You can see it againUnder pressure people bring back shapes and positions long after the wording has gone.
Picture superiority · Shepard 1967, Standing 1973
SALESFORCESalesforce Certified Platform Developer I
The Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I certification validates your ability to build and customize applications on the Salesforce Platform using Apex, Lightning Web Components, and declarative tools. It is designed for developers who translate business requirements into technical solutions that extend Salesforce's capabilities. Earning this credential demonstrates hands-on expertise in data modeling, business logic, and user interface development, positioning you for roles that demand Salesforce development proficiency.
Exam formatMultiple-choice, multiple-select, and scenario-based questions
DeliveryWebassessor
Free questions606
Content last reviewed 30 July 2026 · Up to date
The certification
What Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I proves, and what it asks of you
What this certification covers, who it is written for, and what the exam itself looks like on the day.
6domains
29objectives
197concepts
What it is
What this certification is
What it validates, who it is written for, and the experience it assumes.
About this certification
The Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I certification is a globally recognized credential that validates your skills in designing, building, and deploying custom applications on the Salesforce Platform. It covers core development concepts including Apex programming, Lightning Web Components, declarative customization, data modeling, and testing. This certification is ideal for developers who work with Salesforce to create tailored solutions that meet complex business needs.
Earning this credential demonstrates that you can translate business requirements into robust, scalable technical solutions. You will be equipped to handle the full development lifecycle—from data modeling and logic implementation to user interface design and deployment. The certification also emphasizes best practices for testing, debugging, and maintaining code, ensuring you deliver high-quality, reliable applications.
Who it’s for
This certification is for Salesforce developers who have hands-on experience building applications on the platform. It suits individuals who write Apex code, create Lightning Web Components, and use declarative tools to customize Salesforce for their organization. Typical roles include Platform Developer, Salesforce Developer, and Application Developer. You are comfortable working with data models, business logic, and user interfaces, and you understand how to leverage Salesforce's capabilities to solve real-world business problems. You likely have at least 6-12 months of experience developing on the platform and are ready to validate your skills with a recognized credential.
Recommended experience
Salesforce recommends having at least 6-12 months of hands-on experience developing on the Salesforce Platform, including working with Apex, Lightning Web Components, and declarative tools. Experience writing Apex classes, triggers, and test classes; Building Lightning Web Components and Aura components; Using declarative tools like Process Builder, Flow, and Workflow Rules; Understanding data modeling, SOQL, and SOSL queries; Familiarity with the Salesforce development lifecycle and deployment tools
The syllabus
What you’ll learn
Every domain and objective Salesforce measures, with the weight they carry on the exam.
The official Salesforce exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
SALESFORCE FUNDAMENTALS
- Describe the considerations when developing in a multi-tenant environment.
- Describe how the Salesforce platform features map to the MVC pattern.
- Describe the capabilities of the core CRM objects in the Salesforce schema.
- Identify the common scenarios for extending an application's capabilities using the AppExchange.
- Identify common use cases for declarative customization of the Lightning Platform, and customization and features of the Heroku platform.
DATA MODELING AND MANAGEMENT
- Given a set of requirements, determine the appropriate data model.
- Describe the capabilities of the various relationship types and the implications of each on record access, user interface (UI), and object-oriented programming.
- Describe the impact of schema design and modifications on Apex Development.
- Describe how to visualize and create entity relationships.
- Describe the options for and considerations when importing and exporting data into development environments.
LOGIC AND PROCESS AUTOMATION
- Declarative Automation
- Apex Fundamentals
- Triggers and Data Processing
- Visualforce and Controllers
- Security and Programmatic Access
USER INTERFACE
- Describe how to display Salesforce data using a Visualforce page.
- Describe the types of web content that can be incorporated into Visualforce pages.
- Describe how to incorporate Visualforce pages into Lightning Platform applications.
- Describe the benefits of the Lightning Component framework.
- Describe the resources that can be contained in a Lightning Component.
TESTING
- Describe the testing framework and requirements for deployment.
- Describe how to write unit tests for triggers, controllers, and classes.
- Describe when and how to use various sources of test data.
- Describe how to execute one or multiple test classes.
- Describe the differences between invoking Apex in execute anonymous vs. unit tests.
DEBUG AND DEPLOYMENT TOOLS
- Describe how to monitor and access various types of debug logs.
- Describe the capabilities and security implications of the Developer Console, Workbench, and Force.com IDE.
- Describe the different processes for deploying metadata and business data.
