50 Salesforce Interview Questions (With Answers)

Salesforce interviews test your knowledge of the platform's data model, security, automation, development tools, and integration patterns. This guide covers 50 common questions — with concise answers and examples for both developers and admins.

Quick reference

Platform Basics

1. What is Salesforce and what are its main clouds?

Salesforce is a cloud-based CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platform. It offers several clouds for different business functions:

2. What is the difference between Standard and Custom objects?

Standard objects are provided out-of-the-box by Salesforce (Account, Contact, Lead, Opportunity, Case). They have predefined fields and relationships aligned to common CRM use cases.

Custom objects are created by developers/admins to store business-specific data (e.g., Invoice__c, Project__c). Custom objects end with __c suffix.

// Querying a custom object
List<Invoice__c> invoices = [
    SELECT Id, Name, Amount__c, Status__c
    FROM Invoice__c
    WHERE Status__c = 'Open'
];

3. What are the types of relationships in Salesforce?

Master-Detail relationships roll up summary fields (COUNT, SUM, MIN, MAX) to the parent.

4. What is a junction object?

A junction object implements a many-to-many relationship using two Master-Detail relationships:

Account ←── Account_Contact__c ───→ Contact

The junction object (Account_Contact__c) has a Master-Detail field to each parent. Deleting either parent deletes the junction records.

5. What are the Salesforce data types for custom fields?

Security Model

6. What is the Salesforce security model?

Salesforce uses a layered security model:

Organisation-level → Profile/Permission Sets → Object-level → Field-level → Record-level

1. Org-level: Login hours, IP restrictions, password policies
2. Object-level: CRUD permissions via profiles/permission sets
3. Field-level security (FLS): Visible/editable per field per profile
4. Record-level: OWD + sharing rules + manual sharing + role hierarchy

7. What is the difference between Profiles and Permission Sets?

Profiles define the minimum access; Permission Sets add access on top.

8. What is OWD (Organisation-Wide Defaults)?

OWD is the baseline sharing setting for each object. It determines the default level of access users have to records they don't own:

OWD is the most restrictive setting; you then open it up with sharing rules and role hierarchy.

9. What are Sharing Rules?

Sharing Rules automatically extend access to records beyond what OWD allows, based on:

• Criteria-based sharing: Share records matching field criteria (e.g., all Leads in a specific region)
• Owner-based sharing: Share records owned by users in a specific group or role

OWD: Private → Sharing Rule: Share all Open Opportunities with Sales Manager role

10. What is Field-Level Security (FLS)?

FLS controls whether a field is visible and/or editable for a profile. It restricts access at the field level even if the user has object access.

FLS affects:

• Page layouts (hidden fields not shown)
• SOQL queries (FLS-enforced via WITH SECURITY_ENFORCED or Security.stripInaccessible)
• Apex code (must explicitly enforce FLS in code)

Automation

11. What are the automation tools in Salesforce, and when to use each?

Salesforce recommendation (2024+): Use Flows for declarative automation; Apex for what Flows can't do.

12. What is a Flow and what types exist?

A Flow is a declarative automation tool that can query, update records, interact with users, and call Apex.

13. What is a Validation Rule?

A Validation Rule uses a formula that returns TRUE when the data is invalid, preventing the record from being saved:

// Only allow Status = 'Closed' if CloseDate is in the past
AND(
    ISPICKVAL(Status__c, 'Closed'),
    CloseDate > TODAY()
)

Error message is shown to the user when the formula evaluates to true.

14. What is the execution order for Salesforce triggers and automation?

When a record is saved, Salesforce processes in this order:

1. System validation (required fields, field format)
2. Before triggers
3. Custom validation rules
4. Duplicate rules
5. After triggers
6. Assignment rules
7. Auto-response rules
8. Workflow rules (field updates re-trigger before/after triggers once)
9. Processes
10. Escalation rules
11. Record-triggered flows (before save, then after save)
12. Entitlement rules
13. Roll-up summaries + parent triggers

APEX

15. What is Apex and how is it different from Java?

Apex is Salesforce's proprietary, cloud-hosted programming language. It's syntactically similar to Java but:

• Runs on Salesforce servers (not your infrastructure)
• Has built-in DML (database operations) and SOQL
• Is subject to governor limits to ensure multitenant fairness
• Has no file system access
• Cannot spawn threads (async via Future, Queueable, Batch)

public class AccountHelper {
    public static void updateAccountName(Id accountId, String newName) {
        Account acc = [SELECT Id, Name FROM Account WHERE Id = :accountId];
        acc.Name = newName;
        update acc;
    }
}

16. What are Governor Limits in Apex?

Governor limits prevent any single org from monopolising shared Salesforce resources:

Key principle: Always write bulkified code — never put SOQL or DML inside loops.

