5 #Lightning Tips for Visualforce Devs!

Most of us Salesforce Developers have started our development in Salesforce Classic. Now that the Lightning Experience is out there, we're starting to migrate our skillset from Visualforce to Lightning.

If you're in the process of starting your journey from Visualforce to Lightning, please keep reading, as I've got 5 tips for you! I hope you find them useful.

#1 - JavaScript Understanding

When I was more involved in Java projects I used to build apps with the DOJO framework. This is a JavaScript toolkit that provides multiple elements and UI components to help with Web App development.
When I moved to Lightning, I found this skillset very useful. I kept finding similarities between the Lightning and the DOJO framework.
So my #1 recommendation when it comes to starting with #Lightning is to have some JavaScript understanding. Any of the other popular frameworks (jQuery, ...) can do to help you understand the underlying JavaScript architecture.

#2 - Embedded #Lightning Components

The Lightning Experience provides a beautiful environment, and it's a very user-friendly one. But those who have been working on Salesforce Classic for a while (as is my case) may find it difficult to adjust to the new approach; and changing the look and feel of the platform, as well as the underlying technology, all at once, may be a bit disconcerting.
That's why I'd recommend starting by embedding your first #Lightning Components inside a Visualforce page that you can hook anywhere in Salesforce Classic.

The image above is an example of a Visualforce page that embeds the NewContactDataInput Lightning component. Note the use of the  < apex:includeLightning />  tag. Also be aware that not all the Lightning events are supported in Classic, but it's a good start to create something in #Lightning within your comfort zone of Salesforce Classic and Visualforce pages. 

#3 - Read the #Lightning Documentation

A good start point to understand the new Lightning Framework is the Official Documentation, where you can find the principles of the new technology, based on the open source Aura Framework.
I also find very useful the style documentation available in the SLDS (Salesforce Lightning Design System), where you find examples of the CSS classes used in the #Lightning Experience, and you can learn how to use them for your own custom components.

#4 - Explore your Developer Tools

One of my favourite tools is the MavensMate IDE. I use it together with Sublime Text 3 and it's really easy to use. The Lightning Component Bundles are made of a number of files; I find it quite difficult to navigate through the different elements from the Salesforce Developer Console.

Luckily, the IDE groups the files in the Bundle in the same folder, making it very easy to switch from the component to the controller, as shown in the image on top of these lines.

#5 - Test is a must!

When you work with Lightning Components, you find yourself in the wonderful world of a great UI experience; this is great because you "see your work" making progress!
However, sometimes this can distruct you from your Unit Tests, which will become a nightmare at deployment phase...
Trust me, I've found myself spending a whole day adding little bits and pieces to make my component look stunning, because the SLDS is so beautiful and easy to customise that your creativity gets boosted, but you can't forget about your component's controller; your controller is still an Apex class, and it needs to be Unit Tested to make it to Production!

And that's all for now. I hope you find this post useful.
Happy coding!  

Being a Salesforce Developer in the Community

There are times in your life when you pause for a few seconds and think to yourself: 'How did I end up here?'

I do that quite often; while I'm commuting to and from work or while travelling from here to there on the plane... Those moments that only belong to you, when only you can hear your thoughts... I do my own retrospectives, having an insight to what my life is and how I got to be the person I am and doing what I do.

And I'm talking about this because the content of my thoughts at those moments is actually my career path, and how I ended up being a Salesforce developer.

My previous development experience had mainly been with Java, working for a big consultancy firm on the financial services sector, and then working for a small consultancy on big civil engineering projects. That's when I heard about this other small company called Desynit with a few Java projects, but with a special focus on a different technology called Salesforce. And from that moment, my life as a developer started changing, giving me skills I hadn't had the chance to develop before.

What's the Salesforce learning curve?

This is one of the questions I'm asked more frequently, and the answer to it is simple: if you're a developer with an object oriented background, then it's really quick. My experience, coming from a Java background, is that you can easily learn Apex with minimal effort.

The rest (Visualforce, Lightning, ...) depends on your front-end skills before starting with Salesforce, but I always recommend everyone to take a look at Trailhead, where they can learn all things Salesforce, from user to admin to development; hundreds of guided tutorials that you can try yourself with the free Salesforce Developer ORGs.

My experience in the Community

The Salesforce community is a huge online space where you find answers to your questions, and also very funny pictures of people having fun in their DUGs (Salesforce Developer User Groups). From Twitter to Salesforce Stack Exchange you have lots of resources and people willing to help.

And that's what I've done myself. I surf the net looking for answers to my problems, I ask my questions to my fellow developers on Twitter, where the Salesforce community is huge.


 
But one of the things that's helped me the most was running my local Salesforce Developer User Group in Sevilla. Meeting people in your local area who work on your same industry is a key factor to motivate yourself. Since then, I've been able to show Salesforce to people who didn't know anything about Salesforce, and also discuss more advanced topics with other Salesforce professionals.

Since then I've given a few presentations and overcome one of my biggest fears in the past, public speaking. Having attended a few Salesforce events over the world, it was something I really wanted to be able to do. I started giving a few presentations as part of our DUG meetings, and managed to do a couple more with a bigger audience at Madrid Essentials.

And now I'm looking forward to the next one!


These are just a few things that make me appreciate to be part of the Salesforce community. It's been a long time since I've complained about work, so that must be a sign that some things are working well...

But if there's one thing that I can say is always true and constant in the Salesforce world, that is definitely LEARNING. There's always something new to learn. LEARN! LEARN! LEARN!

So keep your eyes peeled!

 

New Trailheads: the Salesforce Nautical Chart!

We've been joking about pirates lately. The Salesforce community has been talking a lot about it and we've been showing our sense of humour. See related tweets...

And just about the same time, Salesforce has released some new Trailhead content. It's like a Nautical Chart to guide your Salesforce navigation.

And this has just come out on time for our next DUG in Sevilla, we'll be doing some Trailhead sessions, and some of the attendees are beginners who have never worked with Salesforce, so perfect timing for the arrival of this new Trailhead. The key to a successful sailing!

Navigate the Salesforce Advantage

This new Trailhead will help us learn about the key differentiators that drive Salesforce's success: core values, innovative technology and vibrant ecosystem.

These are the 4 modules that make this new Trail:

Salesforce Success Model

Learn about who Salesforce is and the Four Core Differentiators (10 minutes)

Link here.

Salesforce Cloud Benefits

Understand the success that a complete CRM brings to your business and how it can help you evolve as your business needs change (10 minutes)

Link here.

Salesforce Technology Basics

Get to know the underlying technology principles of Salesforce; trusted Cloud, Multitenancy, Metadata and Development and Customisation of the platform (40 minutes)

Link here.

Salesforce Ecosystem

An insight to the Salesforce community, the available resources, events, and so forth... (20 minutes)

Link here.