Visualforce Developer Guide

Introducing Visualforce
What is Visualforce?
Which Editions Support Visualforce?
Which Permissions are Required for Visualforce Development?
How is Visualforce Architected?
What are the Benefits of Visualforce?
When Should I Use Visualforce?
When Should I Use Lightning Web Components Instead of Visualforce?
How Do Visualforce Pages Compare to S-Controls?
How is Visualforce Versioned?
What’s New in Visualforce Version 50.0
Documentation Typographical Conventions
Tools for Visualforce Development
Getting a Quick Start with Visualforce
Customizing the Appearance and Output of Visualforce Pages
Standard Controllers
Standard List Controllers
Custom Controllers and Controller Extensions
Live Controller (Pilot)
Advanced Examples
Overriding Buttons, Links, and Tabs with Visualforce
Using Static Resources
Creating and Using Custom Components
Dynamic Visualforce Bindings
Dynamic Visualforce Components
Integrating Email with Visualforce
Visualforce Charting
Creating Maps with Visualforce
Render Flows with Visualforce
Templating with Visualforce
Developing Salesforce Apps with Visualforce
Adding Visualforce to a Salesforce AppExchange App
Using JavaScript in Visualforce Pages
Communicating Across the DOM with Lightning Message Service
Best Practices
Standard Component Reference
Appendices
Glossary
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When Should I Use Visualforce?

The Salesforce prebuilt applications provide powerful CRM functionality. In addition, Salesforce provides the ability to customize the prebuilt applications to fit your organization. However, your organization may have complex business processes that are unsupported by the existing functionality. In this case, Lightning Platform provides various ways for advanced administrators and developers to build custom functionality. To customize the front-end UI and functionality of your org, use Visualforce and Lightning Web Components. Where possible, Salesforce recommends using Lightning Web Components over Visualforce for the most modern, performant, and responsive functionality.

Visualforce

Visualforce consists of a tag-based markup language that gives developers a more powerful way of building applications and customizing the Salesforce user interface. With Visualforce you can:
  • Build wizards and other multistep processes.
  • Create your own custom flow control through an application.
  • Define navigation patterns and data-specific rules for optimal, efficient application interaction.

Lightning Web Components

Lightning web components are custom HTML elements built using HTML and modern JavaScript. They use core Web Components standards and provide only what’s necessary to perform well in browsers supported by Salesforce. Because they’re built on code that runs natively in browsers, Lightning web components are lightweight and deliver exceptional performance.

Out-of-the-box Components
Comes with an out-of-the-box set of components to kick start building apps. You don't have to spend your time optimizing your apps for different devices as the components take care of that for you.
Rich Custom Component Ecosystem
Create business-ready components and make them available in the Salesforce mobile app, Lightning Experience, and Communities. Salesforce mobile app users access your components via the navigation menu. Customize Lightning Experience or Communities using drag-and-drop components on a Lightning Page in the Lightning App Builder or using Experience Builder. Additional components are available for your org in the AppExchange. Similarly, you can publish your components and share them with other users.
Fast Development
Empowers teams to work faster with out-of-the-box components that function seamlessly with desktop and mobile devices. Building an app with components facilitates parallel design, improving overall development efficiency.
Components are encapsulated and their internals stay private, while their public shape is visible to consumers of the component. This strong separation gives component authors freedom to change the internal implementation details and insulates component consumers from those changes.
Device-aware and Cross Browser Compatibility
Apps use responsive design and support the latest in browser technology such as HTML5, CSS3, and touch events.