There is a huge surge seen in the custom app development ecosystem which allows businesses to build and operate their projects as per their ideation and strategies, employed developers or agencies have to program their thoughts, and help in publishing the app online. 

So that’s a partnership indeed! 

While building scalable custom apps has become the need of the moment, adapting to recurring business needs is important far more than ever. To not just earn more but also stay ahead of the competition. 

Salesforce, a number one cloud-based platform, offers the perfect foundation for such applications. 

Although, if you truly want to explore the full potential of Salesforce, the use of the tool Apex comes into the picture. Developers turn to Apex, a robust programming language to customize and design scalable apps effectively. 

What’s next needed to employ scalable custom software development services on Salesforce with Apex? Well, this guide! 

We’ll dive into how to leverage Salesforce Apex to build scalable, high-performing custom apps. Whether you’re looking to automate complex workflows, integrate with external systems, or ensure your app grows with your business, mastering Apex is key to success on the Salesforce platform.

Let’s explore the steps, best practices, and strategies to create scalable custom apps that keep your business agile in an ever-changing landscape.

If you are a startup looking to grab opportunities in Salesforce in 2024, here’s everything you must know about! 

So.. Why Businesses Need Scalable Apps and How Salesforce Apex Provides the Solution? 

In the current technology scenarios, a lot of businesses contend with expanding user populations, rising data quantities, and intricate procedures. Owners may have poor performance, longer response times, and constrained capabilities as they grow if they don’t have a scalable app architecture.

One important option for creating scalable bespoke apps is Salesforce Apex. Apex makes sure your app grows with your business by automating complicated processes, handling massive datasets, and running on Salesforce’s cloud architecture. This allows your app to work efficiently even when needs increase. Apex helps companies to maintain a smooth, high-performing app environment by utilizing best practices including batch handling, asynchronous processing, and Governor Limits management.

Let’s also read: The role of Apex, Visualforce, and Lighting in Salesforce development

What is Salesforce Apex?

Salesforce Apex is a potent, object-oriented, strongly typed programming language created especially for developers to enhance and personalize the features of the Salesforce platform. 

Salesforce’s sophisticated cloud infrastructure enables enterprises to develop scalable apps, integrate external systems, and execute unique business logic. With a syntax akin to Java, Apex operates in a multi-tenant environment on Salesforce servers, guaranteeing efficiency and security.

Core Features and Functionalities of Salesforce Apex

Because of its abundance of functionality, Apex is the preferred option for creating bespoke Salesforce apps.

1. Cloud-Based Execution: 

Since Apex is built directly on Salesforce’s cloud architecture, organizations don’t need to worry about managing servers or deployments and can enjoy high availability.

Read various cloud types of Salesforce

2. Event-Driven: 

Apex is perfect for automating workflows because it enables developers to create triggers that react to database events like record creation, changes, or removals.

3. Support for Bulk Processing: 

Batch Apex and asynchronous processes allow Apex to retain speed even while working with enormous datasets. Apex is optimized to handle massive amounts of data.

4. Governor Limits Enforcement: 

Salesforce’s governor limits preserve app performance and dependability by ensuring effective code execution without consuming all available resources.

5. Integration Capabilities: 

Apex facilitates HTTP callouts, REST, and SOAP web services for integration with external systems. This enables smooth data transfer between Salesforce and external apps.

6. Simple Testing and Debugging: 

The Salesforce Developer Console and Apex Debug Logs are built-in tools that make debugging easier, while Apex’s unit testing architecture enables thorough testing prior to release.

Want to hire Salesforce developers in the UK? Here’s how you to start the search! 

When To Take Use of Salesforce Apex

Although Salesforce provides many declarative (point-and-click) tools, there are situations in which Apex is required because these tools are insufficient:

Complex Business Logic: 

Apex enables developers to design sophisticated solutions when processes demand more sophisticated logic than can be handled by basic Salesforce automation tools like Process Builder or Flow.

