Top 30 Most Common Salesforce Sfdc Interview Questions You Should Prepare For
Written by
James Miller, Career Coach
Introduction
Preparing for a Salesforce interview requires a solid understanding of the platform's core concepts, development capabilities, and architectural principles. Whether you're aiming for an Administrator, Developer, Consultant, or Architect role, interviewers will gauge your proficiency across various areas. This comprehensive guide covers the top 30 most common Salesforce SFDC interview questions you're likely to encounter in 2025. We'll delve into essential topics ranging from fundamental definitions and data modeling to automation, coding, integrations, and security. Mastering these questions and knowing how to structure your answers effectively can significantly boost your confidence and performance. Use this resource to refine your knowledge, anticipate potential questions, and articulate your experience clearly. Acing your Salesforce interview starts with thorough preparation, and this list provides the critical foundation you need to succeed.
What Are Salesforce SFDC Interview Questions
Salesforce SFDC interview questions are designed to assess a candidate's technical knowledge, practical experience, and problem-solving skills related to the Salesforce platform. These questions cover a wide spectrum, including declarative features (like objects, relationships, automation tools), programmatic aspects (Apex, Visualforce, Lightning), integration methods (APIs, middleware), data management, security models, and best practices. Interviewers use these questions to understand if you can effectively configure, customize, develop, and maintain a Salesforce instance to meet business requirements. They evaluate your grasp of Salesforce-specific terminology, architecture (like multi-tenancy and governor limits), and your ability to discuss real-world scenarios and solutions within the SFDC ecosystem.
Why Do Interviewers Ask These Questions
Interviewers ask these specific Salesforce SFDC interview questions to evaluate a candidate's foundational knowledge and practical application of the platform. They want to ensure you understand core concepts like data structures (objects, relationships), automation tools (workflows, triggers), and development practices (Apex, Visualforce, Lightning). Questions about governor limits assess your understanding of the multi-tenant environment's constraints. Integration and security questions test your ability to connect Salesforce with other systems and protect sensitive data. Scenario-based questions reveal your problem-solving approach and ability to apply knowledge. Ultimately, these questions help interviewers determine if you possess the necessary skills and experience to contribute effectively to a Salesforce project or team, ensuring you can handle common tasks and challenges within the SFDC environment.
Preview List
What is Salesforce?
What are the different types of objects in Salesforce?
What is the difference between a Master-Detail and Lookup Relationship?
What is a Workflow in Salesforce?
What is a Trigger in Salesforce?
What are Governor Limits in Salesforce?
What is SOQL?
What is SOSL?
What is a Visualforce page?
What are Apex Classes and Apex Triggers?
What is the difference between REST API and SOAP API?
What is an Integration Pattern in Salesforce?
What is a Connected App?
What is OAuth, and how is it used in Salesforce?
What is a Salesforce Sandbox, and how is it used?
What is a Lightning Component?
What is Change Data Capture?
How do you handle data migration in Salesforce?
What is Salesforce Connect?
How would you troubleshoot performance issues in Salesforce?
What is a Named Credential?
What are the differences between Enterprise WSDL and Partner WSDL?
What is Streaming API in Salesforce?
How do you ensure data quality in Salesforce?
What is a Custom Setting?
How does Salesforce handle security?
What are Governor Limits, and why are they important?
What is Apex Test Class, and why is it necessary?
Describe the Salesforce data model.
How would you integrate Salesforce with another CRM platform?
1. What is Salesforce?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your foundational understanding of what Salesforce is and its primary purpose as a leading cloud-based CRM platform.
How to answer:
Define Salesforce as a cloud CRM and mention its core functions (sales, service, marketing).
Example answer:
Salesforce is the leading cloud-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform. It helps organizations manage sales, service, marketing, and other business processes to improve customer relationships.
2. What are the different types of objects in Salesforce?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your knowledge of how data is structured and stored within the Salesforce database schema.
How to answer:
Explain the difference between Standard Objects and Custom Objects, providing examples of each.
Example answer:
Salesforce has Standard Objects, built-in by Salesforce (like Account, Contact), and Custom Objects, created by users to store organization-specific data unique to their business needs.
