From Code to Clicks: Declarative vs. Programmatic

Salesforce is the largest and most comprehensive CRM on the market today. What makes it so unique is that it provides customers with endless possibilities for business applications, most of which can be built using declarative programming. This “clicks not code” approach means customers can configure their Salesforce instance using native functionalities through point-and-click tools to meet any business need. 

There are many benefits to this point-and-click approach for a business, including cost savings, less maintenance, automatic upgrades when the tools are improved, and not to mention the ability to quickly onboard new users. 

Let’s dive in to summarize declarative programming, highlight some of the benefits and share insights on when to use it. 

What is Declarative Programming and what are the benefits?

When it comes to building functionalities in Salesforce, there are two ways to do it: using declarative features (clicks) or programmatic tools (code). 

Declarative programming is any programming language that allows you to build applications based on business rules and logic instead of writing code. This makes it easier for non-developers to build applications and perform repetitive tasks. There are several benefits to using declarative programming in Salesforce. 

One of the greatest advantages of using clicks–not code is that it makes it easier for non-developers to create new applications, and manage existing data. With Salesforce’s multitude of configurable components, point-and-click workflow, and process tools plus drag-and-drop capabilities, you can design for most business solutions.

When it comes to building code-like logic using a declarative interface, Salesforces’ Flow Builder is a rockstar. It is used to collect data and perform actions in your Salesforce org or an external system and can automate complex business processes.

Some examples of flows include creating a process for contract proposals, onboarding a new employee, generating a sales forecast, or creating a process for handling customer service tickets. 

This not only reduces the amount of time it takes to onboard new employees and get them up to speed, but it is also easier to maintain, which can be costly.  

With no code changes required, the clicks–not code approach makes it much easier to update and scale, making it the perfect option for businesses that need to scale their data-driven applications to accommodate changes on demand. In addition, the flexibility of declarative programming allows for quick changes to your business rules, reducing downtime or interruptions to your users.

When to Use Declarative vs. Programmatic

When deciding whether to use a declarative approach for your next project, consider the problems you’re trying to solve and the resources available to solve them. Of course, as with most things, it’s not black and white, but there are a few key things to keep in mind to decide when to use each approach.

While declarative programming is beneficial in so many ways, and it’s the approach we take here at Kander with most projects,  it’s not always the best choice for every application. 

For example, some businesses need to support specialized or complex business processes or provide highly customized user interfaces that may require a programmatic code base approach due to their complexity.

There are also times when you need to extend the capabilities of an application beyond standard functionality, which is not always possible with a declarative approach.

Final Thoughts

With declarative programming, you can quickly build applications with little to no technical skills. This makes it easier for non-technical employees to create programs, and makes it simple to maintain applications over time, but most of all it saves companies time and money. 

It may be tempting to skip the planning phase and dive straight into coding, but it’s not always the best strategy. Before deciding whether to use one approach over the other, fully understand what you are trying to accomplish.

These decisions are not always easy, so if you have questions about what works best for your project, or if you are looking for a partner to guide you through these crucial steps, reach out to us here.