Salesforce
The Winter 23 release of Salesforce went live in mid-October - if you’ve somehow missed this momentous event, you can catch up on the new features (and my opinion on some of them) by watching the BrightGen Release Webinar.
Version 3.0 of the Salesforce Code Analyzer was released in October, identifying JavaScript dependencies with security vulnerabilities via RetireJS, and Copy Paste Detector that will call out chunks of identical code. There’s also improved detection of issues with Data Flow Analysis provided by the Salesforce Graph Engine. If you haven’t used the Code Analyzer before, you can read about my experience with the earlier incarnation known as the CLI Scanner.
A fantastic resource for anyone learning about new features/products - the Salesforce Developers site now has a dedicated section covering all free trials. No more searching through product pages for the elusive sign up button!
Another fantastic resource - Platform Demos and Workshops. An directory of demos and workshops with access to the underlying Github Code.
It’s not all good news though …
Activist investor Starboard Value reportedly has a significant stake in Salesforce - when they get involved things typically don’t stay dull for long. It doesn’t have to be bad, but it’s likely to be at least a distraction - something Bret Taylor should be used to in his Chairman role at Twitter during Elon Musk’s on-again off-again finally-happened acquisition.
The current round of layoffs reportedly reached Salesforce on Monday 4th November - “less than 1,000” out of a workforce of 70-80,000 isn’t too bad, but it’s suggested there are more to come. It’s also predominantly Sales staff, but as we all know a slowdown in Sales often leads to headcount reductions elsewhere.
Other
After Quiet Quitting (aka doing your job!) comes Quiet Firing - making working life just difficult enough for someone to quit.
Meta announced their first ever round of layoffs, and it’s a bit more significant than Salesforce - more than 11,000 employees. It does seem like there’s a real slowdown in tech coming in the next year - will this finally affect the Salesforce ecosystem, or as with previous slowdowns, does the scarcity of qualified people provide insulation? Only time will tell.
Me
The Winter 23 release of Salesforce introduced a new Apex class - System.Assert. Read my blog to find out how and when to use it.