3. What is the difference between a Master-Detail and Lookup Relationship?
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your understanding of how records are linked in Salesforce and the implications for data integrity and security.
How to answer:
Highlight the security and deletion dependencies in Master-Detail vs. the independent nature of Lookup relationships.
Example answer:
A Master-Detail is a strong relationship where the child inherits security and deletion from the parent. A Lookup is a loose link; child and parent records exist independently.
4. What is a Workflow in Salesforce?
Why you might get asked this:
Checks your knowledge of declarative automation tools available in Salesforce for standard processes.
How to answer:
Describe Workflow as an automation tool triggering actions based on criteria (emails, field updates).
Example answer:
Workflow is a declarative automation tool in Salesforce used to automate internal procedures. It triggers actions like email alerts, field updates, tasks, or outbound messages based on defined rules and criteria.
5. What is a Trigger in Salesforce?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your knowledge of programmatic automation using Apex code to perform custom actions on data events.
How to answer:
Define Trigger as Apex code executing before or after DML operations on records.
Example answer:
A Trigger is an Apex code snippet that executes before or after database operations (insert, update, delete, undelete) on specific Salesforce records to perform custom logic or validations.
6. What are Governor Limits in Salesforce?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your understanding of Salesforce's multi-tenant architecture and resource constraints.
How to answer:
Explain that Governor Limits enforce resource usage limits in the multi-tenant environment for fair usage.
Example answer:
Governor Limits are runtime limits enforced by Salesforce in its multi-tenant environment to prevent code or processes from monopolizing shared resources, ensuring fair usage and system stability.
7. What is SOQL?
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your ability to query data from the Salesforce database programmatically.
How to answer:
Define SOQL as Salesforce Object Query Language used to retrieve data from single or related objects.
Example answer:
SOQL (Salesforce Object Query Language) is used to query the Salesforce database to retrieve records from a single object or related objects efficiently.
8. What is SOSL?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your knowledge of text-based searching across multiple objects in Salesforce.
How to answer:
Define SOSL as Salesforce Object Search Language used for text searches across multiple objects.
Example answer:
SOSL (Salesforce Object Search Language) is used for performing text-based searches across multiple standard and custom objects in Salesforce simultaneously.
9. What is a Visualforce page?
Why you might get asked this:
Checks your understanding of the legacy framework for creating custom user interfaces in Salesforce.
How to answer:
Describe Visualforce as a tag-based markup language for building custom UIs on the platform.
Example answer:
Visualforce is a tag-based markup language used to create custom user interfaces (UIs) on the Salesforce platform, rendering pages primarily using Apex controllers.
10. What are Apex Classes and Apex Triggers?
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your understanding of the building blocks for programmatic development in Salesforce.
How to answer:
Differentiate Apex Classes (reusable code) from Apex Triggers (code reacting to data events).
Example answer:
Apex Classes are reusable code units defining business logic, while Apex Triggers are special Apex code that executes automatically before or after data manipulation operations on Salesforce records.
11. What is the difference between REST API and SOAP API?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your knowledge of Salesforce integration methods and their appropriate use cases.
How to answer:
Compare their architectural styles, data formats (JSON/XML), and typical use cases (mobile/web vs. enterprise).
Example answer:
REST API is lightweight, uses JSON/XML, and is good for mobile/web apps. SOAP API is XML-based, uses WSDL, and is more structured for enterprise integrations requiring formal contracts.
12. What is an Integration Pattern in Salesforce?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your awareness of standard approaches for connecting Salesforce with external systems.
How to answer:
Explain that integration patterns are standard methods for data exchange or process invocation with external systems.
Example answer:
Salesforce Integration Patterns are established approaches for connecting Salesforce with external applications, defining how data or processes flow, like Remote Process Invocation or Data Synchronization.
13. What is a Connected App?
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your understanding of how external applications securely access Salesforce via APIs.
How to answer:
Define a Connected App as a framework integrating external apps via APIs and OAuth for secure access.
Example answer:
A Connected App is a framework that allows external applications to integrate with Salesforce using standard API protocols like OAuth, providing secure data access without sharing user credentials directly.
14. What is OAuth, and how is it used in Salesforce?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your knowledge of secure authorization protocols commonly used in Salesforce integrations.
