If your business uses Salesforce to manage customer relationships and sales, handling custom Salesforce apps, updates, and integrations is more complicated as your team grows. Without a clear plan for maintaining and evolving these applications, you risk delays, errors, and inefficiencies that could impact your business's performance.
This is where Salesforce application lifecycle management (ALM) comes in. Instead of treating Salesforce development as just a series of releases, ALM takes a more structured approach—seeing every Salesforce feature as part of a larger lifecycle. It's not just about what happens during development, testing, and release; it's about everything before and after, from gathering business requirements to ongoing maintenance. With ALM, your team can ensure that each application is built, deployed, and updated with minimal disruption to operations.
While concepts like the software development lifecycle (SDLC) also help structure releases, ALM further ensures that every stage of an application's life is equally important.
This article explores how application lifecycle management can help optimize Salesforce projects, streamline workflows, and deliver continuous improvement.
Phases of Application Lifecycle Management
Application lifecycle management consists of several key phases, each essential to building robust and efficient software applications. Here's a breakdown of the phases in detail:
1. Planning and Requirements Gathering
Every great application starts with a well-defined plan. This phase is critical because it sets the foundation for the development process. Your goal here is to align business objectives with user needs while assessing feasibility in terms of cost, time, and resources.
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Engage business owners, developers, designers, and end users to gather insights
- Requirement Documentation: Define key functionalities, features, and expected outcomes through user stories, requirement specifications, and functional documents
- Feasibility Assessment: Conduct a technical, financial, and operational feasibility study to assess risks and constraints
- Project Roadmap: Establish a timeline, allocate resources, and set key milestones to track progress effectively
2. Design and Architecture
With a clear understanding of requirements, you move into the design phase, where the system's architecture and user experience take shape. This is when you make crucial decisions about the technology stack, database structure, UI/UX design, and scalability.
- System Architecture: Define how components interact, ensuring scalability, security, and maintainability
- User Interface (UI) & User Experience (UX): Create wireframes, mockups, and prototypes to visualize the application's structure and usability
- Integration Planning: Ensure seamless interaction with existing APIs, databases, or third-party services
- Security and Compliance Considerations: Implement best practices to safeguard user data and comply with industry standards like GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, or other relevant regulations
3. Development
Now, it's time to bring the design to life. In the development phase, you and your team write code, build features, and create a functional application. This stage is often iterative, meaning you continuously develop, test, and refine.
- Agile Development and Sprints: Break work into manageable sprints for faster and more flexible development
- Version Control and Collaboration: Use Git-based platforms like GitHub or Bitbucket to track changes and collaborate efficiently
- Backend and Frontend Development: Choose the right programming languages, frameworks, and tools (e.g., Python, JavaScript, React, Node.js)
- Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): Automate build, testing, and deployment processes using Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, or AWS CodePipeline
4. Testing and Quality Assurance
Testing is continuous and happens throughout development to catch issues early and ensure performance, security, and compliance.
- Unit Testing: Verify individual components work as expected
- Integration Testing: Ensure different modules interact correctly
- System Testing: Validate overall application functionality
- Security Testing: Identify vulnerabilities using penetration testing and Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) best practices
- Performance Testing: Assess scalability under various loads
- User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Get real-world feedback to confirm the application meets business requirements
5. Deployment
Once testing is complete, the application is deployed to production environments, ensuring it runs smoothly for end users.
- Deployment Strategies: Choose between blue-green deployment, rolling updates, or canary releases to minimize downtime
- Infrastructure Setup: Configure servers, databases, and networking components for optimal performance.
- Monitoring and Logging: Implement tools like Prometheus, Grafana, or ELK Stack to track application health
- Rollback and Contingency Plans: Prepare for unexpected failures by having a rollback strategy in place
6. Monitoring, Maintenance, and Continuous Improvement
After deployment, ongoing monitoring, incident management, and log analysis ensure stability and security.
- Real-Time Monitoring: Track performance, uptime, and error rates
- Bug Fixes and Patches: Address security vulnerabilities and software defects promptly
- Log Management & Analysis: Use centralized logging solutions to detect anomalies.
- Performance Optimization: Fine-tune application speed and efficiency using application performance management (APM) tools like New Relic or Datadog
- Feature Enhancements: Gather user feedback and release updates to improve user experience
- Compliance and Security Updates: Stay updated with evolving security standards and industry regulations
Types of Releases
Software releases typically fall into three categories: Patch Releases (Bug Fixes), Minor Changes (Limited Impact), and Major Changes (Significant Impact). Each type serves a different purpose and requires varying testing, training, and deployment planning levels.
