Salesforce DX is a set of tools and processes that allow developers to work with Salesforce data in a more efficient and automated way. One of the key components of Salesforce DX is the Scratch Org.
Scratch Orgs are temporary, isolated Salesforce environments that can be used for development and testing purposes. They are created using a special configuration file (called a Scratch Org Definition file) that contains all the necessary settings and data for the org. Once created, Scratch Orgs can be populated with data from a number of different sources, including sandboxes, production orgs, or other scratch Orgs.
Scratch Orgs have a number of advantages over traditional Salesforce environments:
1. They are much easier to set up and manage than traditional Salesforce environments.
2. They can be created on demand, and destroyed when no longer needed.
3. They are completely isolated from other Salesforce environments, so there is no risk of data contamination.
4. They come with a number of pre-configured features that make development and testing faster and easier.
In this guide, we will cover the following topics:
1. What is a Scratch Org?
2. Benefits of using Scratch Orgs
3. How to create a Scratch Org
4. How to populate a Scratch Org with data
5. How to delete a Scratch Org
What is a Scratch Org?
A Scratch Org is a temporary, isolated Salesforce environment that can be used for development and testing purposes. They are created using a special configuration file (called a Scratch Org Definition file) that contains all the necessary settings and data for the org. Once created, Scratch Orgs can be populated with data from a number of different sources, including sandboxes, production orgs, or other scratch Orgs.
Scratch Orgs have a number of advantages over traditional Salesforce environments:
1. They are much easier to set up and manage than traditional Salesforce environments.
2. They can be created on demand, and destroyed when no longer needed.
3. They are completely isolated from other Salesforce environments, so there is no risk of data contamination.
4. They come with a number of pre-configured features that make development and testing faster and easier.
In this guide, we will cover the following topics:
1. What is a Scratch Org?
2. Benefits of using Scratch Orgs
3. How to create a Scratch Org
4. How to populate a Scratch Org with data
5. How to delete a Scratch Org
Benefits of using Scratch Orgs
There are many benefits to using Scratch Orgs over traditional Salesforce environments:
1. They are much easier to set up and manage.
2. They can be created on demand, and destroyed when no longer needed.
3. They are completely isolated from other Salesforce environments, so there is no risk of data contamination.
4. They come with a number of pre-configured features that make development and testing faster and easier.
5. They allow you to work with the latest Salesforce features in a safe and controlled environment.
6. They make it easy to share your work with others (such as teammates or clients) without giving them access to your entire Salesforce org.
How to create a Scratch Org
Creating a Scratch Org is a two-step process: first, you must create a Scratch Org Definition file, and then you must use the Salesforce DX CLI to create the Scratch Org itself.
Creating a Scratch Org Definition file
A Scratch Org Definition file is a special JSON file that contains all the necessary settings and data for your Scratch Org. The file must be created using a text editor (such as Sublime Text or Atom) and saved with a .json extension.
The contents of the file will vary depending on your needs, but at a minimum, it must contain the following information:
1. orgName: The name of your Scratch Org. This will be used to generate a unique subdomain for your org (e.g. myorg-dev-ed.cs6.force.com).
2. orgPrefix: A three-letter prefix that will be used to generate a unique namespace for your org. This is required if you plan on installing any unmanaged packages in your Scratch Org.
3. Edition: The edition of Salesforce that you want your org to be based on. Valid values are Developer, Enterprise, Performance, and Unlimited.
4. Settings: A JSON object that contains all the necessary settings for your Scratch Org.
Conclusion:
Scratch Orgs are a great way to improve your development and testing workflow. They are easy to set up and manage, and they come with a number of pre-configured features that make development and testing faster and easier. In this guide, we covered the basics of Scratch Orgs, including how to create a Scratch Org and how to populate it with data.