How to answer:
Explain OAuth as an authorization protocol and how Salesforce uses it for secure API access.
Example answer:
OAuth is an open standard for authorization. Salesforce uses it to allow external applications secure access to Salesforce data and resources without requiring users to share their login credentials.
15. What is a Salesforce Sandbox, and how is it used?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your familiarity with environments used for development, testing, and training separate from production.
How to answer:
Describe Sandboxes as copies of production used for development, testing, and training in isolation.
Example answer:
A Salesforce Sandbox is a copy of your production organization, used for development, testing, and training activities in a separate environment without impacting live data or users.
16. What is a Lightning Component?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your knowledge of the modern UI framework for building dynamic applications on the Salesforce Platform.
How to answer:
Define Lightning Components as a modular UI framework using JavaScript and Apex for dynamic apps.
Example answer:
A Lightning Component is a reusable unit of a dynamic web application built using the Lightning Component Framework (Aura or LWC) with JavaScript and Apex for building modern user interfaces.
17. What is Change Data Capture?
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your understanding of efficient data synchronization methods in real-time or near real-time.
How to answer:
Explain CDC as a feature that tracks and streams record changes for external system synchronization.
Example answer:
Change Data Capture (CDC) allows you to track changes in Salesforce records (create, update, delete, undelete) and broadcast them as platform events, enabling efficient data syncing with external systems.
18. How do you handle data migration in Salesforce?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your practical experience with moving data into or between Salesforce instances.
How to answer:
Mention tools like Data Loader/Import Wizard and key steps like mapping, cleansing, and validation.
Example answer:
Data migration involves using tools like Data Loader or Data Import Wizard. Key steps include data analysis, mapping legacy data to Salesforce objects, cleansing, migrating, and validating the imported data.
19. What is Salesforce Connect?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your knowledge of integrating external data sources without needing to replicate data in Salesforce.
How to answer:
Describe Salesforce Connect as a feature using external objects to access external data in real-time.
Example answer:
Salesforce Connect is a feature that lets you integrate data from external sources in real-time without copying it into Salesforce. It uses OData or other connectors to display external data via external objects.
20. How would you troubleshoot performance issues in Salesforce?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your problem-solving skills and understanding of factors affecting Salesforce performance.
How to answer:
Suggest checking governor limits, optimizing queries/code, using debug logs, and reviewing data design.
Example answer:
Troubleshooting performance involves analyzing debug logs for governor limits, optimizing SOQL/SOSL queries, reviewing Apex code for efficiency, checking page layouts, and evaluating data model design.
21. What is a Named Credential?
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your knowledge of secure methods for making callouts to external services.
How to answer:
Define Named Credential as a secure way to store callout endpoint URLs and authentication settings.
Example answer:
A Named Credential specifies the URL of a callout endpoint and its required authentication parameters in one definition. It's a secure way to make callouts without mixing endpoint details in code.
22. What are the differences between Enterprise WSDL and Partner WSDL?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your understanding of different WSDL types used for SOAP API integrations and their characteristics.
How to answer:
Compare their typing (strongly vs. loosely) and their use cases (specific org vs. generic client).
Example answer:
Enterprise WSDL is strongly typed and specific to an organization's Salesforce metadata. Partner WSDL is loosely typed, generic, and used by clients that need to work with multiple orgs or dynamic data.
23. What is Streaming API in Salesforce?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your knowledge of real-time data integration methods.
How to answer:
Explain Streaming API enables receiving real-time notifications of data changes using PushTopic or CDC events.
Example answer:
Streaming API allows subscribing to events (like PushTopic or Change Data Capture) to receive near real-time notifications of changes to Salesforce data, facilitating real-time integrations.
24. How do you ensure data quality in Salesforce?
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your understanding of standard practices and tools for maintaining clean and accurate data.
How to answer:
Mention using validation rules, duplicate rules, automation, and regular data cleansing activities.
Example answer:
Data quality is ensured using validation rules to enforce data format, duplicate rules to identify/prevent duplicates, workflow/flow automation for data consistency, and regular data cleansing initiatives.
25. What is a Custom Setting?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your knowledge of storing configuration data without using SOQL queries.
