Salesforce coding lessons for the 99%Finally, Apex tutorials for point-and-click admins! Written by a self-taught Google engineer.
Salesforce coding lessons for the 99%
You can become a Salesforce developer this year!
I have witnessed so many people from all sorts of backgrounds become Salesforce developers that I 100% believe that anyone can code. I don’t care what your situation is, you can do this too!
Step 1: Watch this Intro to Apex Dreamforce 2019 session!
Step 2: Learn the basics of Salesforce administration!
There is no scenario where you can become a good Salesforce developer without also being a good Salesforce admin. You must know both to succeed, and preferably, know the admin side first.
You’re ready to learn Salesforce development once you’ve passed the Salesforce Administrator certification. Even better if you also get the Advanced Administrator too.
Check out my Ultimate Certifications Guide for tips on how to prepare!
Step 3: Take my online Salesforce Developer course!
This Salesforce developer course is 15 bite-sized tutorials that you take online. It combines video / written tutorials and Trailhead to prepare you for the Platform Developer 1 and 2 certifications.
Each tutorial has homework and extra credit assignments for the overachievers. There’s also a final project that’s based on a common real-world scenario.
Overall the course brings all my best content into one place – I update it often!
Other highly recommended resources:
Step 4: Pass the Platform Developer I certification!
This achievements opens the floodgates for employers to start reaching out to you with job offers. Perhaps just as importantly, it shuts up the impostor syndrome that may have been boiling inside you. See my Ultimate Certifications Guide for my best tips!
Step 5: Promise me you’ll become a Salesforce developer!
Write a comment on this post and hold yourself accountable to the world!
I have nothing but respect to those with the courage to do this step. Trust me, I know your fears!
You can do this – I believe in you!
David
I need to. I promise, I will be a Salesforce developer.
A 47 year old self employed guy, on the roads now due to pandemic. I have to rise.
I Will Become a Salesforce Developer!
“Do, or do not, there is no try”
-Yoda, Jedi Master
I promise to become a Salesforce developer.
I promise to become a Salesforce developer .
I’ve been working towards becoming a Developer for the last 3+ Years. October 2019, I was hired as a Salesforce Administrator at a large, complex org (at a Bank with 800+ Users and 30 different departments, tons of custom automations) and have started taking on some smaller dev PBIs. I’m studying for my Platform Developer 1 Cert and *will* Achieve my goal of becoming a Salesforce Developer this year!
Did u take ur certification
I can do this, I will do this. I will be a salesforce developer soon!
I promise to become a Salesforce Developer. Period.
I’ll become a Salesforce developer. I promise.
I will never give up learning Coding. I promise I will definitely put my efforts to become a developer.
Thanks so much David,
I will become a SF developer.
Awesome info David..I am excited to do this ..!!!
I’m on the path, David! Thanks!
You _might_ have two are dead links in this step-by-step guide under resources. Also, reminder to plan for the 2021 guide. ;)
Thanks for the reminder!!
I will give my all to become a Developer before the end of the year (2020)
Yes!
I will become a PD1 Certified by January 2021
Hi David, As you mentioned that to become a salesforce developer, we have to learn Saleforce admin first.
Can you please let me know how to learn salesforce admin step by step ( i mean from where to start. Please guide me. Also need to know the application where i can practice .
Right now my project over and did not see much openings in SAP Testing skills. so thought that need to learn Salesforce Admin/development.
Please guide me
Thanks
I talk about this a lot on my YouTube channel check it out youtube.com/dvdkliu
I promise you, i will never give up on coding again being consistence and hard work
Thank you so much David for being such an inspiration..
I promise I will become a Salesforce Developer.
LET’s DO THIS!!!
I promise that I’ll be a Salesforce Developer..
Thanks for sharing.
For RAD women program, it is said that women should have atleast 2 years of admin experience. I don’t have any experience in admin, will I be eligible for that course?
Gotta ask them they may make an exception!
Thanks a ton. I would like to take the course..
Thank you David for providing such a helpful checklist which is not just inspiring but relatable too. My goal is to secure 5 Salesforce Certificates in 5 Months.
Best regards
Greetings, David
Thanks for all the resources
Just fulfilling my promise of replying to this post: your tips are wonderful (specially in the failure-mitigation department). I finally progressed from a QA with a limited understanding of programming to a Dev I developer.
Again, thanks!
CONGRATS MARCELO!!!!!! You did it!!!!
Hi David! Huge fan of your blog and your now YouTube Channel! How does an admin transition into a developer?
I’m an admin and have attended RAD Women, completed your Apex Academy, and currently studying for PD1. I’m not sure if I should be looking for Jr SF Developer roles or admin-eloper roles?
Thanks! Really any role that gives you the flexibility to at least occasionally code is the sweetspot right now!
I am just a old dog trying to learn new tricks. Apex is testing my non-programming limits. But let’s do this, have a go!
I will become a Salesforce Developer by this year!
=)
Thanks David for this I need some more information about this I am totally new to this technology
I am just a old dog trying to learn new tricks. Apex is testing my non-programming limits. But let’s do this, have a go!
I will become a Salesforce Developer by this year!
Thank you for this David. In it to WIN it! :)
I will Become A Salesforce Developer by the end of this year.
I will become a developer within the next 12 months. I got my admin cert in October 2018 and have some past coding experience with Java. My resume reads like I’m maybe a developer and I get a call or email daily since early January 2019.