1. Major Release
Major releases involve significant changes that may impact multiple system components, affecting data quality, user experience, and business processes on a large scale. Examples include:
- Implementing new modules or features
- Large-scale system integrations
- Structural database modifications
- Revamping user interfaces
Because of their broad impact, major releases require extensive testing, including regression testing, user acceptance testing (UAT), and performance testing. They also demand comprehensive training, change management, and release coordination to ensure a smooth transition for end users.
Major releases are typically scheduled monthly, quarterly, or bi-annually, depending on system complexity, organizational needs, and the number of affected users. Thorough planning is required to minimize risks and ensure successful implementation.
2. Minor Release
Minor releases introduce targeted changes that impact only specific business processes, such as modifications to workflow rules, triggers, or field updates. These changes are low-risk and require limited testing and minimal end-user training.
Since minor releases have a narrow scope and do not significantly disrupt existing workflows, they can be deployed more frequently than major releases. They are often used to introduce minor enhancements or optimizations that improve system efficiency without requiring large-scale adjustments.
3. Patch Release
Patch releases focus on addressing specific issues within a system, such as fixing bugs, improving stability, or enhancing minor functionalities. These can include updates to reports, dashboards, list views, and email templates.
Since these changes are typically small and isolated, they require only unit testing (testing in a controlled environment to ensure they work as intended).
These releases are deployed more frequently because they involve minimal risk and do not significantly alter system behavior. The primary benefit for end users is rapid issue resolution. It ensures they do not have to wait for a complete release cycle to see improvements.
Multiple Sandbox Development Strategy
The typical application development lifecycle must be adjusted to accommodate various isolated environments when developing an application with multiple sandboxes.
The approach must be tailored to the complexity of managing different sandboxes, ensuring seamless coordination, version control, testing, and deployment across various development teams and environments.
1. Plan
The planning phase becomes more complex when multiple sandboxes are used, as different development teams may work on separate orgs. Each team may focus on various features or modules, necessitating greater coordination to ensure the deployment package is cohesive and free from conflicts.
A detailed release plan will be required, outlining:
- The specific environments each team will use (e.g., scratch orgs, partial copy sandboxes, etc.)
- The versioning strategy for code and metadata
- Dependencies and how they will be managed across sandboxes
- The timing of integrations and the coordination of changes into a unified release
Clear communication and frequent team updates are critical to avoid conflicts and ensure that the release process remains organized.
2. Build
In this phase, developers use scratch orgs to perform isolated development. Scratch orgs are temporary Salesforce environments that allow developers to test new features or modifications rapidly. These orgs are highly customizable to replicate the production environment and can be easily created, configured, and disposed of once they are no longer needed.
Scratch orgs offer a fast development cycle by providing a clean environment that mirrors production metadata and code. This isolation ensures developers can work without affecting other teams or the shared sandbox.
Moreover, scratch orgs are excellent for testing new ideas quickly and iterating without being constrained by the limitations of long-term sandboxes.
3. Test
Once the development phase is complete, unit testing is carried out in the scratch orgs to validate individual components. It ensures they work in isolation. Since there are no dependencies within a scratch org, testing is faster and more focused.
Test coverage is also built at this stage, where developers can ensure their code meets the required deployment criteria.
After testing in the scratch org, all changes must be committed to a source control system (version control system) to keep track of the evolving codebase and facilitate collaboration between team members.
4. Build release
Tools like change sets or metadata API integrations sync changes between scratch orgs and a shared sandbox. They help move changes from a developer's isolated environment to a standard development sandbox or staging area.
- Change Sets include specific metadata components (such as custom fields, classes, or workflows) that must be moved between orgs. They help streamline the migration of changes from one sandbox to another.
- Metadata API: This integration can automate and facilitate syncing metadata and changes between scratch orgs and a shared sandbox.
When preparing the release, it is essential to specify which assets should be included by referencing them in a manifest file or change sets. This will ensure the release package contains only the necessary components for the subsequent testing and deployment stage.
5. Test Release
Once the release package is built, it undergoes quality assurance (QA) testing in a sandbox environment. It contains a copy of the production metadata and a partial copy of the business data (typically a partial copy sandbox). This environment is ideal for comprehensive testing as it offers a mix of:
- System Integration Testing (SIT): Ensuring that different components and features work together as expected
- Regression Testing: Verifying that new changes do not disrupt the existing functionality
- User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Allowing end users to interact with the new features ensures they meet business requirements and user needs
QA testing in a partial copy sandbox is critical because it provides a more realistic testing environment without exposing sensitive production data. This setup helps ensure that all changes are thoroughly vetted before reaching production.