17. What is trigger bulkification and why is it important?

Triggers receive up to 200 records at once. Non-bulkified code hits governor limits:

// BAD — SOQL inside loop, hits 101 query limit
trigger BadTrigger on Contact (before insert) {
    for (Contact c : Trigger.new) {
        Account acc = [SELECT Id FROM Account WHERE Id = :c.AccountId]; // N queries!
        c.Description = acc.Name;
    }
}

// GOOD — Bulkified
trigger GoodTrigger on Contact (before insert) {
    Set<Id> accountIds = new Set<Id>();
    for (Contact c : Trigger.new) {
        accountIds.add(c.AccountId);
    }
    Map<Id, Account> accounts = new Map<Id, Account>(
        [SELECT Id, Name FROM Account WHERE Id IN :accountIds]
    );
    for (Contact c : Trigger.new) {
        c.Description = accounts.get(c.AccountId)?.Name;
    }
}

18. What are the different async Apex patterns?

// Batch Apex example
public class AccountBatch implements Database.Batchable<SObject> {
    public Database.QueryLocator start(Database.BatchableContext bc) {
        return Database.getQueryLocator('SELECT Id, Name FROM Account');
    }
    public void execute(Database.BatchableContext bc, List<Account> scope) {
        // Process up to 200 records per chunk
        for (Account acc : scope) {
            acc.Description = 'Processed';
        }
        update scope;
    }
    public void finish(Database.BatchableContext bc) {
        // Send email or trigger next job
    }
}
// Run: Database.executeBatch(new AccountBatch(), 200);

19. What is a Trigger Handler pattern and why use it?

The Trigger Handler pattern keeps trigger logic out of the trigger file, enabling:

• Single trigger per object
• Easier unit testing
• Context-aware dispatch

// Trigger file (thin)
trigger AccountTrigger on Account (before insert, before update, after insert, after update) {
    AccountTriggerHandler handler = new AccountTriggerHandler();
    if (Trigger.isBefore) {
        if (Trigger.isInsert) handler.beforeInsert(Trigger.new);
        if (Trigger.isUpdate) handler.beforeUpdate(Trigger.new, Trigger.oldMap);
    }
    if (Trigger.isAfter) {
        if (Trigger.isInsert) handler.afterInsert(Trigger.new, Trigger.newMap);
    }
}

// Handler class
public class AccountTriggerHandler {
    public void beforeInsert(List<Account> newAccounts) {
        for (Account acc : newAccounts) {
            acc.Description = 'Created via trigger';
        }
    }
    public void beforeUpdate(List<Account> newAccounts, Map<Id, Account> oldMap) {
        // Compare new vs old values
    }
    public void afterInsert(List<Account> newAccounts, Map<Id, Account> newMap) {
        // Async callouts, platform events
    }
}

20. What is Database.SaveResult and when to use Database.insert vs insert?

List<Account> accounts = new List<Account>{
    new Account(Name = 'Valid'),
    new Account() // Missing required Name field
};

List<Database.SaveResult> results = Database.insert(accounts, false);
for (Database.SaveResult sr : results) {
    if (!sr.isSuccess()) {
        for (Database.Error err : sr.getErrors()) {
            System.debug('Error: ' + err.getMessage());
        }
    }
}

SOQL & SOSL

21. What is SOQL and how does it differ from SQL?

SOQL (Salesforce Object Query Language) queries Salesforce data:

-- Parent-to-child (subquery)
SELECT Id, Name, (SELECT Id, LastName FROM Contacts) FROM Account

-- Child-to-parent (dot notation)
SELECT Id, LastName, Account.Name, Account.BillingCity FROM Contact WHERE Account.Industry = 'Technology'

-- Aggregate
SELECT StageName, COUNT(Id) cnt, SUM(Amount) total FROM Opportunity GROUP BY StageName

22. What is the difference between SOQL and SOSL?

// SOSL example
List<List<SObject>> results = [
    FIND 'Salesforce' IN ALL FIELDS
    RETURNING Account(Id, Name), Contact(Id, FirstName, LastName)
];
List<Account> accounts = (List<Account>) results[0];
List<Contact> contacts = (List<Contact>) results[1];

23. What are aggregate functions in SOQL?

-- COUNT with GROUP BY
SELECT StageName, COUNT(Id) numOpps, SUM(Amount) totalAmount
FROM Opportunity
WHERE IsClosed = false
GROUP BY StageName
HAVING COUNT(Id) > 5
ORDER BY SUM(Amount) DESC
LIMIT 10

