By UATeam in Scratch Org —

Understanding Scratch Org Settings in Salesforce

Scratch orgs are a fundamental part of Salesforce's development ecosystem, especially within the Salesforce DX (Developer Experience) framework. They are ephemeral, source-driven environments that can be quickly created, configured, and disposed of, making them ideal for agile development and continuous integration practices. This article provides a concise guide to scratch org settings, explaining how to configure and use them effectively in your Salesforce development workflow.

What Are Scratch Org Settings?

Scratch org settings define the features, preferences, and configurations of a scratch org. They determine the characteristics of the org, such as enabled features, edition, language, and other preferences that tailor the org to specific development needs.

Why Use Scratch Org Settings?

  • Customization: Tailor the org to match specific development requirements.
  • Consistency: Ensure all team members work in identical environments.
  • Automation: Streamline the creation of orgs through scripts and configuration files.
  • Testing: Simulate different Salesforce editions and features for comprehensive testing.

Configuring Scratch Org Settings

1. project-scratch-def.json File

The project-scratch-def.json file is a JSON configuration file that specifies the settings and preferences for a scratch org. It resides in the root directory of your Salesforce DX project.

2. Key Configuration Parameters

  • Edition: Define the Salesforce edition (Developer, Enterprise, Group, etc.).jsonCopy code"edition": "Developer"
  • Features: Enable specific features like MultiCurrency, Communities, EinsteinAnalytics.jsonCopy code"features": ["Communities", "MultiCurrency"]
  • Settings: Configure settings that mimic the metadata settings in Salesforce.jsonCopy code"settings": {
    "lightningExperienceSettings": {
    "enableS1DesktopEnabled": true
    },
    "mobileSettings": {
    "enableS1EncryptedStoragePref2": false
    }
    }
  • Org Preferences: Set org-wide preferences.jsonCopy code"orgPreferences": {
    "enabled": ["S1DesktopEnabled"],
    "disabled": ["ChatterEnabled"]
    }

3. Example project-scratch-def.json

jsonCopy code{
"orgName": "My Scratch Org",
"edition": "Enterprise",
"features": ["Communities", "ServiceCloud", "MultiCurrency"],
"settings": {
"communitiesSettings": {
"enableNetworksEnabled": true
},
"lightningExperienceSettings": {
"enableS1DesktopEnabled": true
},
"currencySettings": {
"enableMultiCurrency": true
}
}
}

Creating a Scratch Org with Custom Settings

Use the Salesforce CLI to create a scratch org with the defined settings:

bashCopy codesfdx force:org:create -s -f config/project-scratch-def.json -a MyScratchOrg

  • -s: Sets the org as your default scratch org.
  • -f: Points to the scratch org definition file.
  • -a: Assigns an alias to the scratch org.

Commonly Used Settings and Features

Features

  • API: Enable API access.
  • AuthorApex: Allow Apex code development.
  • MultiCurrency: Support multiple currencies.
  • Sites: Enable Salesforce Sites.
  • Chatter: Enable Chatter collaboration features.

Settings

  • lightningExperienceSettings: Configure Lightning Experience settings.
  • securitySettings: Adjust security-related settings.
  • languageSettings: Set the default language and localization options.
  • emailAdministrationSettings: Configure email settings and limits.

Tips for Effective Scratch Org Management

  • Version Control: Keep your project-scratch-def.json file under version control to track changes.
  • Modularity: Use multiple scratch org definitions for different development scenarios.
  • Automation Scripts: Leverage scripts to automate scratch org creation and setup.
  • Aliases: Use meaningful aliases when creating scratch orgs for easy reference.

Deleting a Scratch Org

To dispose of a scratch org when it's no longer needed:

bashCopy codesfdx force:org:delete -u MyScratchOrg -p

  • -u: Specifies the username or alias of the org to delete.
  • -p: Skips the confirmation prompt.

Conclusion

Scratch org settings are a powerful tool in Salesforce development, allowing for highly customizable and consistent development environments. By understanding and utilizing these settings effectively, you can enhance your development workflow, improve collaboration among team members, and streamline the testing and deployment processes.