Deploying consists of 14% of total score in Salesforce Platform Lifecycle and Deployment Architect Exam. The topic covers metadata/tooling api, and pre-development/development/post-development steps.

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🚀 Deploying in Salesforce

Goal: Learn to use Metadata API & Tooling API for deployments, handle pre/post steps, and manage technical reference data.

🧩 Metadata API vs Tooling API

Aspect	🧬 Metadata API	🛠️ Tooling API
Purpose	Move large sets of metadata between orgs	Fine-grained access to smaller metadata pieces
Use cases	Deploy, retrieve, update, delete metadata	Retrieve/manage fields, Apex, run tests
Access methods	`deploy()`, `retrieve()`, CLI, VS Code Ext.	SOQL via REST/SOAP, `query()`, `create()`, etc.
Component scope	Works with metadata types & components	Works with objects like ApexClass, CustomField
File limits	≤ 10,000 files, ≤ 39 MB zip	No file-based deployment, just object data
Key limitation	Some types not supported	EntityDefinition & FieldDefinition have SOQL/SOSL limits

📦 Metadata API — Key Points

Operations: Deploy, retrieve, create, update, delete metadata
Deployment: Moves metadata from local → scratch org → sandbox → production
Structure: Uses package.xml manifest + .xml components in zip
Destructive Changes: Delete components via destructiveChanges.xml
Custom Metadata Types: Defined as CustomObject, with .mdt suffix

⚠️ Limits

Max 10,000 files or 39 MB zip
Some metadata types must be deployed manually

⚙️ Tooling API — Key Points

Operations: Retrieve small metadata pieces (fields, validation rules, Apex, etc.)
Use Cases: Interactive apps, dynamic Lightning tools, run tests, check code coverage
Access: REST /query/?q=... or SOAP create()/update() calls
Warnings: Can ignore save warnings via ignoreSaveWarnings header

⚠️ Limits

No COUNT(), GROUP BY, LIMIT, OR, NOT on EntityDefinition / FieldDefinition
Some CRUD ops not supported for active org ApexClass/ApexPage/CustomObject

🧠 Choosing Which API

💡 Use Metadata API when:

Deploying large volumes or doing full org migrations
Moving metadata between environments with source control
Doing production-level changes

💡 Use Tooling API when:

Need fine-grained metadata for tools or external apps
Working with field definitions, Apex tests, code coverage

📋 Pre / Post Deployment Steps

⏳ Pre-Deployment

Ensure a smooth and safe release

✅ Planning, notifying/freezing users
✅ Sandbox testing
✅ Check audit trail
✅ Document manual steps (unsupported items like org-wide email)
✅ Backup data & metadata
✅ Deactivate automation (Validation Rules, Flows, Triggers, Emails)
✅ Prepare test scripts, user training
✅ Select deployment tool & build package
✅ Validate deployment, plan deployment order

⚡ Deployment

Execute the deployment

Use Change Sets or Metadata API
Validate before actual deploy
Deploy in correct dependency order

✅ Post-Deployment

Confirm everything works as intended

🔁 Reactivate automation & email
📊 Post-deployment testing
📝 Perform manual changes
📦 Migrate data (if new fields/structures)
🖥️ Monitor new features and support users
📢 Update docs, communicate changes, train users

📚 Technical Reference Data

Concept	Description
📖 Purpose	Categorize data, standardize terms, ensure consistency
⚙️ Examples	Picklist values, configuration settings
🧩 Storage	Custom Metadata Types (best for deployable data)
🧠 Considerations	Source of truth, governance, object relationships, governor limits
🚚 Deployment	Metadata API (complex/large) or Change Sets (simple)
💾 Data Loader	Load/export large volumes of reference data

⚠️ Watch out

Circular object relationships → cause integrity & query issues
Apex governor limits on nested relationships

💼 Business Scenarios — Key Takeaways

🍔 Cosmic Food Innovations

Use retrieve() → scratch org → deploy() → sandbox → production
Export reports/dashboards as XML daily to prevent rollback
Delete components via destructiveChanges.xml
Match script API version to features (59.0+)
Block direct prod changes; automate with Metadata API