- Describe how the different environments are used in the development and deployment process.
On the day
The exam itself
Everything Salesforce publishes about sitting it, and nothing we inferred.
Prerequisites
No mandatory prerequisites — this certification has no required predecessor exam or credential.
CertificationSalesforce Certified Platform Developer I
Exam formatMultiple-choice, multiple-select, and scenario-based questions
DeliveryWebassessor
LanguagesEnglish, Japanese, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese (Brazilian)
After you pass
Where this credential goes next
The path Salesforce lays out, how the credential is kept, and where to book.
Step-by-step path to Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I
Credential earnedSalesforce Certified Platform Developer I Certification Renewal and maintenance
Salesforce certifications require free annual maintenance. Complete the Platform Developer I maintenance module on Trailhead each year to keep your certification active. Stay current with the latest technologies and maintain your certification.
Learn more about renewal requirements Lifecycle status
This certification is currently active and available. Salesforce maintains this certification to validate current skills and industry relevance.
Exam status: ActiveMaintained by Salesforce
Exam registration
Register for the exam through Webassessor, Salesforce’s authorized testing partner.
Schedule your examVisit the official Salesforce certification page for exam policies and requirements.
View the official pageYour coach
And when you are serious, your coach Pip takes over
Your coach in the app reads what you have answered with the book closed and tells you one thing to do tonight. It will not count an answer you gave with the page open, and it will tell you when you are not ready.
See how the coach worksBefore you book
Questions people ask
How does the Platform Developer I certification relate to the Platform Developer II certification?
Platform Developer I is the entry-level developer certification, while Platform Developer II is the advanced credential. You must earn Platform Developer I before attempting Platform Developer II, as it is a prerequisite.
Is there a hands-on component in the Platform Developer I exam?
No, the exam is entirely multiple-choice and scenario-based. There is no hands-on coding or lab section.
What is the retake policy if I fail the exam?
You must wait at least 14 days after your first failed attempt before retaking the exam. Subsequent attempts require a 30-day waiting period.
Can I recertify by passing a higher-level exam?
Yes, earning the Platform Developer II certification automatically renews your Platform Developer I certification, as it is a higher-level credential.
What job roles does the Platform Developer I credential map to?
It aligns with roles such as Salesforce Developer, Platform Developer, and Application Developer, where you build and customize Salesforce applications.
Are there any regional restrictions for taking the exam?
The exam is available globally through Webassessor, both online and at test centers. Some countries may have limited test center availability, but online proctoring is widely accessible.
Information freshness · Content last reviewed on 2026-07-30 Up to date
Practice free questions 606 questions, free, no account needed.
The curriculum
The whole exam, mapped and written
Every domain, every objective, and every concept Salesforce measures — each one written out.
6domains
29objectives
197concepts
132free pages
The domains, and what sits inside them
Every objective below is a page you can open and practise now, without an account.
The official Salesforce exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
1SALESFORCE FUNDAMENTALS110 questions
Describe the considerations when developing in a multi-tenant environment.5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Describe how the Salesforce platform features map to the MVC pattern.5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Describe the capabilities of the core CRM objects in the Salesforce schema.6 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Identify the common scenarios for extending an application's capabilities using the AppExchange.4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Identify common use cases for declarative customization of the Lightning Platform, and customization and features of the Heroku platform.4 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →
2DATA MODELING AND MANAGEMENT87 questions
Given a set of requirements, determine the appropriate data model.5 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Describe the capabilities of the various relationship types and the implications of each on record access, user interface (UI), and object-oriented programming.6 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Describe the impact of schema design and modifications on Apex Development.6 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Describe how to visualize and create entity relationships.5 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Describe the options for and considerations when importing and exporting data into development environments.5 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →
3LOGIC AND PROCESS AUTOMATION96 questions
4USER INTERFACE108 questions
Describe how to display Salesforce data using a Visualforce page.9 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Describe the types of web content that can be incorporated into Visualforce pages.6 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Describe how to incorporate Visualforce pages into Lightning Platform applications.10 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Describe the benefits of the Lightning Component framework.6 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Describe the resources that can be contained in a Lightning Component.9 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →
5TESTING118 questions
Describe the testing framework and requirements for deployment.10 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Describe how to write unit tests for triggers, controllers, and classes.8 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Describe when and how to use various sources of test data.10 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Describe how to execute one or multiple test classes.5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Describe the differences between invoking Apex in execute anonymous vs. unit tests.10 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →
6DEBUG AND DEPLOYMENT TOOLS87 questions
Describe how to monitor and access various types of debug logs.6 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Describe the capabilities and security implications of the Developer Console, Workbench, and Force.com IDE.6 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Describe the different processes for deploying metadata and business data.3 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Describe how the different environments are used in the development and deployment process.6 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →
Not a table of contents
Every line on this map already opens
In front of every objective the practice pages are already there, free and without an account. This is one objective, opened.
