Ideas that every salesforce developer should vote for?

Question

I've noticed that Ideas around improvements to the apex language don't seem to get the same up-vote exposure as some of the admin-based improvements.

Thinking this might be a good place to aggregate all the ideas that we should be all voting on (for the sake of modernizing development on the platform).

Here are some of my top:

Proper Namespacing

Proper Class Reflection

Lambda Expressions

Support Field-sets in SOQL SELECT clause (disclaimer, I submitted this one)

JSON Serialization Attributes

What other ideas should we all be voting for?

Answer 1

Good Dev Ideas Community Wiki (no judgement, a-z, if you think it's worthwhile just add it, don't remove ideas added by others).

Vote for everything you agree with to build visibility. If you have opinions on them or disagree with them, comment/downvote on the idea exchange.

• Ability to update Metadata from Apex (Apex Metadata API)
• Add a slice() method to the List class.
• Add Generics to the Apex Language
• Add support for final variables in switch statement when clauses
• Allow debug log filtering for test methods
• Add OrgOptions Class to Apex Code for Determing Current Configuration
• Allow blank value(empty String) to be saved for a Custom Label
• Allow Record Name to be formula field while allowing autonumber
• Allow SOQL GROUP BY on formula fields
• "atExit" support for Apex Code
• Disable command buttons on click in visualforce as standard
• Enable EmpAPI in Communities
• Hierarchical Custom Setting Support in Lightning Experience
• Insufficient Privileges - Tell me why
• JSON Serialization Annotations
• Lambda Expressions
• Lightning Expressions by Key Access
• Make cookie requirement for Site Guest User debug logs optional
• Make Database.upsert Throw Errors at Run-Time Instead of Compile-Time
• Multi-select option for design attribute in custom lightning component
• Need a reliable developer script exception alert mechanism
• Platform Session Cache Inspection (Over all active sessions)
• Proper Class Reflection
• Proper Namespacing
• Remember static variables set during testSetup annotated methods
• SANDBOX - REFRESH ABILITY BETWEEN SANDBOXES
• Screen Quick Actions Width (for lightning-quick-action-panel)
• String.join doesn't use Object's toString()
• Support Field-sets in SOQL SELECT clause
• Update API call should allow External ID like Upsert call does

Archive: The following items have been delivered, or were archived due to inactivity, and can no longer be voted for.

• Add "Switch" or "Case" Statement to Apex - Delivered
• Add a Trigger.source() method for differentiating between UI and API calls. - Archived due to inactivity
• Add Apex API for Custom Labels - Delivered Summer 23
• Add getSObjectType() Method to DescribeFieldResult Class - Delivered Spring 23
• Allow Iterable for loops in Apex Code - Delivered Winter 24
• Apex Code: Implement Iterable on Set. - Delivered Summer 23
• Apex Enum parse from string - Delivered Winter 22
• Apex String.format() should take Object[] instead of String[] for arguments - Delivered Spring 19
• Clean up and document trigger behavior with batch Lead conversions. - Archived due to inactivity
• Create an exception class that throws warnings for governor limits - Archived due to inactivity
• Create way to get a full debug log regardless of size - Delivered Summer 19
• Custom VisualForce Pages for Error Display - Archived due to inactivity
• Debug logging level that will prevent ENTERING_MANAGED_PKG appearing in the log - Delivered
• Document Organization level Options that Affect Apex Code - Archived due to inactivity
• Enable OAuth Support On The Pardot API - Delivered Summer 20
• Expand Apex System Assertion methods to handle nulls and type checking. - Delivered Winter 23
• Get RecordTypeInfos by API name method - Delivered Summer 18
• Null Coalesce Operator Delivered Spring 24
• Private class variables should not be included by Json.Serialize - Archived due to inacvitiy
• Provide an additional addError method on SObject that accepts a field name - Delivered
• SObject model extension classes - Archived due to inactivity

Answer 2

Split from the community post as this answer as it isn't really developer related.

What is your first thought when you see the proposed Spring `17 Release logo?

If something in your head starts going Roy G Biv, then this is the idea for you:

Correct the color ordering in the Spring `17 Release logo

Answer 3

Definitely had the same feeling (there is even an idea for a separate dev idea exchange, fortunately since the dev stuff has dedicated PM(s) stuff gets picked up with a lot fewer votes than admin stuff.

That said, more visibility never hurts, and I've got a lot close to my heart, created a wiki response for people to collaborate on a group list instead of having 20 different answers.

Answer 4

My absolute #1 gripe as a developer is shared w/ admins: "allow triggers (+WF+PB) on objects they're not currently allowed on."

Unfortunately, I think the ideas have been fragmented object-by-object in "Ideas."

• Personally, only the lack thereof on OpportunityContactRole (idea link 1, idea link 2) impacts me.

But at Dreamforce this year, I learned that there are between 10 & 20 such objects still languishing. Not sure if there's a master "fix all of them" Idea yet, but I'd vote for that if there were.

It's really hard to design proper data models when there are certain tables (especially "junction tables") you can't fire triggers against.

(Firing triggers around tables they link to is not the same, as close as some clever kludges may get.)

Answer 5

New one, since Pardot just announced they're closing down their Idea Exchange:

Enable OAuth Support On The Pardot API