Real-Time Data Validation and Processing: 

Accurate, real-time processing of data validation and manipulation is ensured by using Apex to establish triggers that act as soon as a record is produced or altered.

Bulk Data Processing: 

Apex’s support for Batch processing works better than declarative solutions for tasks requiring huge datasets, such as updating thousands of entries at once.

Custom Integrations: 

Apex’s web service capabilities provide the required flexibility and control for connecting Salesforce with other systems, such as third-party CRM platforms, payment gateways, or ERP software.

Scalability: 

Apex makes sure that apps stay effective, scalable, and able to accommodate growing numbers of users and data without compromising performance as a business expands.

Why Build Scalable Custom Apps?

Scalability is now required in today’s fast-paced corporate world; it is no longer an option. Building scalable apps guarantees that your software can manage changing demands without sacrificing speed or user experience, whether you’re an established organization managing an expanding number of users and procedures or a startup experiencing rapid expansion.

The Value of Expandability

Scalability is the capacity of an application to extend and effectively handle a growing workload. The number of app users, data volumes, and transaction rates all increase as your firm expands. Your software may slow down, become unusable, or even crash if you don’t have a scalable solution, which might result in unhappy users and even lost income.

Developing scalable applications enables companies to:

Guarantee Consistent Performance: 

A scalable application keeps up its excellent performance even as its user base and data volume expand, guaranteeing that users will always have a smooth experience.

Accommodate Growth: 

To accommodate growth, scalable applications are designed to be able to quickly adapt to spikes in usage or traffic, which might be caused by marketing campaigns or corporate development.

Cut Costs Over Time: 

Businesses may save long-term operating costs by using scalable apps, which are made to expand without necessitating costly infrastructure modifications or frequent maintenance.

Remain Competitive: 

Apps must change as companies and sectors do. Scalable solutions guarantee that you may add new features and services to your app without having to start from scratch.

Challenges When Employing Salesforce Apex

Developing scalable applications is not an easy task. As companies grow, a number of problems may occur:

Performance bottlenecks: 

If an application isn’t designed to manage scalability, an increase in user demand may cause processes to bog down or overwhelm servers.

Data management: 

Without a suitable architecture, handling big data volumes effectively becomes challenging and might result in processing slowness or mistakes.

Integration Complexities: 

If an app isn’t built with scalability in mind, integrating several systems or other platforms may put undue burden on it.

These difficulties emphasize the need of giving scalability a priority right from the start when developing an app.

How Apex Overcomes These Challenges

Optimized for Huge Data Sets: 

Batch Apex and other bulk processing features of Apex are made especially to handle and handle massive amounts of data without sacrificing efficiency.

Effective Resource Management: 

The Governor Limits implemented by Salesforce provide effective code execution, therefore averting the overuse of shared resources and guaranteeing the app’s continued functionality even under high usage.

Asynchronous Processing: 

By offloading laborious procedures, features like Queueable Apex and Future Methods enable tasks to be completed in the background, maximizing real-time speed and enhancing program scalability.

Flexible connectors: 

Apex has strong third-party system connectors, so your app may simply expand to accommodate additional tools or services as your company expands.

Steps To Build Scalable Custom Apps on Salesforce Using Apex

Building a scalable custom app on Salesforce using Apex involves a strategic approach, considering both the immediate functionality of the app and its ability to grow as your business expands. By following a structured process, developers can ensure that their apps are efficient, capable of handling large volumes of data, and adaptable to future needs. Here are the key steps involved in developing scalable apps using Apex on Salesforce:

Head on to read the reasons behind choosing a dedicated Salesforce developer for business needs!

1. Identify the Needs for Your Business

It’s critical to comprehend the requirements and objectives of your organization before developing any code. 

By matching the app’s capabilities with the firm’s operations and projected growth, defining the business requirements creates the groundwork for a scalable application. 

Determine which essential functions the app must serve first, such as data analysis, customer administration, or workflow automation. Scalability should be considered when you work with stakeholders to obtain particular needs. 

