Salesforce Skill
Use the Salesforce CLI (
sf
) to interact with Salesforce orgs. The CLI must be authenticated before use. Always add
--json
for structured output.
If the
sf
binary is not available, install it via npm (
npm install -g @salesforce/cli
) or download it from
https://developer.salesforce.com/tools/salesforcecli. After installing, authenticate immediately with
sf org login web
to connect to a Salesforce org.
Authentication and Org Management
Log in (opens browser)
sf org login web --alias my-org
Other login methods:
# JWT-based login (CI/automation)
sf org login jwt --client-id <consumer-key> --jwt-key-file server.key --username user@example.com --alias my-org
Login with an existing access token
sf org login access-token --instance-url https://mycompany.my.salesforce.com
Login via SFDX auth URL (from a file)
sf org login sfdx-url --sfdx-url-file authUrl.txt --alias my-org
Manage orgs
# List all authenticated orgs
sf org list --json
Display info about the default org (access token, instance URL, username)
sf org display --json
Display info about a specific org
sf org display --target-org my-org --json
Display with SFDX auth URL (sensitive - contains refresh token)
sf org display --target-org my-org --verbose --json
Open org in browser
sf org open
sf org open --target-org my-org
Log out
sf org logout --target-org my-org
Configuration and aliases
# Set default target org
sf config set target-org my-org
List all config variables
sf config list
Get a specific config value
sf config get target-org
Set an alias
sf alias set prod=user@example.com
List aliases
sf alias list
Querying Data (SOQL)
Standard SOQL queries via the default API:
# Basic query
sf data query --query "SELECT Id, Name, Email FROM Contact LIMIT 10" --json
WHERE clause
sf data query --query "SELECT Id, Name, Amount, StageName FROM Opportunity WHERE StageName = 'Closed Won'" --json
Relationship queries (parent-to-child)
sf data query --query "SELECT Id, Name, (SELECT LastName, Email FROM Contacts) FROM Account LIMIT 5" --json
Relationship queries (child-to-parent)
sf data query --query "SELECT Id, Name, Account.Name FROM Contact" --json
LIKE for text search
sf data query --query "SELECT Id, Name FROM Account WHERE Name LIKE '%Acme%'" --json
Date filtering
sf data query --query "SELECT Id, Name, CreatedDate FROM Lead WHERE CreatedDate = TODAY" --json
ORDER BY + LIMIT
sf data query --query "SELECT Id, Name, Amount FROM Opportunity ORDER BY Amount DESC LIMIT 20" --json
Include deleted/archived records
sf data query --query "SELECT Id, Name FROM Account" --all-rows --json
Query from a file
sf data query --file query.soql --json
Tooling API queries (metadata objects like ApexClass, ApexTrigger)
sf data query --query "SELECT Id, Name, Status FROM ApexClass" --use-tooling-api --json
Output to CSV file
sf data query --query "SELECT Id, Name, Email FROM Contact" --result-format csv --output-file contacts.csv
Target a specific org
sf data query --query "SELECT Id, Name FROM Account" --target-org my-org --json
For queries returning more than 10,000 records, use Bulk API instead:
sf data export bulk --query "SELECT Id, Name, Email FROM Contact" --output-file contacts.csv --result-format csv --wait 10
sf data export bulk --query "SELECT Id, Name FROM Account" --output-file accounts.json --result-format json --wait 10
Text Search (SOSL)
SOSL searches across multiple objects at once:
# Search for text across objects
sf data search --query "FIND {John Smith} IN ALL FIELDS RETURNING Contact(Name, Email), Lead(Name, Email)" --json
Search in name fields only
sf data search --query "FIND {Acme} IN NAME FIELDS RETURNING Account(Name, Industry), Contact(Name)" --json
Search from a file
sf data search --file search.sosl --json
Output to CSV
sf data search --query "FIND {test} RETURNING Contact(Name)" --result-format csv
Single Record Operations
Get a record
# By record ID
sf data get record --sobject Contact --record-id 003XXXXXXXXXXXX --json
By field match (WHERE-like)
sf data get record --sobject Account --where "Name=Acme" --json
By multiple fields (values with spaces need single quotes)
sf data get record --sobject Account --where "Name='Universal Containers' Phone='(123) 456-7890'" --json
Create a record (confirm with user first)
sf data create record --sobject Contact --values "FirstName='Jane' LastName='Doe' Email='jane@example.com'" --json
sf data create record --sobject Account --values "Name='New Company' Website=www.example.com Industry='Technology'" --json
Tooling API object
sf data create record --sobject TraceFlag --use-tooling-api --values "DebugLevelId=7dl... LogType=CLASS_TRACING" --json
Update a record (confirm with user first)
# By ID
sf data update record --sobject Contact --record-id 003XXXXXXXXXXXX --values "Email='updated@example.com'" --json
By field match
sf data update record --sobject Account --where "Name='Old Acme'" --values "Name='New Acme'" --json
Multiple fields
sf data update record --sobject Account --record-id 001XXXXXXXXXXXX --values "Name='Acme III' Website=www.example.com" --json
Delete a record (require explicit user confirmation)
# By ID
sf data delete record --sobject Account --record-id 001XXXXXXXXXXXX --json
By field match
sf data delete record --sobject Account --where "Name=Acme" --json
Bulk Data Operations (Bulk API 2.0)
For large datasets (thousands to millions of records):
Bulk export
# Export to CSV
sf data export bulk --query "SELECT Id, Name, Email FROM Contact" --output-file contacts.csv --result-format csv --wait 10