🌍 Cosmic Food – New EU Org

Large deployment → group by dependency, deploy in order
Watch Metadata API limits: 10k files, 39 MB
External Java app → use Tooling API + SOQL

🌱 Cosmic Green Innovations

Document manual steps (org-wide email), deploy with Metadata API
Data migration order: Accounts → Contacts → Leads → Products → Oops → Opp Line Items
Validate Change Sets before deployment
Dashboards preserve user fields — usernames must match target org
Test data migration: case links, owners, entitlements, milestones

🏥 Cosmic Health Innovations

Use Salesforce as source of truth for data, Git for metadata
Use Data Loader to load large volumes
Beware circular relationships and governor limits
Service centers → store as Custom Metadata Type, deploy via Metadata API/Change Sets

📝 Quick Memory Cheats

Task	Use	Notes
Large metadata deployments	Metadata API	Use package.xml and zip
Small metadata tweaks	Tooling API	Use SOQL + REST/SOAP
Delete metadata	Metadata API	destructiveChanges.xml
Prevent rollback	Metadata API	Export XML daily
Unsupported items	Manual	Plan before deploy
Technical ref data	Custom Metadata Types	Deploy via Metadata API

💡 Pro Tips

🧠 Remember these to ace the exam:

Always validate before deploy
Always reactivate what you disabled
Always test & document changes
Always plan dependencies & data order

📈 Flow Charts

🌀 Deployment Lifecycle

flowchart TD
    Start --> Develop
    Develop --> ScratchOrg
    ScratchOrg --> Test
    Test --> RetrieveToRepo
    RetrieveToRepo --> Sandbox
    Sandbox --> ValidateSandbox
    ValidateSandbox --> AllTestsPass
    AllTestsPass -->|No| Test
    AllTestsPass -->|Yes| FreezeUsers
    FreezeUsers --> ValidateProd
    ValidateProd --> QuickDeploy
    QuickDeploy -->|Yes| DeployProd
    QuickDeploy -->|No| FullDeploy
    DeployProd --> PostDeploy
    FullDeploy --> PostDeploy
    PostDeploy --> ReenableAutomation
    ReenableAutomation --> Monitor
    Monitor --> Done

⚖️ Choosing the Right API

flowchart TD
    Need --> Scope
    Scope -->|Large| MetadataAPI
    Scope -->|Small| ToolingAPI

    MetadataAPI --> DeployRetrieve
    MetadataAPI --> BigLimit
    MetadataAPI --> DestructiveDelete

    ToolingAPI --> SOQLQueries
    ToolingAPI --> ApexTests
    ToolingAPI --> SOSLLimits

🧩 Pre-Deployment Steps

flowchart TD
    Plan --> SandboxTest
    SandboxTest --> AuditTrail
    AuditTrail --> Backup
    Backup --> ManualSteps
    ManualSteps --> DeactivateAutomation
    DeactivateAutomation --> DisableEmail
    DisableEmail --> PrepareScripts
    PrepareScripts --> BuildPackage
    BuildPackage --> Validate
    Validate --> OrderCheck
    OrderCheck --> Ready

✅ Post-Deployment Steps

flowchart TD
    DeployDone --> RunTests
    RunTests --> ReenableAutomation
    ReenableAutomation --> EnableEmail
    EnableEmail --> ManualConfig
    ManualConfig --> DataMigration
    DataMigration --> Monitor
    Monitor --> SupportUsers
    SupportUsers --> UpdateDocs
    UpdateDocs --> Done

🗑️ Deleting Components (destructiveChanges.xml)

flowchart TD
    NeedDelete --> CreateDestructive
    CreateDestructive --> ListComponents
    ListComponents --> ValidateDelete
    ValidateDelete --> PassCheck
    PassCheck -->|No| FixDependencies
    FixDependencies --> ValidateDelete
    PassCheck -->|Yes| DeployDelete
    DeployDelete --> ConfirmCleanup

📦 Data Migration Order

flowchart TD
    Start --> Accounts
    Accounts --> Contacts
    Contacts --> Leads
    Leads --> Products
    Products --> Opportunities
    Opportunities --> OppLineItems
    OppLineItems --> ValidateLinks
    ValidateLinks --> Done

📚 Flashcards

🧩 Metadata vs Tooling API

What is the main use of Metadata API?