Aggregate results are returned as AggregateResult[]:

List<AggregateResult> results = [
    SELECT StageName, COUNT(Id) cnt FROM Opportunity GROUP BY StageName
];
for (AggregateResult ar : results) {
    System.debug(ar.get('StageName') + ': ' + ar.get('cnt'));
}

24. What are SOQL semi-joins and anti-joins?

-- Semi-join: Contacts who have an open case
SELECT Id, Name FROM Contact
WHERE Id IN (SELECT ContactId FROM Case WHERE Status != 'Closed')

-- Anti-join: Contacts with NO open case
SELECT Id, Name FROM Contact
WHERE Id NOT IN (SELECT ContactId FROM Case WHERE Status != 'Closed')

25. How do you avoid SOQL injection in dynamic SOQL?

// VULNERABLE — never concatenate user input
String query = 'SELECT Id FROM Account WHERE Name = \'' + userInput + '\'';

// SAFE — use bind variables
String safeName = userInput;
List<Account> accs = Database.query('SELECT Id FROM Account WHERE Name = :safeName');

// SAFE — use String.escapeSingleQuotes() if bind var not possible
String escaped = String.escapeSingleQuotes(userInput);

Lightning Web Components (LWC)

26. What is LWC and how does it differ from Aura?

LWC (Lightning Web Components) is Salesforce's modern UI framework based on Web Standards (Shadow DOM, Custom Elements, ES modules). Aura is the older proprietary framework.

27. What are the decorators in LWC?

import { LightningElement, api, track, wire } from 'lwc';
import getContacts from '@salesforce/apex/ContactController.getContacts';
import { getRecord } from 'lightning/uiRecordApi';

export default class ContactList extends LightningElement {
    @api recordId;        // Passed from parent or record page context
    @track contacts = []; // Private reactive state
    
    @wire(getRecord, { recordId: '$recordId', fields: ['Account.Name'] })
    account;
    
    @wire(getContacts, { accountId: '$recordId' })
    wiredContacts({ error, data }) {
        if (data) this.contacts = data;
        if (error) console.error(error);
    }
}

28. How does data binding work in LWC?

LWC uses one-way data binding from parent to child. For child-to-parent communication, use events.

<!-- parent.html -->
<template>
    <c-child name={parentName} ongreet={handleGreet}></c-child>
</template>

// child.js
import { LightningElement, api } from 'lwc';
export default class Child extends LightningElement {
    @api name;
    handleClick() {
        this.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('greet', { detail: this.name }));
    }
}

29. What are the LWC lifecycle hooks?

connectedCallback() {
    // Safe to access this.template here
    // DOM not yet rendered
}

renderedCallback() {
    // DOM is rendered — access elements with this.template.querySelector
    // Guard against infinite loops!
    if (!this.initialized) {
        this.initialized = true;
        this.template.querySelector('input')?.focus();
    }
}

30. How do you call Apex from LWC?

Two patterns:

// 1. @wire — automatic, reactive
@wire(getContacts, { accountId: '$recordId' })
contacts;

// 2. Imperative — on-demand (button click, conditional)
import getContacts from '@salesforce/apex/ContactController.getContacts';

async handleSearch() {
    try {
        this.contacts = await getContacts({ accountId: this.recordId });
    } catch (error) {
        this.error = error;
    }
}

Integrations

31. What are the Salesforce integration patterns?

32. What is the Salesforce REST API?

Salesforce exposes a REST API for CRUD operations on records:

-- Query
GET /services/data/v59.0/query?q=SELECT+Id,Name+FROM+Account+LIMIT+10
Authorization: Bearer {access_token}

-- Create
POST /services/data/v59.0/sobjects/Account/
Content-Type: application/json
{ "Name": "New Account", "Industry": "Technology" }

-- Update
PATCH /services/data/v59.0/sobjects/Account/{recordId}
{ "Industry": "Finance" }

-- Delete
DELETE /services/data/v59.0/sobjects/Account/{recordId}

33. What are Platform Events?

Platform Events are a publish-subscribe messaging system within Salesforce:

// Publish
Order_Event__e event = new Order_Event__e(
    Order_Id__c = orderId,
    Status__c = 'Shipped'
);
Database.SaveResult sr = EventBus.publish(event);

// Subscribe via Trigger
trigger OrderEventTrigger on Order_Event__e (after insert) {
    for (Order_Event__e e : Trigger.new) {
        // Process event
    }
}

Platform Events decouple systems and survive transaction rollbacks.

