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Getting started with Visualforce

February 9, 2015

Preface – This post is part of the Visualforce series.

Visualforce is a programming language that gives you total control over the Salesforce UI!

Your Salesforce powers will be unlimited once you know how to combine Visualforce with Apex. But as powerful as it is, Visualforce is surprisingly easy to learn – much easier in fact than Apex!

Now, Visualforce is always written alongside the three core web development languages. So before we begin our journey, your homework is to learn these sister technologies – don’t worry at all, these languages are so easy to pick up, you’ll be done with the tutorials in a day!

HTML is the core content every web page.
Take any web page, boil away all the fluff, and what’s left is pure content. That’s HTML – the foundation of every page and the Legos of the internet. HTML will be the building blocks of your Visualforce pages too!
Recommended: HTML5 tutorial from w3schools (easy)

CSS is the design philosophy of a web page.
Remember all that fluff we boiled down to get to the HTML? Most of that fluff is CSS. CSS is where a website’s style, look, and formatting is defined. You’ll use CSS to define the look of your Visualforce pages too!
Recommended: CSS tutorial from w3schools (easy)

Javascript is the programming language of the web.
HTML and CSS simply define content and layout – you can barely call them programming languages. Actual automation and programming logic happens in Javascript, which amplifies Visualforce functionality.
Recommended: Javascript tutorial from w3schools (just the basics)

Don’t be intimidated by all the languages listed here, you can seriously learn all three today!

Learning Apex is another story, but hopefully it’s not too painful. If it is, I’ll need to fire the content writer here at SFDC99! Make sure to learn the first eight chapters before proceeding!

Next post: The Model-View-Controller pattern!

10 Comments
Premanand Thirumal
August 7, 2018 @ 11:06 am

Hi S,
In the module Get Started with Visualforce there is a step in trailhead to add “In Development” app and “Force UI” from items. I could not find both in my client app search. Kindly let me know how to proceed with this?

Regards,
Prem

Reply
thematthewandersblog
May 31, 2017 @ 6:02 am

Hello David,

I started on this journey on May 25th 2017. I have completed all the HTML, CSS, and I am working on Java Script now. I have completed.

Step 1: Watch Apex Video Demo
Step 2: Watch DF Sessions ( all but the Admins who code Q&A – Waiting on that right?
Step 3: Read Head First – I just got the book on the 29th and Have read through and played with Chapter 1
//This is why I am writing. If I am struggling on the exercises in Chapter 1 should I stop and review it until that all sinks in or push forward. I am not totally lost, but it certainly has my brain on over-drive. Perhaps I am spending too much time on it. I did 9 hours of study on the previous Saturday 5 on Sunday and 4 on Monday watching all the videos, trailhead, etc.
Step 4: Read 3 SFDC99 tutorials. //I have not started these yet.
Step 5: Watch Apex4Admins series – Complete! //I will watch again to let more sink in.
Step 6: Trailhead – I had most completed already, but I went back to review and have a few more to get. Currently have 185 badges
Step 7: Commit – No issues here!

I need to know how well I need to master the chapters in Head First before moving forward as I don’t want to get too far in and realize I can’t get it. The book is great BTW and thanks for pushing that, but TBH your teaching style and approach is the best I have seen to date. I can’t thank you enough!

Reply
    David Liu
    May 31, 2017 @ 9:53 pm

    My pleasure Matt!!

    Reply
Vimal Desai (@champ_vimal)
February 18, 2015 @ 10:10 am

This is cool. Although I am familiar with Visualforce but really interested in knowing how the series moves ahead… Definitely, more learning and understanding on the way… Looking forward to it…

Reply
Katie
February 10, 2015 @ 11:55 am

Thanks David. This is just in time for my GirlForce Study Group presentation on visualforce. I look forward to the series. You’re the man.

Reply
    David Liu
    February 10, 2015 @ 8:56 pm

    Katie you rock!!

    Reply
Ravi
February 10, 2015 @ 6:02 am

I was waiting this post since website started.
Thanks David to make it live.

Ravi

Reply
Rocky
February 10, 2015 @ 12:27 am

Hi David,

One question!
I am new to these 3, so what order should we follow to learn them?
The one listed by you as HTML–>CSS–> Javascript or any random order is fine.

Regards,
Rocky

Reply
    David Liu
    February 10, 2015 @ 12:31 am

    In order listed =)

    Reply
Ashish Kumar
February 9, 2015 @ 11:50 pm

Thank you David for starting the Visualforce tutorial.

Reply

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