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Exam Information
Official specifications published by Salesforce
Exam Format
105 min
60
65%
Architect
Registration
$400 USD
Pearson VUE or online proctoring
Validity
Ongoing with maintenance exams
Complete maintenance requirements for each release; Retake exam if maintenance requirements are missed
CERTIFIED-DEVELOPMENT-LIFECYCLE-AND-DEPLOYMENT-ARCHITECT Exam Topics and Domains
CERTIFIED-DEVELOPMENT-LIFECYCLE-AND-DEPLOYMENT-ARCHITECT is organized into 8 weighted domains. Expect to work with DevOps Center, Salesforce CLI, Salesforce Platform, Change Sets, and more.
1
Application Lifecycle Management
8%
Development Methodologies
Assess benefits and risks of development methodologiesRelease management strategies
- Assess project risk and customer requirements to evaluate benefits and risks of different development methodologies
- Recommend appropriate methodology based on customer environment
- Describe and recommend appropriate release management strategy based on customer scenario
Application Lifecycle Phases
ALM Process Overview
- Understand the complete application lifecycle from planning to release
- Identify roles and responsibilities in each ALM phase
2
Planning
13%
ALM Maturity Assessment
Assess organizational ALM maturity
- Assess Application Lifecycle Management maturity in complex customer scenarios
- Identify the people, technology, and processes required for ALM success
Governance Framework
Design and recommend governance frameworksGovernance for Salesforce releases
- Analyze and recommend the appropriate governance framework based on customer scenario
- Recommend governance strategies for new Salesforce releases to minimize risks
Risk Identification and Mitigation
Understand and mitigate environment risks
- Understand customer environment risks
- Articulate appropriate mitigation strategies for identified risks
3
System Design
15%
Organizational Strategy and Architecture
Evaluate org strategy
Given a customer landscape and requirements, evaluate business, technical, and architectural considerations while defining an appropriate org strategy
Environment Strategy and Sandbox Management
Design sandbox strategyScratch Orgs and modern development
- Define an environment (sandbox) strategy that utilizes the correct sandbox types
- Apply sandbox strategy to a specific Release Plan considering multiple project streams, training, staging, and hotfixes
Production Changes and Integration
Handle direct production changes
- Explain the implications for incorporating requests directly in a production environment
- Explain the implications on development lifecycle and steps to integrate changes made directly in production
Agile Development Tools
Leverage agile tools
Explain the advantages of using agile tools to support an agile development process
4
Building
14%
Source Control and Version Management
Source control fundamentalsBranching strategiesSalesforce DX and source-driven development
- Explain how source control branching/versioning/merging can be used in customer scenarios
- Recommend appropriate strategies for source control implementation
Managing Metadata and Code Conflicts
Metadata management
- Manage metadata and code conflicts in development environments
- Implement strategies to prevent code overwrites
Development Models
Org development modelPackage development model
- Understand different Salesforce development models
- Choose appropriate development model based on requirements
5
Deploying
14%
Deployment Tools and Strategies
Change SetsMetadata API and CLIDevOps Center
- Compare, contrast, and recommend components and tools of a successful deployment strategy
- Describe capabilities, limitations, and considerations when using Metadata API for deployment
Deployment Strategy and Planning
Deployment planningRollback and contingency planningComplex deployment scenarios
- Develop and execute effective deployment strategies
- Plan for deployment failures and rollback scenarios
6
Testing
13%
Testing Methodologies
Types of testingApex testing best practices
- Describe and recommend appropriate testing methodology for customer scenarios
- Understand testing requirements for Salesforce deployments
Test Automation and Continuous Testing
Automated testing toolsPerformance and load testing
- Implement test automation in development lifecycle
- Utilize testing methodologies and tools effectively
Testing in Release Process
Pre-production testing
- Integrate testing throughout the release process
- Ensure quality before production deployment
7
Releasing
13%
Release Management
Release strategiesRelease coordination
- Focus on release management strategies for customer scenarios
- Understand organizational risk tolerance in release planning
Salesforce Release Management
Salesforce seasonal releases
- Follow Salesforce release schedules
- Understand how Salesforce releases impact deployments and projects
8
Operating
10%
Monitoring and Observability
Production monitoringEnvironment health assessments
- Describe monitoring tools for production environments
- Conduct environment auditing and health assessments
Backup and Disaster Recovery
Backup strategiesDisaster recovery planning
- Describe strategies to restore and back up Salesforce environments
- Plan for disaster recovery scenarios
Deployment KPIs and Metrics
Measure deployment success
- Understand deployment KPIs and how to measure success
- Use metrics to drive continuous improvement
How do I earn this certification?
Passing CERTIFIED-DEVELOPMENT-LIFECYCLE-AND-DEPLOYMENT-ARCHITECT earns the Salesforce Certified Platform Development Lifecycle and Deployment Architect certification. It sits in the Platform Architect track.
Current Level Exams
Next Level Options
- CTA - Salesforce Certified Technical ArchitectHighest technical certification from Salesforce, requires board review
- App-Arch-301 - Salesforce Certified Application ArchitectCombines Platform Data Architect and Sharing/Visibility Architect
- System-Arch-301 - Salesforce Certified System ArchitectCombines Platform Integration Architect and Identity/Access Management Architect
Alternative Paths
- B2C-Solution-Architect - Salesforce Certified B2C Solution ArchitectAlternative architect track for B2C Commerce implementations
- B2B-Solution-Architect - Salesforce Certified B2B Solution ArchitectAlternative architect track for B2B Commerce implementations
- Marketing-Cloud-Consultant - Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Consultant Complementary skills for multi-cloud architects
Practice with Precision
The PlanetCert Simulator mirrors the real exam environment with authentic questions and timed pressure.
How to study for this exam?
Use the PlanetCert practice test alongside the study plan below to prepare efficiently for CERTIFIED-DEVELOPMENT-LIFECYCLE-AND-DEPLOYMENT-ARCHITECT.
What's changed on this exam?
Current Status
- ACTIVE
- Last content update: 2025-01-15
Updates
- DevOps Center Latest (Winter '26) DevOps Center is now a core component of the exam, replacing some traditional deployment tool questions • Release date: 2024-10-01
- Salesforce CLI (sf) Latest CLI commands and usage are heavily tested in deployment scenarios • Release date: Ongoing updates
- Scratch Orgs and Dev Hub Latest Source-driven development model is now standard, scratch orgs are critical knowledge • Release date: Ongoing improvements
- GitHub Integration Native in DevOps Center GitHub integration with DevOps Center is expected knowledge for modern ALM • Release date: 2024
Who should take this exam?
Related practice tests
- ADM-201Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator
- PLAT-101Salesforce Certified Platform Foundations
- ADM-211Administration Essentials for Experienced Admin
- AP-202B2B Commerce for Developers Accredited Professional
- Comm-Dev-101B2C Commerce Cloud Developer