📦 Move large sets of metadata between orgs (deploy, retrieve, update, delete); suitable for big deployments and production-level changes.

What is the main use of Tooling API?

⚙️ Fine-grained access to smaller metadata pieces (custom fields, Apex, tests, code coverage); ideal for interactive tools.

What are the limitations of Metadata API?

❗ Up to 10,000 files per deploy/retrieve, 39 MB max zip; some types unsupported and must be deployed manually.

What are the limitations of Tooling API?

⚠️ No COUNT/GROUP BY/LIMIT on EntityDefinition or FieldDefinition; some CRUD ops not supported on ApexClass/ApexPage/CustomObject.

⚡ Pre-Deployment

What are the key pre-deployment steps?

📝 Plan release, sandbox test, audit trail, back up data/metadata, document manual steps, deactivate automation, disable emails, prepare test scripts, validate deployment, check dependency order.

Why freeze users during deployment?

🧊 Prevent data changes that could conflict with deployment and ensure data integrity.

What should be done with automation and emails pre-deploy?

⚡ Temporarily deactivate Validation Rules, Flows, Triggers and disable email deliverability to prevent errors and spam.

🧪 Post-Deployment

What are the key post-deployment steps?

✅ Post-deploy testing, re-enable automation, enable emails, perform manual config changes, run data migration, monitor features, support users, update docs, communicate changes.

Why test after deployment?

🧠 To verify all components work as expected in production and interact properly with existing features.

🗑️ Deletion via destructiveChanges.xml

How to delete deployed components?

🗑️ Use destructiveChanges.xml with package.xml and deploy like normal; it removes listed components.

What is important to do before deploying destructive changes?

⚠️ Validate delete package and resolve any references/dependencies to prevent failures.

🧠 Technical Reference Data

What is technical reference data?

🧬 Data used to categorize other data, standardize terminology, and ensure consistency (e.g., picklist values, config settings).

How to store & deploy technical reference data?

📦 Use Custom Metadata Types (with records), deploy via Metadata API or Change Sets.

What are key considerations for reference data?

⚖️ Maintain a single source of truth, version control metadata, watch out for circular relationships, and respect governor limits in Apex queries.

What tool is used to load large volumes of reference data?

💾 Data Loader — can import/export bulk data for Salesforce objects used as reference data.

📦 Data Migration Order

What is the correct order to migrate core sales data?

📊 Accounts → Contacts → Leads → Products → Opportunities → Opportunity Line Items

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Platform Lifecycle and Deployment Architect Exam Prep - Deploying

🚀 Deploying in Salesforce

🧩 Metadata API vs Tooling API

📦 Metadata API — Key Points

⚙️ Tooling API — Key Points

🧠 Choosing Which API

📋 Pre / Post Deployment Steps

⏳ Pre-Deployment

⚡ Deployment

✅ Post-Deployment

📚 Technical Reference Data

💼 Business Scenarios — Key Takeaways

🍔 Cosmic Food Innovations

🌍 Cosmic Food – New EU Org

🌱 Cosmic Green Innovations

🏥 Cosmic Health Innovations

📝 Quick Memory Cheats

💡 Pro Tips

📈 Flow Charts

🌀 Deployment Lifecycle

⚖️ Choosing the Right API

🧩 Pre-Deployment Steps

✅ Post-Deployment Steps

🗑️ Deleting Components (destructiveChanges.xml)

📦 Data Migration Order

📚 Flashcards

🧩 Metadata vs Tooling API

⚡ Pre-Deployment

🧪 Post-Deployment

🗑️ Deletion via destructiveChanges.xml

🧠 Technical Reference Data

📦 Data Migration Order

Recent Notes

Platform Lifecycle and Deployment Architect Exam Prep - Application Lifecycle Management

Platform Lifecycle and Deployment Architect Exam Prep - Building

Platform Lifecycle and Deployment Architect Exam Prep - Deploying

Platform Lifecycle and Deployment Architect Exam Prep - Operating

Platform Lifecycle and Deployment Architect Exam Prep - Planning

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