How to answer:
Describe Custom Settings as hierarchical or list data for config, accessible in Apex/formulas without SOQL.
Example answer:
Custom Settings are configuration data that custom applications can use, accessible in Apex, Visualforce, or formulas without SOQL. They are similar to custom objects but optimized for application settings.
26. How does Salesforce handle security?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your understanding of the multi-layered security model in Salesforce.
How to answer:
Explain security features like profiles, roles, permission sets, OWDs, sharing rules, and field-level security.
Example answer:
Salesforce security is layered, including Organization-Wide Defaults (OWD) for baseline access, roles for hierarchy, sharing rules for exceptions, profiles/permission sets for object/field/app access, and field-level security.
27. What are Governor Limits, and why are they important?
Why you might get asked this:
A critical concept; tests your grasp of resource management in the multi-tenant cloud. (Repeat from Q6, phrasing importance)
How to answer:
Define them as resource limits and emphasize their importance for system stability and fair resource sharing.
Example answer:
Governor Limits are runtime limits enforced by Salesforce to prevent any single tenant from consuming excessive resources. They are vital for ensuring the performance, stability, and fairness of the multi-tenant platform for all users.
28. What is Apex Test Class, and why is it necessary?
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates your understanding of testing best practices and deployment requirements for Apex code.
How to answer:
Explain they verify Apex code functionality and are required for deployment to production (75% coverage).
Example answer:
Apex Test Classes are used to test whether Apex code performs as expected. They are necessary because Salesforce requires a minimum of 75% code coverage to deploy Apex to production environments.
29. Describe the Salesforce data model.
Why you might get asked this:
Tests your overall understanding of how data entities and their relationships are organized in Salesforce.
How to answer:
Describe it as objects (standard/custom), fields, and relationships (lookup/master-detail) representing business data structure.
Example answer:
The Salesforce data model consists of objects (like tables), fields (like columns), and relationships (like foreign keys, specifically lookup and master-detail) that define how business data is structured and connected.
30. How would you integrate Salesforce with another CRM platform?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your practical knowledge of complex integration scenarios.
How to answer:
Outline steps: data mapping, choosing API/middleware, authentication (OAuth), and communication.
Example answer:
Integrating Salesforce with another CRM involves understanding data mapping, choosing the right API (REST/SOAP) or middleware (MuleSoft), implementing secure authentication (OAuth), handling data transformations, and planning for ongoing synchronization.
Other Tips to Prepare for a Salesforce SFDC Interview
Beyond mastering these specific Salesforce SFDC interview questions, successful preparation involves several key strategies. Firstly, review the specific role's requirements and tailor your examples to match the seniority and focus (Admin, Dev, Consultant, etc.). Practice articulating your experience with real-world scenarios; interviewers value candidates who can explain how they've applied their knowledge to solve business problems using the platform. As industry expert Sarah Lee puts it, "Interviewers want to see not just what you know, but how you've used it effectively." Consider using a tool like Verve AI Interview Copilot (https://vervecopilot.com) to practice answering Salesforce SFDC interview questions and get feedback on your delivery and content. Staying updated on recent Salesforce releases and features is also crucial, as the platform evolves rapidly. Finally, prepare insightful questions to ask the interviewer about the team, projects, and company culture – this shows genuine interest. Leveraging resources like Verve AI Interview Copilot can help refine your answers and practice your delivery, boosting confidence for your Salesforce interview.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What are the core Salesforce clouds? A1: Core clouds include Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and Experience Cloud, among others.
Q2: What is a Record Type? A2: A Record Type determines the picklist values and business processes available for records in an object.
Q3: Explain the Order of Execution. A3: The Order of Execution is the sequence Salesforce logic follows during record save operations (validation rules, Apex triggers, workflows, flows, etc.).
Q4: What is a Permission Set? A4: A Permission Set grants additional permissions and access settings to users without changing their profile.
Q5: What is Salesforce Flow? A5: Flow is a declarative automation tool for building complex business processes using a visual interface.
Q6: What is the difference between WhoId and WhatId in Activities? A6: WhoId is for people (Lead, Contact), WhatId is for related objects (Account, Opportunity, etc.).
