Written & verified by Krishna Mohan
5× Salesforce Certified · 12+ years in data engineering & Salesforce · Updated for Summer '26
Developer Certifications
12 certifications in this role. Pick one for practice questions and study materials.
Each certification has its own study guide, exam weightage, and practice questions. Start with the one that matches your goal. Each cert page has exam weightage and practice questions.
How to Use This Developer Certification Hub
This page is designed as a role-level decision guide, not just a directory. Start by choosing the certification that matches your current work: daily configuration, implementation consulting, custom development, architecture, marketing operations, analytics, or industry-cloud delivery. Then open the certification page to review exam weightage, format, official source references, and free practice questions.
If two certifications look similar, use the decision cards below before committing study time. They point to the best first exam for common candidate profiles and connect this role hub to deeper study guides, comparison pages, exam tips, and certification-path resources. That internal path helps you move from broad research to a specific exam plan without bouncing between unrelated pages.
Which Developer certification should you take first?
Use this quick decision table before opening every exam page. Google searchers usually want a next step, not just a catalog.
First developer cert
Platform Developer I (PD1)
Core Apex, SOQL, LWC, testing, and platform fundamentals for Salesforce developers.
Experienced Salesforce developer
Platform Developer II
Advanced Apex patterns, integrations, performance, and enterprise development practices.
Frontend-heavy developer
JavaScript Developer I
Useful when you build LWC-heavy interfaces and want broader JavaScript validation.
High-Intent Developer Resources
Salesforce Developer Career Overview
Entry Salary
$85,000–$115,000
Senior Salary
$115,000–$155,000
Time to First Cert
6–12 months
Typical Career Path
PD1 → PD2 → JavaScript Developer I (optional) → Integration Architect or Application Architect → CTA
Each step below is a real credential or role milestone — most candidates spend 6–18 months at each stage before advancing to the next.
Top Skills Required
What Does a Salesforce Developer Do Day-to-Day?
- 1Writing Apex triggers, classes, and batch jobs following bulkification principles
- 2Building Lightning Web Components (LWC) for custom UI requirements
- 3Integrating Salesforce with external systems via REST/SOAP APIs
- 4Writing unit tests with System.assert() and maintaining 75%+ code coverage
- 5Deploying code via Change Sets, Salesforce CLI, or CI/CD pipelines
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the first Salesforce developer certification?
- Platform Developer I (PD1) is the recommended first developer certification. It tests Apex, Apex triggers, Lightning Web Components (LWC), governor limits, testing, and REST integration. No prior Salesforce certification is required, but ADM-201 knowledge is strongly recommended.
- What is the difference between PD1 and PD2?
- PD1 (Platform Developer I) tests foundational Apex, LWC, and deployment — the building blocks of Salesforce development. PD2 (Platform Developer II) tests advanced Apex patterns, integration architecture, performance optimisation, and complex data models. PD1 is required before PD2.
- Do Salesforce developers need ADM-201 before PD1?
- ADM-201 is not a formal prerequisite for PD1, but it is strongly recommended. PD1 assumes knowledge of the Salesforce data model, sharing model, and deployment process — all ADM-201 topics. Candidates who skip ADM-201 typically struggle with the Salesforce Fundamentals section of PD1.