6. Release
Before the final deployment to production, the release package is tested in a full-copy staging environment. This environment mirrors the production system more closely and is used for:
- Final Deployment Testing: Ensuring the release functions correctly in a fully replicated environment
- End-User Training: Providing training sessions for business users to familiarize them with new features and workflows before the live deployment
The final deployment to production is the culmination of the release process. This step requires careful coordination with key stakeholders and business users. It ensures that the timing of the release does not disrupt business operations.
Best Practices for Application Lifecycle Management
Achieving seamless application lifecycle management isn't just about having a structured process—it's about enabling agility, efficiency, and continuous improvement. That's where DevOps, a best practice, comes in. It combines software development (dev) and operations (ops). It's defined as a software engineering methodology that aims to integrate the work of development and operations teams by facilitating a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility.
Integrating core DevOps practices—version control, automation, collaboration, and CI/CD—streamlines every stage of application lifecycle management, reducing risks and improving software quality.
Here's how you can apply DevOps principles to strengthen your application lifecycle management strategy in Salesforce:
1. Use a Strong Version Control System
A robust version control system like Git is essential for effectively managing frequent changes in Salesforce development. It enables you to track code changes, store previous versions, and roll back when necessary, ensuring stability and control over your development process.
By keeping Salesforce metadata (such as Apex code and Lightning components) in version control, teams can collaborate seamlessly while maintaining a clear history of updates. This prevents conflicts, ensures the correct code is deployed to production, and enhances code quality.
Flosum, for example, streamlines version control by seamlessly integrating with Git and offering a native Salesforce DevOps solution. It enables automated change tracking, conflict resolution, and easy rollbacks, ensuring a smooth and secure development lifecycle.
2. Automate Testing & Deployment with CI/CD
Set up a CI/CD pipeline to automate code integration, testing, and deployment. This helps you catch issues early and speed up releases.
With tools like Salesforce DX, Jenkins, or GitHub Actions, you can automate testing and deployment, reducing manual work and improving code quality. Every change gets tested before going live, making your Salesforce applications more stable and reliable.
3. Prioritize Thorough Testing
Testing ensures your Salesforce applications work correctly. Focus on unit testing (checking small parts of the code), integration testing (making sure different parts work together), and user acceptance testing (verifying real-world use).
Salesforce provides built-in tools for testing Apex code, and you can integrate automated tests into your CI/CD pipeline. Involve users in testing to ensure the application meets their needs. By prioritizing testing, you can reduce bugs, improve performance, and deliver a high-quality product.
Conclusion
Effective Salesforce application lifecycle management (ALM) helps organizations build, deploy, and maintain applications smoothly. By following a structured process—from planning and development to testing, deployment, and ongoing maintenance—teams can work more efficiently, reduce risks, and continuously improve their applications. A multi-sandbox development approach enhances collaboration and ensures better version control.
Businesses need the right tools to simplify application lifecycle management. Flosum is a powerful, 100% native Salesforce DevOps solution that simplifies and automates the entire process. With features like built-in version control, automated deployments, security compliance, and easy sandbox management, Flosum helps teams release updates faster, reduce errors, and maintain strong governance.
Because Flosum is natively built for Salesforce, it ensures a secure, efficient development workflow, making it ideal for businesses looking to scale their Salesforce applications.
Ready to optimize your Salesforce application lifecycle management? Book a meeting today to learn how Flosum can enhance your ALM strategy!
FAQs
1. What is the Salesforce lifecycle?
The Salesforce lifecycle refers to the application development, deployment, and maintenance stages. It includes requirements gathering, design, development, testing, deployment, and post-launch support. These stages ensure a smooth transition from planning to execution, optimizing business processes and user experience on the Salesforce platform.
2. What are the 6 steps of ALM?
The six steps of Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) are:
- Planning: Defining project requirements
- Design: Creating system architecture
- Development: Building the software
- Testing: Ensuring quality and functionality
- Deployment: Releasing the application
- Maintenance: Ongoing support and updates
3. What is ALM Salesforce?
ALM Salesforce manages the entire lifecycle of a Salesforce application, from planning and development to testing, deployment, and maintenance. It integrates tools and best practices to ensure that applications are developed, optimized, and managed efficiently, aligning with business needs while maintaining quality, security, and performance.
4. What is the SDLC process in Salesforce?
The Salesforce SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) follows a structured process for planning, designing, developing, testing, and deploying applications on the Salesforce platform.
It ensures the creation of high-quality solutions, including custom apps or configurations, with adequate testing, error handling, and post-launch maintenance aligned with business objectives and user requirements.
Interested in learning more about how Flosum can help you streamline your Salesforce DevOps processes? Connect with an expert for a demo today!