By doing this, it will be easier to avoid making snap judgments that can restrict the app’s future growth.

Consider the app’s user base, anticipated data expansion, and long-term integration strategies in particular at this phase. 

Due to the fact that these factors will influence choices about data format, business logic, and performance improvements, it is crucial to make sure they are thoroughly documented. Ensuring scalability from the start guarantees that the software can accommodate expansion in the future without requiring significant redesigns.

2. Configure the Salesforce Environment

Setting up the Salesforce development environment comes next, when the business needs are established. This entails setting up the required custom fields, objects, and relationships in Salesforce.

For an app to scale, its data model has to be well-organized and tidy. Inefficient data models with poor structure can make scaling difficult without sacrificing performance.

Create a data model that effectively stores and retrieves data as the main goal of this stage. Make sure the structure is adaptable enough to handle future changes by visualizing and designing the relationships between objects using Salesforce’s schema builder. 

Reliability linkages shouldn’t be extremely complicated as this might impede data processing. When creating your own fields and objects, instead, concentrate on efficiency and simplicity.

Utilizing Salesforce’s integrated security and sharing tools is essential for setting up the environment and ensuring that the app maintains strong security controls even as it expands. Scalability of user access and permissions is possible without needless complexity when sharing rules and role hierarchies are set up properly.

3. Create Business Logic using Effective Apex Code

Salesforce’s primary programming language for building unique business logic is called Apex. Developers must write performance-optimized Apex code in addition to functional code in order to create scalable applications. 

Write clear, modular code at first, according to best practices (e.g., leveraging Apex classes to make logic reusable). As the application expands, make sure that your code is organized properly and adheres to naming standards to facilitate future maintenance.

Effective management of big datasets is a crucial component of scalability. An important factor to take into account in this stage is Apex’s governor constraints, which limit the amount of activities that may be carried out in a single transaction. 

As the program grows, it is imperative to write efficient code within these constraints to prevent performance bottlenecks. For instance, to avoid exceeding query restrictions, do not write SOQL (Salesforce Object Query Language) queries within loops. Rather, bulkify your queries by executing them after getting all required records simultaneously.

Composing effective triggers is also essential. Triggers are event-driven code segments that run when specific criteria are satisfied, such the creation or modification of a record. 

To sustain performance at scale, make sure your triggers are capable of handling bulk operations when you write them. To further ensure that real-time processes execute smoothly, think about using Apex asynchronous methods like Future methods and Queueable Apex to shift laborious or complex actions into the background.

4. Put Governor Limits Best Practices into Practice

Salesforce has governor limitations in place to safeguard the common multi-tenant environment and guarantee effective resource use. These constraints, which apply to all Apex executions, set limitations on the quantity of heap memory used, the number of database queries executed, and the number of records processed in a single transaction.

Developers need to understand these boundaries and create code that respects them in order to create scalable applications. Bulkification, or ensuring that code processes several records in a single execution rather than executing actions one at a time, is one of the primary strategies to operate under governor restrictions. Writing bulk-friendly programming that is meant to manage record collections—like lists and maps—rather than individual items can help achieve this.

Reducing the amount of database queries that are run during a transaction is another recommended approach. Consider merging several queries for various operations into a single SOQL query as an alternative to executing them separately. 

6. Optimize Performance with Asynchronous Apex

For apps that require long-running operations, such as complex calculations or integrations with external systems, it’s essential to use Asynchronous Apex to maintain performance. Asynchronous Apex allows certain processes to run in the background, freeing up resources for real-time operations and ensuring that users do not experience delays in their workflows.

Salesforce provides several options for asynchronous processing, including Future Methods, Queueable Apex, and Scheduled Apex. Future methods are useful for simple tasks that need to be offloaded to run at a later time, while Queueable Apex provides more control over queuing and chaining asynchronous jobs. Scheduled Apex allows developers to schedule jobs to run at specific intervals, which is ideal for tasks like daily data synchronization or batch processing.

