Salesforce Code Builder is an integrated development environment (IDE) optimized for Salesforce, which holds the power and flexibility of Visual Studio Code, Salesforce Extensions for VS Code, and Salesforce CLI to source tracking, source control, and Lightning Web Components making the platform easier to learn, all from within your web browser. It empowers the developers to build how they want, from where they want. It is a brand-new innovation in the Salesforce Developer tooling space.
Code Builder allows admins and developers to easily collaborate on the same project, in the cloud, without having to worry about downloading any kind of software or setup. Code Builder is a full-function version of Visual Studio Code running entirely in the browser and backed by a robust cloud-hosted developer environment. Its powerful Virtual Machine supports all the instances of Code Builder. Hence Salesforce Code Builder will allow you to do everything from simple code range edits to Lightning Web Component development and Advanced Apex debugging. It also supports Node.js and Java, all without leaving the browser.
Code Builder in Beta
Code builder is now available in Beta. It brings all the tooling innovation with the same extensions as in the Salesforce Extensions pack for Visual Studio Code, with a look and feel similar to Visual Studio Code User Interface. If you are a Visual Studio Code user and have used tools like the Salesforce Extensions pack, you should feel at home.
Why use Code Builder?
All the Code Builder instances are backed by their powerful Virtual Machine. With the Code builder working from a browser, you can code virtually on any device with an internet connection. Code Builder allows you to do everything from simple code edits to Lightning Web Component development and advanced Apex debugging, including support for Node.js and Java, all without leaving the browser. Code Builder includes all the features of a modern IDE, such as code refactoring, search, completion, and support for Salesforce frameworks. The Salesforce extensions are already installed on your desktop. Code Builder works well with typical DevOps due to built-in integration with version control systems like GitHub.
Code Builder enables you to launch a Full-Featured IDE in your browser from your Salesforce org with the push of a button. You can spend hours on something other than installing developer tools!
Get started with Code Builder
Code Builder will be installed as a managed package, and it comes with everything you need: Salesforce extensions, VS Code, and Salesforce CLI. Since Code builder is a second-generation managed package, a user with requisite permissions can install it in any supported Salesforce org edition.
1) Install Code Builder
- Install the managed package from AppExchange.
- Click on Get It Now.
- Select the org where you want the Code Builder to get installed.
- Go through the terms and conditions, Confirm and Install.
- Check Grant access and click Continue.
- Click on Done.
2) Assign user permissions
- Go to Setup, search Permission Sets in the Quick Find box, then select Permission Sets.
- Click on CodeBuilder.
- Click Manage Assignments
- Click Add Assignments.
- Select the names of the users to assign the permission set, and click Assign.
- Respective users can now go to the App Launcher and launch Code Builder (Beta).
3) Launch code Builder(Beta)
- Click on the App Launcher and launch Code Builder (Beta). From the App Launcher, find Code Builder & open it.
- Click on Get Started.
- Click on New Project to create a new Salesforce DX project.
- Give a Project Name and select Standard for the type of project.
4) Connect it to Your Dev Environment
After you select the environment, give the username and password to authenticate the respective environment. Click next and provide the alias name for your org.
5) Launch Salesforce Code Builder
Build the way you want
Code Builder isn’t just for code writing. It’s for everyone who builds or wants to build on the platform. The SOQL Query Builder and other features will be available as VS Code extensions will be preinstalled in Code Builder. No matter what kind the development is, you can choose to work exclusively in the browser, use the desktop-based VS Code alone, or you can choose to use both.
Most developers use VS Code on their desktop; others work exclusively in the browser with Code Builder. Maybe you can use the desktop as your immediate environment, but you want to try out some preview features. Whether you’ll no longer need Visual Studio Code on the desktop is up to you. Salesforce Code Builder runs the same extensions that desktop Visual Studio Code runs. This concludes that everything that can be built on the desktop is now available on the web. We can work without sacrificing the main functionality.
