Salesforce development expands the CRM’s capabilities beyond what standard settings can provide. However, it is a complex field that demands strong knowledge of programming, the Salesforce platform, and business processes. For new developers, building custom apps that meet client needs can be especially challenging.
While Salesforce’s official documentation is a solid starting point, there are also many excellent Salesforce development tools that can make your work much easier. In this article, we’ll highlight some of the most widely used tools in Salesforce development services and explain why you may want to add them to your toolbox.
The Nature of Salesforce Development
Salesforce is not like other platforms. You don’t always write code in a text editor and push it through Git. Much of the work takes place directly inside the platform. Some tasks require clicks instead of code, while others require a combination of both. This blend is what makes Salesforce unique.
As a result, developers rely on two sets of tools. The first are native to Salesforce and come as built-in features, such as:
- Developer Console
- Object Manager
- Flow Builder
The second are external tools, including IDEs, source control, and CI/CD systems. Together, these form the toolkit for modern Salesforce development.
The Essential Tools Every Salesforce Developer Must Have
These Salesforce development tools stand out by helping developers work smarter, faster, and more reliably.
1. Dropbox Sign
Customer experience isn’t complete without smooth digital paperwork. Dropbox Sign for Salesforce embeds eSignature flows directly into the Salesforce environment, which eliminates the need for users to jump between platforms.
The tool offers real-time tracking for notes and attachments, custom branding on signature requests, and pre-filled documents powered by Salesforce data. For developers, this means less friction in workflows and faster deal cycles.
2. Adminite
Salesforce developers work extensively with SOQL (Salesforce Object Query Language). However, writing queries by hand can be challenging even for experienced developers. Adminite is a lightweight query editor that offers smart features such as autocomplete, inline data editing, and field-level security.
Although still in early testing, it has already proven useful for developers looking to save time and minimize query errors.
3. ForceServer
ForceServer is recommended by several Salesforce consulting companies. APIs are central to Salesforce integrations, and ForceServer improves the developer experience by addressing common technical challenges such as CORS errors and OAuth callbacks.
It serves dual functions: acting as a proxy server for cross-domain requests and as a local server for app hosting. This makes it a practical tool when building apps that rely on Salesforce REST services, allowing developers to focus on business logic instead of infrastructure issues.
4. TaskRay
Keeping projects aligned with CRM data is a challenge, and TaskRay addresses this with Kanban-style boards inside Salesforce. Customer success teams use it to manage onboarding workflows, while internal teams track tasks linked directly to accounts or opportunities.
The free edition is limited in templates and automation, but even at the entry level, it offers clear visibility into project progress.
5. Geopointe
Geopointe helps developers interpret Salesforce data in geographic terms by overlaying accounts, leads, and opportunities on maps to support territory planning and route optimization. Sales reps can plan visits more efficiently, while managers can identify regional performance trends.
Geopointe offers both free and paid tiers, with the free tier providing only limited features but still giving teams a preview of how location-based insights can drive smarter decisions.
6. Salesforce Lightning Page Builder
Customizing user interfaces in Salesforce doesn’t have to require programming. The Lightning Page Builder offers developers a drag-and-drop experience for designing record, app, and home pages. Admins can highlight important fields or tailor layouts for specific roles.
While more complex customization requires Lightning Components, Page Builder empowers non-technical users to create functional, user-friendly experiences quickly.
Conclusion
Salesforce was launched with the slogan of “the end of software” because it introduced the novel idea of Software-as-a-Service over the internet back in the 90s. Since then, the platform has led the market in innovating technologies and new features.
Third-party contributors have also enhanced Salesforce by creating intelligent and highly functional tools that make development faster, more efficient, and better equipped to solve a wide range of challenges.
The tools listed in this article are excellent additions to have in your tech stack. However, there are many other Salesforce development tools that may better suit your specific needs.
Do your research and explore Salesforce’s official marketplace, AppExchange, along with other trusted vendors, to find the right tool for the right job.
Featured Image by Freepik.
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