By leveraging asynchronous processing, developers can ensure that their apps remain responsive and performant, even when handling complex tasks or high volumes of data.

7. Test and Debug Your Apex Code

Testing is a crucial step in the development of scalable apps, as it ensures that your Apex code behaves as expected under various conditions. Salesforce requires that all Apex code have a minimum of 75% test coverage before it can be deployed to production, but for a scalable app, it’s important to aim for comprehensive test coverage that covers a wide range of scenarios.

Write unit tests for all Apex classes and triggers, focusing on bulk operations, edge cases, and different sets of input data. Ensure that your tests are designed to handle large datasets, as scalability issues often arise when the app is handling more data than anticipated. Use Salesforce’s testing framework to simulate different user profiles and permission sets, ensuring that the app scales appropriately across various use cases.

Debugging is also essential to maintaining scalability. Use tools like the Salesforce Developer Console and Apex Debug Logs to identify performance bottlenecks, monitor resource usage, and fine-tune your code. By proactively identifying and resolving issues during testing, you can ensure that your app remains scalable as it grows in complexity.

Best Practices for Optimizing Apex Code for Scalability

When building scalable custom apps using Salesforce Apex, following best practices ensures that your app can handle increasing demands. 

One key practice is bulkifying your code, meaning it’s written to handle large volumes of records in a single transaction instead of processing one record at a time. This approach helps avoid hitting governor limits and ensures smooth app performance as your business grows.

Additionally, minimizing SOQL queries and DML operations in loops can prevent performance bottlenecks. Instead, use collections like lists and maps to manage multiple records efficiently. 

Utilizing asynchronous processing techniques, such as Batch Apex or Queueable Apex, also offloads intensive tasks from real-time processes, maintaining app responsiveness under heavy loads. 

Regular code reviews, testing, and monitoring can help identify and fix potential performance issues early.

How to Test for Scalability in Apex

Testing is essential for ensuring scalability. Begin by writing comprehensive test classes that simulate various user scenarios, including handling large data sets, complex transactions, and multiple concurrent users. Test both synchronous and asynchronous code execution to verify that it performs efficiently under different workloads.

Salesforce provides Apex Test Methods and the Developer Console for creating and running tests. You should also monitor governor limits during testing to ensure that your code stays within the platform’s limits when dealing with large volumes of data. This will help avoid performance degradation when your app scales.

In addition to unit testing, conduct load testing to simulate high-traffic conditions and assess how your app handles peak loads. Identifying performance bottlenecks in test environments ensures the app is robust enough to scale in real-world scenarios.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building Scalable Apps with Apex

While building scalable apps, certain mistakes can limit your app’s growth potential. One common error is failing to bulkify code, leading to inefficient processing and hitting governor limits. Another mistake is ignoring governor limits altogether. Without careful attention to these restrictions, your app may face performance issues as data volumes grow.

Additionally, hardcoding values within Apex classes or triggers can restrict flexibility, making it harder to update or scale the app in the future. Instead, use dynamic or configurable approaches to ensure adaptability. Avoid relying solely on synchronous processing for long-running tasks; instead, leverage asynchronous methods like Queueable Apex or Batch Apex to maintain performance as your app scales.

Finally, skipping testing for scalability is a significant oversight. Testing in low-data environments without simulating real-world scenarios can leave your app unprepared for future growth.

Also read: Common mistakes while choosing a Salesforce consulting partner 

Conclusion

Building scalable custom apps on Salesforce using Apex requires a clear focus on performance optimization, efficient coding practices, and careful planning. 

By leveraging Apex’s robust features, adhering to best practices, and thoroughly testing your code, businesses can ensure their apps grow seamlessly alongside their operational needs. 

Apex’s ability to handle large datasets, asynchronous processing, and integration flexibility makes it an ideal tool for developing scalable applications that remain agile in the face of growing demands.

Hire DianApps as your dedicated Salesforce development company to build scalable custom apps on Salesforce using Apex today!