Export to JSON
sf data export bulk --query "SELECT Id, Name FROM Account" --output-file accounts.json --result-format json --wait 10
Include soft-deleted records
sf data export bulk --query "SELECT Id, Name FROM Account" --output-file accounts.csv --result-format csv --all-rows --wait 10
Resume a timed-out export
sf data export resume --job-id 750XXXXXXXXXXXX --json
Bulk import
# Import from CSV
sf data import bulk --file accounts.csv --sobject Account --wait 10
Resume a timed-out import
sf data import resume --job-id 750XXXXXXXXXXXX --json
Bulk upsert
sf data upsert bulk --file contacts.csv --sobject Contact --external-id Email --wait 10
Bulk delete
# Delete records listed in CSV (CSV must have an Id column)
sf data delete bulk --file records-to-delete.csv --sobject Contact --wait 10
Tree export/import (for related records)
# Export with relationships into JSON tree format
sf data export tree --query "SELECT Id, Name, (SELECT Name, Email FROM Contacts) FROM Account" --json
Export with a plan file (for multiple objects)
sf data export tree --query "SELECT Id, Name FROM Account" --plan --output-dir export-data
Import from tree JSON files
sf data import tree --files Account.json,Contact.json
Import using a plan definition file
sf data import tree --plan Account-Contact-plan.json
Schema Inspection
# Describe an object (fields, relationships, picklist values)
sf sobject describe --sobject Account --json
Describe a custom object
sf sobject describe --sobject MyCustomObject__c --json
Describe a Tooling API object
sf sobject describe --sobject ApexClass --use-tooling-api --json
List all objects
sf sobject list --json
List only custom objects
sf sobject list --sobject custom --json
List only standard objects
sf sobject list --sobject standard --json
Execute Apex Code
# Execute Apex from a file
sf apex run --file script.apex --json
Run interactively (type code, press Ctrl+D to execute)
sf apex run
Run Apex tests
sf apex run test --test-names MyTestClass --json
Get test results
sf apex get test --test-run-id 707XXXXXXXXXXXX --json
View Apex logs
sf apex list log --json
sf apex get log --log-id 07LXXXXXXXXXXXX
REST API (Advanced)
Make arbitrary authenticated REST API calls:
# GET request
sf api request rest 'services/data/v62.0/limits' --json
List API versions
sf api request rest '/services/data/' --json
Create a record via REST
sf api request rest '/services/data/v62.0/sobjects/Account' --method POST --body '{"Name":"REST Account","Industry":"Technology"}' --json
Update a record via REST (PATCH)
sf api request rest '/services/data/v62.0/sobjects/Account/001XXXXXXXXXXXX' --method PATCH --body '{"BillingCity":"San Francisco"}' --json
GraphQL query
sf api request graphql --body '{"query":"{ uiapi { query { Account { edges { node { Name { value } } } } } } }"}' --json
Custom headers
sf api request rest '/services/data/v62.0/limits' --header 'Accept: application/xml'
Save response to file
sf api request rest '/services/data/v62.0/limits' --stream-to-file limits.json
Metadata Deployment and Retrieval
# Deploy metadata to an org
sf project deploy start --source-dir force-app --json
Deploy specific metadata components
sf project deploy start --metadata ApexClass:MyClass --json
Retrieve metadata from an org
sf project retrieve start --metadata ApexClass --json
Check deploy status
sf project deploy report --job-id 0AfXXXXXXXXXXXX --json
Generate a new Salesforce DX project
sf project generate --name my-project
List metadata components in the org
sf project list ignored --json
Diagnostics
# Run CLI diagnostics
sf doctor
Check CLI version
sf version
See what is new
sf whatsnew
Common SOQL Patterns
-- Count records
SELECT COUNT() FROM Contact WHERE AccountId = '001XXXXXXXXXXXX'
-- Aggregate query
SELECT StageName, COUNT(Id), SUM(Amount) FROM Opportunity GROUP BY StageName
-- Date literals
SELECT Id, Name FROM Lead WHERE CreatedDate = LAST_N_DAYS:30
-- Subquery (semi-join)
SELECT Id, Name FROM Account WHERE Id IN (SELECT AccountId FROM Contact WHERE Email LIKE '%@acme.com')
-- Polymorphic lookup
SELECT Id, Who.Name, Who.Type FROM Task WHERE Who.Type = 'Contact'
-- Multiple WHERE conditions
SELECT Id, Name, Amount FROM Opportunity WHERE Amount > 10000 AND StageName != 'Closed Lost' AND CloseDate = THIS_QUARTER
Guardrails
- Always use
--json
for structured, parseable output.
- Never create, update, or delete records without explicit user confirmation. Describe the operation and ask before executing.
- Never delete records unless the user explicitly requests it and confirms the specific record(s).
- Never bulk delete or bulk import without user reviewing the file/query and confirming.
- Use
LIMIT
on queries to avoid excessive data. Start with LIMIT 10
and increase if the user needs more.
- For queries over 10,000 records, use
sf data export bulk
instead of sf data query
.
- When the user asks to "find" or "search" a single object, use SOQL
WHERE ... LIKE '%term%'
. When searching across multiple objects, use SOSL via sf data search
.
- Use
--target-org <alias>
when the user has multiple orgs; ask which org if ambiguous.
- If authentication fails or a session expires, guide the user through
sf org login web
.
- Bulk API 2.0 has SOQL limitations (no aggregate functions like
COUNT()
). Use standard sf data query
for those.
- When describing objects (
sf sobject describe
), the JSON output can be very large. Summarize the key fields, required fields, and relationships for the user rather than dumping the raw output.