It’s time to turn the voicemail off and start answering those calls. But first … Platform Developer I.
I will become a developer. I’ve been killing myself with late night studying and watching our little baby during the day. I don’t learn to well by myself so I’m starting to plug into the community more. I’ve been hardcore studying to earn the ADM201… I’ve failed it 3 times but I’m determined and willing to invest in this skill. I took advantage of free APEX course this weekend. 4th Attempted will be in 2 weeks… I WILL BECOME A DEVELOPER.
!
I will become a Salesforce developer.
I will become a Salesforce developer.
I will become a Salesforce developer.
The comment about imposter syndrome really hit home… I’ve struggled with that so much. I’ve made a commitment to myself that by the end of the year I must be able to code. you’ve given me the inspiration to really go for it. thank you
Yes!
Hey David,
I am looking at starting the course soon, but I wanted to ask for your input on something:
I know that with Lightning Components, front end has become an emphasize for SF developers. Obviously Apex is a must, but how much front-end are you required to know for let’s say a junior level dev position?
IMO you just have to be in a good position to learn it. Most people don’t have any LWC experience these days. So Apex plus beginning LWCs
Thank you for doing this David!
My head has been spinning trying to figure out how to get started with coding by learning on Trailhead. It seemed that there wasn’t a clear path that built up on previous badges. You made it easy. Gonna make this happen!
Don
Thank you for being a trendsetter. I promise to learn how to code.
You got this!!
Thank you for the amazing resources David. I will become a developer before the end of this year! Let’s gooooo
Let’s goooooo
Salesforce Developer Certification, Admin Certification, Platform Developer Application, App Builder Certification, Advanced Admin Certification are all good. But all of them included cost USD 1000.
For some one who has worked in other 4 GL tools like Advantage Gen for 5 yrs, Administrator 5 yrs — in USA,who has been on the bench for some time, it will be a challenge to shell out so many dollars for certifications.
It will be grateful if Salesforce provides placement with an employer who will sponsor writing these certificate exams, one certificate every 6 months. In that way, full power of certification can be obtained as well as it would be beneficial for employer as well
I am a learner and adapter and I will be a developer in 2021!
I’m going to take advantage of the extra time I have now to become a developer in 2021!! :) I can do it!!
You can do it!!!
I am looking to return back to Salesforce after a gap of 5 years. When I left job in 2015, trailhead and so many other features were just beginning to roll. Back in 2013, I had salesforce admin cert and sales cloud cert along with Apex experience building VF pages and admin experience. But after 5 years, so much has changed that I have to learn everything from scratch and its taking time . One of the main issues I faced when coding in salesforce was that you needed to learn many other skills in addition to apex in order to be a developer in real world. E.g. SQL, javascript, integrations, migrations etc. Being an sfdc developer is a good start but not enough.
I’m going to become a developer!
Good Advice
I will no longer hear from people saying I am just a stay at home mom, I will prove myself and to them that there’s more mettle in me than they ever imagined. I will become a salesforce developer this year!
Proud of you Divya!
That is awesome
I believe in you Divya!!
Wow! I am impressed. So it is 2021 now …. howz it going? I just finished clearing my admin cert on the third try, trying to prep up for pd1 after doing several trail head projects including triggers and flows. i even have the badges to prove em’
Alright! I will become a salesforce devloper too.
Hi David
The way you explained and structured thie entire apex cosing is wondeful gives lot of confidence to non coding background people.I would definetly to become developer
Hello David,
Hope you and your family are safe.
You are the real inspiration which made me to start learning Salesforce and I guess now you are also an inspiration for me to learn code and pass my Platform Developer I certification soon.
Thanks,
Sushil
Thx!!
Hi David.
I’ll take advantage of the current situation, and the lockdown in my country to learn how to code and become a developer this year.
I’ll follow your instruction to do so.
Thanks for your help and your contribution on this website and curriculum.
Hi David,
I have a quick question. I do have Salesforce Admin, Developer I, Developer II and CPQ specialist. I am planning to get more certification in Salesforce but I don’t know which one’s to get in 2020. Do you have any suggestions which one’s I should focus on getting in 2020?
Check this out! https://www.sfdc99.com/ultimate-salesforce-certifications-guide/
I’m about to take the certification exam next week. Wish me luck!
Thank you David. Let’s do this!
I will complete it this year
I promise this year I will be a developer! I plan on it very soon.
My goal this year is PD1 and Sharing and Visibility so I can be an Application Architect. (Gotta get my butt to work!)
i will become a salesforce developer
Thank you David. You are the true inspiration to the growing youth. And this post will definitely boost confidence of cross trained resources like me to learn code with fearless mind. To become a successful Developer.
Hey David. Thanks for a nice and motivating video and tips.
Have you got any Admin course for people starting from scratch in Salesforce.
That would be much appreciated.
Hi David,
On my journey towards becoming a developer & functional consultant this year.
Subscribed to Pluralsight and got more great content from you, Don Robins, Ines Garcia, Dan Appleman and many more..treasure trove & good investment…
Much appreciated.
I can do this and I will do this.
You got this man!!
We will definately become a Salesforce developer… Thanks for your all support and help.. you are truly an inspiration for everyone who is starting from scratch..
Thanks David.
Hi David,
Thank you for inspiring us! This article is an amazing start to new developers!
-Mamatha
Thank you David Liu for this wonderful article!! Yes, I have set my goal to become a Salesforce Developer this year.