Describe the considerations when developing in a multi-tenant environment.5 pagesOpen →
Free in front of it
22 questions on this objective, five to a page. Every range above is a real page, open now, with no account.
Reading the map is not the same as knowing the ground
The curriculum tells you what is on the exam. Proving you know it is a different job — and it is the one the closed-book run does.
Free questions
606 questions. No account, no card.
The whole bank is open. 5 questions to a page, every answer explained, and a discussion thread on each one.
606questions
132pages
29objectives
Freealways
Start anywhereDescribe the considerations when developing in a multi-tenant environment. 22 questions · 5 pages
Browse by domain
Every objective, and every page range, is a link — so you can pick up exactly where you left off.
1SALESFORCE FUNDAMENTALS110 questions
2DATA MODELING AND MANAGEMENT87 questions
3LOGIC AND PROCESS AUTOMATION96 questions
4USER INTERFACE108 questions
5TESTING118 questions
Describe how to write unit tests for triggers, controllers, and classes.22 questions · 5 pagesOpen →
6DEBUG AND DEPLOYMENT TOOLS87 questions
What a practice page gives you
1Five to a page
Short enough to finish, long enough to matter.
2Every answer explained
Not only which one is right — why the others are wrong.
3A discussion on each
Ask, answer, and vote. Every question has its own thread.
A question, and the idea behind it
Every question comes from a concept
These are not trivia. Each one is written against a concept in the book, so when you get one wrong there is somewhere to go and find out why.
The visual book
See it once. Carry it into the exam.
The pages shown here come from our AI-900 book — an example of how each concept is written in plain language and, where the idea needs one, drawn as a full page you can take in at a glance.
197concepts
606free questions
Why a picture, and not another paragraph
Three reasons, and each one is a real finding rather than a slogan.
You can see it againThe whole idea at onceWhere it starts, what happens in the middle, what comes out, and the mistake to avoid.
Multimedia principle · MayerThe look-alikes sit togetherThe pairs the exam tests are drawn side by side, so the difference is seen, not told.
Dual coding · PaivioWhat one page is made of
You are never asked to read a poster here — only to see how one is built. After that, every other page is legible at a glance.
1A numbered strip on top
The idea as a sequence, followed with a finger before a word is read.
2Panels for the parts
What it is, how the machine learns it, when it is the right tool.
3The trap, framed
The distinction the exam tests, given its own box instead of buried in prose.
4One line at the bottom
The sentence to carry into the exam room.
Open book, on purpose
Answer it with the picture beside you
This is the part that teaches. The illustration and the written explanation stay where they are while you work, so a scenario stops being a memory test and becomes something you can simply look at.
It teaches · it does not count
A smartphone uses AI to unlock when the owner looks at the camera. Which AI capability is being used?
AImage classification
BFacial recognition
COptical character recognition
DObject detection
Look at the five steps. Detect finds a face, align straightens it, encode turns it into numbers, search compares it with a stored face, and decide answers one question: is this the same person? Classification would only say “a face”. Detection would only draw a box. Neither decides whose.
Then the page shuts, and it starts counting
The same questions come back with the book closed — that run is the one that counts. After it, your coach picks one thing for tonight, sized to the time you have, and brings pages back before you lose them.
Testing effect · Roediger & Karpicke 2006 · spacing effect · Cepeda et al. 2006
Official resources
Straight from Salesforce
Where the exam is defined, scheduled and scored.
2official links
197concepts mapped
The source
Salesforce’s own pages
We link to them rather than repeat them, so nothing here goes stale behind them.
Checked against the source
Every objective on the official Salesforce outline already has questions here
We build from the official skills outline, not from a summary of it — 29 objectives, 197 concepts written under them, and free questions against every one. When Salesforce changes the outline, this page changes with it.
29objectives on the outline→197concepts written→606free questions
An official page tells you what will be asked. It cannot tell you what you will get right.
That is the only question worth answering the night before, and no link answers it. You answer it by taking the questions with the book closed, and seeing what comes back.