. Can it be done with configuration? (Custom fields, validation rules, page layouts, record types) → Use declarative.
2. Can the automation be handled by Flow? (Record-triggered flows, screen flows, auto-launched flows) → Use declarative.
3. Does the requirement involve complex logic, external callouts, or bulk data processing beyond Flow capabilities? → Use programmatic (Apex).
4. Does the UI need something beyond standard Lightning pages? → Use Lightning Web Components.
5. Is there a need for deep integration with external systems involving custom protocols or transformations? → Use Apex with REST/SOAP APIs or platform events.

Key Reasons to Choose Declarative:
• Faster to build and easier to maintain.
• No need for test classes or code coverage.
• Upgrades and releases are less risky.
• Admins can manage and modify without developer help.
• Governed by the platform automatically with built-in error handling.

Key Reasons to Choose Programmatic:
• Complex business logic that cannot be expressed in Flow (e.g., recursion handling, complex data transformations).
• Need for custom UI that goes beyond what Lightning App Builder provides.
• Bulk data processing requiring optimized SOQL queries and DML operations (Batch Apex).
• Integration scenarios requiring HTTP callouts, OAuth handling, or custom parsing.
• Operations that must happen in a very specific transaction order with fine-grained error handling.
• Performance-sensitive operations where you need full control over governor limit consumption.

Common Scenarios on the Exam

Scenario 1: A company wants to automatically update a field on a parent account whenever a child contact is created.
→ Best answer: Record-Triggered Flow (declarative). No code needed.

Scenario 2: A company needs to send data to an external REST API whenever an opportunity is closed-won, and the response must be parsed and stored.
→ Best answer: Apex Trigger calling an Apex class with a future method or Queueable (programmatic). Callouts cannot be done declaratively in a trigger context without code, and response parsing requires Apex.

Scenario 3: A company wants to prevent users from saving a record if a certain text field does not match a specific format.
→ Best answer: Validation Rule using a REGEX formula (declarative).

Scenario 4: A company needs to process 10 million records nightly to update a status field.
→ Best answer: Batch Apex (programmatic). While scheduled flows can process records, Batch Apex gives more control over chunking, error handling, and governor limits at this scale.

Scenario 5: A company wants a custom wizard-style interface that guides users through creating multiple related records.
→ Best answer: Screen Flow (declarative) if the wizard is straightforward, or Lightning Web Component (programmatic) if the UI requires highly custom interactions beyond Flow screen capabilities.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Declarative vs Programmatic Customizations

1. Always lean declarative first. If a question presents a scenario and one answer is a Flow while another is an Apex trigger, and both could technically work, choose the declarative option. Salesforce's best practice — and the exam's expected answer — favors declarative solutions unless there is a clear reason code is required.

2. Watch for keywords that signal programmatic needs. Phrases like "external system callout," "complex data transformation," "millions of records," "custom user interface with dynamic behavior," or "transaction control" often point toward a programmatic answer.

3. Watch for keywords that signal declarative needs. Phrases like "without writing code," "administrator should be able to maintain," "simple field update," or "no deployment required" clearly point to declarative tools.

4. Know the limitations of declarative tools. Flows cannot make HTTP callouts directly without an Apex action. Roll-up summary fields only work on master-detail relationships (not lookup). Validation rules cannot reference fields on unrelated objects without a formula spanning relationship. Understanding these limits helps you identify when code is truly necessary.

5. Understand the order of execution. Know that validation rules fire before Apex triggers (before-trigger context), and that workflow rules and flows fire at specific points in the save order. This is critical because some questions test whether a declarative or programmatic approach will execute at the right time.

6. Distinguish between legacy and current tools. Workflow Rules and Process Builder are considered legacy. Salesforce recommends Flow Builder for new automation. If an answer choice includes Workflow Rules and another includes Flow for the same requirement, prefer Flow.

7. Read every answer choice carefully. Some questions present a mix of partially correct answers. The best answer is the one that meets all requirements with the simplest, most maintainable approach. A programmatic solution that works is not the best answer if a declarative solution also works and is simpler.

8. Remember governor limits context. Declarative tools like Flows are still subject to governor limits, but they handle bulkification automatically in many cases. Apex gives you manual control. If a scenario specifically mentions performance or limit concerns with very large data volumes, programmatic may be preferred.

9. Practice scenario-based thinking. Do not just memorize definitions. For each tool — Flow, Apex Trigger, Validation Rule, LWC — know at least three scenarios where it is the best choice and three scenarios where it is not the best choice.

10. When in doubt, ask yourself: "Can an admin do this without a developer?" If yes, it is declarative. "Does this require deploying code to production with test coverage?" If yes, it is programmatic. This simple mental check can help you quickly narrow down answer choices under exam time pressure.

Summary

The Declarative vs Programmatic distinction is not just a theoretical concept — it is a practical decision-making skill that Salesforce developers must apply daily. The Platform Developer 1 exam expects you to demonstrate that you understand both toolsets, know their strengths and limitations, and can select the right approach for any given business requirement. Master this topic, and you will be well-prepared to answer a significant portion of the exam confidently.