# Build, Test, and Deploy with the Salesforce Development Plugin

Use natural-language prompts and guided workflows to build, test, and deploy with the Salesforce Development plugin. [Install the plugin](/docs/platform/salesforce-skills-plugins/guide/install-salesforce-development.md) and [set up a Salesforce DX project and development org](/docs/platform/salesforce-skills-plugins/guide/set-up-salesforce-project-org.md) before you begin.

## Start a Development Session

Start Claude Code from your project directory:

```bash
claude
```

Run `/salesforce-development:welcome` to see the detected project and org, developer journey status, and suggested next steps. Then enter a natural-language prompt—you don't need to memorize slash commands.

To confirm that your project and org are ready, enter these prompts:

- "Am I ready for development?"
- "Validate that I can deploy to this org."

Then describe your task. For example:

- "What can I do here?"
- "Generate a custom object `Project__c` with fields for Name, Status, Due Date, and Owner."
- "Write a test class for `AccountTerritoryService` and run it."
- "Deploy the current changes to my sandbox."

Review each proposed project, org, and deployment action before you approve it.

## Try a Guided Test Drive

Complete the project and org setup in this topic before you start a test drive. In Claude Code, enter:

> Give me a guided walkthrough of building a Service help agent.

When the Salesforce Development plugin recommends the Salesforce Test Drive companion plugin, review its source and capabilities and approve the installation. Run `/reload-plugins`, enter `continue`, and select **Service Help Agent** when prompted.

Alternatively, run `/salesforce-test-drive:start` to begin the workflow directly.

Before the test drive starts, the Salesforce Test Drive plugin checks the connected org for required tools, licenses, permissions, and API support. If you install a required plugin during the workflow, run `/reload-plugins`, rerun `/salesforce-test-drive:start`, and select **Service Help Agent** again.

The Salesforce Test Drive plugin builds and deploys a draft Service help agent. Preview the agent from your Salesforce DX project. Publishing or activating the agent and connecting it to a website messaging channel remain manual steps.

After deployment, test both expected and out-of-scope behavior. For example, ask: "What's your return policy?" and "What's the weather like today?"

## Check Project Status and Discover Available Capabilities

Use discovery commands to confirm your development stage, see installed capabilities, find a specialized plugin, or check supported org features.

- Run `/salesforce-development:discover where` to see your position in the Connect → Project → Build → Test → Deploy → Observe journey.
- Run `/salesforce-development:discover overview` to see installed and available capabilities.
- Run `/salesforce-development:discover plugins SEARCH_TEXT` to rank matching uninstalled plugins without installing them. Replace `SEARCH_TEXT` with a feature or task.
- Run `/salesforce-development:discover features --target-org ORG_ALIAS` to inspect supported org features. Replace `ORG_ALIAS` with your org's alias.

The plugin uses your current project and org state and recorded successful actions to show journey progress. It doesn't infer completion from the conversation. Run `/salesforce-development:discover journey inspect` to review recorded activity, or `/salesforce-development:discover journey reset` to reset recorded history after confirmation. Stages based on your current project and org remain visible.

For help with recommendations, plugin loading, or authentication, see [Troubleshoot the Salesforce Development Plugin](/docs/platform/salesforce-skills-plugins/guide/troubleshoot-salesforce-development.md).