34. What is the Bulk API and when to use it?

Bulk API 2.0 is designed for loading/extracting millions of records asynchronously. It processes records in batches of up to 10,000 and is the recommended tool for:

• Initial data migrations
• Regular large-scale data syncs
• Mass updates/deletes

Compared to REST API (which handles up to 200 records per composite request), Bulk API handles millions with much higher governor limits.

35. What is a Connected App?

A Connected App defines an external application's OAuth integration with Salesforce. It provides:

• Client ID and Client Secret for OAuth flows
• Scope restrictions (what data the external app can access)
• IP whitelisting and session policies

OAuth flows:

• Web Server Flow: Server-side apps (most secure)
• User-Agent Flow: Client-side apps
• JWT Bearer Token Flow: Server-to-server (no user login required)
• Username-Password Flow: Legacy, avoid in production

Testing

36. Why is test coverage important in Salesforce?

Salesforce requires 75% code coverage to deploy Apex to production. However, tests exist to:

• Verify business logic correctness
• Prevent regressions
• Meet platform deployment requirements

Best practices:

• Test positive paths, negative paths, and bulk scenarios (200 records)
• Use @TestSetup for shared test data creation
• Never use SeeAllData=true unless absolutely necessary

37. What is @TestSetup and why use it?

@TestSetup creates test data once per test class, shared across all test methods (each method gets its own rollback):

@isTest
public class AccountTriggerTest {
    @TestSetup
    static void setup() {
        // Runs once — data visible to all test methods
        Account acc = new Account(Name = 'Test Account');
        insert acc;
    }
    
    @isTest
    static void testBeforeInsert() {
        Account acc = [SELECT Id, Description FROM Account WHERE Name = 'Test Account'];
        System.assertEquals('Created via trigger', acc.Description, 'Description should be set');
    }
    
    @isTest
    static void testBulkInsert() {
        List<Contact> contacts = new List<Contact>();
        Account acc = [SELECT Id FROM Account LIMIT 1];
        for (Integer i = 0; i < 200; i++) {
            contacts.add(new Contact(LastName = 'Test' + i, AccountId = acc.Id));
        }
        Test.startTest();
        insert contacts;
        Test.stopTest();
        System.assertEquals(200, [SELECT COUNT() FROM Contact WHERE AccountId = :acc.Id]);
    }
}

38. What is Test.startTest() / Test.stopTest()?

• Test.startTest() resets governor limits for the code under test
• Test.stopTest() flushes all async operations (future methods, batch jobs) and waits for completion

@isTest
static void testAsyncMethod() {
    Account acc = new Account(Name = 'Async Test');
    insert acc;
    
    Test.startTest();
    MyAsyncClass.processAccount(acc.Id); // @future method
    Test.stopTest(); // Future method runs synchronously here
    
    // Assert after stopTest
    Account updated = [SELECT Id, Description FROM Account WHERE Id = :acc.Id];
    System.assertNotEquals(null, updated.Description);
}

39. How do you mock callouts in Apex tests?

You cannot make real HTTP callouts in tests. Use HttpCalloutMock:

// Mock implementation
@isTest
global class MockHttpResponse implements HttpCalloutMock {
    global HTTPResponse respond(HTTPRequest req) {
        HTTPResponse res = new HTTPResponse();
        res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json');
        res.setBody('{"status": "success"}');
        res.setStatusCode(200);
        return res;
    }
}

// Test using mock
@isTest
static void testCallout() {
    Test.setMock(HttpCalloutMock.class, new MockHttpResponse());
    Test.startTest();
    String result = MyCalloutClass.fetchData();
    Test.stopTest();
    System.assertEquals('success', result);
}

Admin Concepts

40. What is the difference between a Role and a Profile?

Roles build a hierarchy — users can see records owned by users below them in the hierarchy (when OWD is Private and hierarchy grants access is enabled).

41. What is Record Type?

Record Types allow different page layouts, picklist values, and business processes for the same object based on user profile:

Case object:
  ├── Technical Support (record type) → Technical Layout, Priority picklist: High/Medium/Low
  └── Billing Dispute (record type) → Billing Layout, Priority picklist: Urgent/Normal

Users see only the picklist values assigned to their record type.

42. What are Formula Fields vs Roll-Up Summary Fields?

Formula: Discount_Amount__c = Amount * Discount_Percent__c / 100
Roll-Up: Total_Cases__c = COUNT of Cases on Account

43. What are Process Builder and Workflow Rules (legacy)?

Both are legacy automation tools being replaced by Flows:

• Workflow Rules: Fire on record save → field update, email alert, task, outbound message
• Process Builder: Multi-criteria, multi-action, can create/update related records, call Flows

Salesforce recommends migrating both to Record-Triggered Flows for new automation.

Deployment

44. What are Change Sets?

Change Sets are a GUI-based deployment method between connected Salesforce orgs (e.g., Sandbox → Production). They:

• Contain metadata (Apex, objects, page layouts, flows, etc.)
• Require the orgs to be in the same Salesforce organisation environment
• Are one-directional (Outbound from source, Inbound in target)
• Do not support automated pipelines

45. What is Salesforce DX (SFDX)?

Salesforce DX is the modern developer-first approach using:

• Scratch Orgs: Short-lived disposable orgs for development
• Source-format metadata: Version-controlled in Git
• sf CLI: Command-line interface for all operations
• Unlocked Packages: Modular, versioned deployments

# Authenticate to org
sf org login web --alias myOrg

# Create scratch org
sf org create scratch --definition-file config/project-scratch-def.json --alias dev

# Push source to scratch org
sf project deploy start

# Pull changes from scratch org
sf project retrieve start

# Run tests
sf apex run test --test-level RunLocalTests --result-format human

46. What is a Metadata API deployment?

Metadata API is used for programmatic deployments via:

• Ant Migration Tool (legacy)
• sf CLI (sf project deploy start)
• CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions + sf CLI)

# GitHub Actions example
- name: Deploy to Production
  run: |
    sf project deploy start \
      --source-dir force-app \
      --target-org production \
      --test-level RunLocalTests

Advanced Topics

47. What is Mixed DML Exception and how to fix it?

Mixed DML Exception occurs when you try to insert/update setup objects (User, UserRole, Profile, PermissionSet) and non-setup objects in the same transaction:

// THROWS MixedDmlException
insert new Account(Name = 'Test');
insert new User(Username = 'test@example.com', ...);

// FIX — Use @future to separate transactions
public class UserHelper {
    @future
    public static void createUser(String username) {
        insert new User(Username = username, ...);
    }
}
// Then: UserHelper.createUser('test@example.com');

48. What is with sharing vs without sharing in Apex?

public with sharing class ContactHelper {
    // Users see only contacts they have access to
    public static List<Contact> getContacts() {
        return [SELECT Id, Name FROM Contact];
    }
}

49. What are Custom Metadata Types vs Custom Settings?

// Custom Metadata — no governor limit
List<My_Config__mdt> configs = [SELECT Value__c FROM My_Config__mdt];

// Custom Setting — cached access (no SOQL limit)
My_Setting__c setting = My_Setting__c.getOrgDefaults();

50. What is the difference between Queueable and Batch Apex?

public class ChainedJob implements Queueable {
    private Integer step;
    public ChainedJob(Integer step) { this.step = step; }
    
    public void execute(QueueableContext ctx) {
        // Do work for this step
        System.debug('Running step: ' + step);
        if (step < 5) {
            System.enqueueJob(new ChainedJob(step + 1)); // Chain next job
        }
    }
}
// Start: System.enqueueJob(new ChainedJob(1));

Common mistakes

Salesforce developer vs admin roles

Frequently asked questions

Q: What Salesforce certifications should I get?
Start with Salesforce Certified Administrator (foundation for all roles). Developers should add Platform Developer I (Apex, SOQL, LWC basics) and then Platform Developer II (advanced patterns). Architects pursue the Architect Journey certifications.

Q: What is the difference between insert and upsert in Apex?
insert always creates a new record. upsert creates or updates based on an external ID field (or the record's Salesforce ID). Use upsert for data migrations where you want idempotent operations.

Q: Can you call a trigger from a Flow?
No — but when a Flow performs DML (creates/updates a record), triggers on that object fire normally. Flows and triggers can indirectly interact through the standard save order.

Q: What is the difference between a List View and a Report?
List Views show records from a single object with basic filters. Reports can span multiple objects (with relationships), support grouping, summaries, charts, and can be scheduled/emailed. Reports are more powerful for analytics.

Q: How do you handle errors in LWC?
Use try/catch in imperative Apex calls, and check the error property from @wire. Show errors with lightning-card or lightning-formatted-text:

@wire(getContacts, { accountId: '$recordId' })
wiredContacts({ error, data }) {
    if (data) {
        this.contacts = data;
        this.error = undefined;
    } else if (error) {
        this.error = error.body?.message || 'Unknown error';
        this.contacts = undefined;
    }
}

Q: What is the Salesforce Well-Architected Framework?
Salesforce's equivalent of cloud architecture best practices. It covers four pillars: Trusted (security, compliance), Easy (user adoption, usability), Adaptable (extensibility, scalability), and Compliant (data governance, regulations).