Mastering Apex Testing and Debugging in Salesforce

May 01, 2025
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Mastering Apex Testing and Debugging in Salesforce

Welcome to the last day of the 10 day Apex series. In the previous article we have seen Use of Batch Apex and Scheduled Jobs. Now In this blog we will talk about Apex Testing and Debugging.

In Salesforce development, making sure that our Apex code executes as specified is critical for maintaining a proper and error free application. Apex testing and debugging are key components of our development process, allowing developers to verify business logic, validate changes and troubleshoot issues effectively that may occur.

This blog will explain why testing is required, shows how to write test classes and methods and will explain the use of System.debug() with debugging logs.

The Importance of Testing in Salesforce

Testing is an important part of modern software development. Apex tests are not just a best practice but they are required to make sure that our code quality and compliance with platform requirements. Below are few primary reasons why testing is very important:

  1. Code Quality and Reliability
    • Validation of Business Logic: Streamline tests will confirm that our code executes the expected business rules and handles critical scenarios as expected.
    • Prevention of Rejects: With each update or deployment, broad test coverage will help to find errors that might unintentionally affect present functionality.
    • Adhere to Salesforce Requirements: Salesforce standard mandatory requirement is a minimum of 75% code coverage for all Apex code. Developing or writing proper tests will make sure that our code meets this standard and wil be ready for deployment.
  2. Improving Maintenance and Scalability
    • Facilitating Refactoring: When doing updates, having strong tests provides confidence that changes will not break present functionalities.
    • Supporting Future Development: Testing framework enables new features to be merged or deployed with low risk, making sure that the stability of application.
  3. Enhancing Debugging Capabilities
    • Identifying Issues Early: Regular testing will identify potential problems in the existing code before they become errors in production when users are using.
    • Streamlining the Debugging Process: By running tests and reviewing debug logs, developers can easily notice the errors and decide the appropriate corrective actions.
Also Read

Don’t forget to checkout: Introduction to Batch Apex and Scheduled Jobs in Salesforce.

Writing Test Classes and Methods

Salesforce provides a standard approach to testing through test classes and methods. Proper test classes will help us ensure both unit-level and integration-level reliability.

Structure of an Apex Test Class

Test class in Apex is declared with the @isTest annotation. Inside these classes, test methods are created to replicate various scenarios and validate the required outputs.

Example: Basic Test Class Structure

@isTest
		public class SampleTest {
			// A test method to validate a simple functionality
			@isTest
			public static void testSimpleOperation() {
				// Setup test data
				Account testAccount = new Account(Name = 'Test Account');
				insert testAccount;
				
				// Perform operations
				testAccount.Name = 'Updated Test Account';
				update testAccount;
				
				// Retrieve the updated record
				Account retrievedAccount = [SELECT Name FROM Account WHERE Id = :testAccount.Id];
				
				// Assertion to check if the name was updated correctly
				System.assertEquals('Updated Test Account', retrievedAccount.Name, 'Account name should be updated correctly.');
			}
		}

Main Components of Test Methods

  1. Data Setup:
    Before going to business logic, test methods will create sample records and data. This setup will be isolated from production data, making sure that tests run alone and properly.
  2. Execution of Code Under Test:
    Test methods will call the targeted Apex methods or triggers that need verification. It will be done within the test context where the standard governor limits will apply differently, enabling for managed test scenarios.
  3. Assertions:
    Assertions are used to validate that the output aligns with the expected results. Salesforce provides methods like System.assertEquals() and System.assertNotEquals().
  4. Isolation and Cleanup:
    Tests in Apex run in a different context, it means that changes made during test running do not affect actual production data. This isolation will automatically be managed by Salesforce.

Testing with Bulk Data

Salesforce has standard governor limits, so it’s crucial to make sure that our code handles bulk data properly. Tests should imitate scenarios with multiple records to verify that our operations will remain under limits.

@isTest
		public class BulkDataTest {
			@isTest
			public static void testBulkOperation() {
				List<Account> accounts = new List<Account>();
				
				// Create 200 test Account records
				for (Integer i = 0; i < 200; i++) {
					accounts.add(new Account(Name = 'Account ' + i));
				}
				
				// Insert all accounts in bulk
				insert accounts;
				
				// Perform bulk update
				for (Account acc : accounts) {
					acc.Name += ' - Updated';
				}
				update accounts;
				
				// Retrieve and assert that updates occurred
				List<Account> updatedAccounts = [SELECT Name FROM Account WHERE Name LIKE '%- Updated'];
				System.assertEquals(200, updatedAccounts.size(), 'All 200 accounts should be updated.');
			}
		}

Using System.debug() and Debugging Logs

Useful debugging is required for identifying and resolving bugs in Apex code. The System.debug() statement is a tool for logging information that will be analyzed in the developer console or through Salesforce’s debugging logs from setup.

  1. System.debug() Statements

    System.debug() will help developers to output values or messages at runtime that will provide awareness into the flow of execution and the state of variables.

    public class DebugExample {
						public static void processRecord(Account acc) {
							System.debug('Processing Account: ' + acc);
							
							// Example processing logic
							if (acc.Name == null) {
								System.debug('Warning: Account name is null!');
							} else {
								System.debug('Account Name: ' + acc.Name);
							}
						}
					}
  2. Analyzing Debug Logs

    Debug logs will show the output of System.debug() statements with other info like execution time, heap size and governor limit that is used. Debug logs will be accessible through the Salesforce Developer Console.

Steps to Analyze Debug Logs:

  • Set Debug Log Levels:We can set log levels from the Salesforce Setup menu to capture detailed information as per the requirement (e.g., FINE or FINER for Apex code).
  • Run the Code:Execute the code using test execution, triggers or direct method calls.
  • Review the Logs:Open the Developer Console, review the log entries and use the sequence of debug statements to verify error or unexpected behaviors.

Best Practices for Apex Testing and Debugging

Executing a useful testing and debugging strategy will require planning and cause to best practices. Below are few practices to follow:

  1. Write Proper Test Classes:
    Ensure that all paths of our code are tested that include positive cases, negative cases and bulk operations as per business requirement.
  2. Stick to the 75% Code Coverage Requirement:
    Salesforce will require a minimum of 75% code coverage for any deployment. As this is a standard coverage to follow. Make sure to cover more methods to increase coverage.
  3. Use Assertions Properly:
    Assertions are basic to validating outputs. We will use them to check both expected results and error conditions.
  4. Monitor and Optimize Debug Logs:
    Regularly review debug logs to verify performance delay or unexpected behavior. Optimize our code based on the outputs gained.
  5. Implement Defensive Programming Practices:
    Validate input data, handle exceptions and make sure that test methods work on realistic scenarios.
  6. Automate Testing:
    Integrate our Apex tests into continuous integration pipelines to catch issues and make sure that new changes will not break present functionality.

Conclusion

Testing and debugging in Apex are required processes that make sure code quality, reliability and maintainability in our applications. By writing proper test classes and leveraging System.debug() for debugging, we can identify issues, maintain necessary business logic and match Salesforce’s deployment standards.

The examples and best practices provided in this blog will surely provide a start for building a testing and debugging framework. With a proper testing strategy, we can confidently refactor and enhance our code, knowing that issues are detected before they impact end users.

We’ve now reached the end of the Apex 10-Day Series! I hope you’ve enjoyed the journey and learned a lot about Apex. With all the knowledge you’ve gained, you’re now eligible for Salesforce development. Keep coding and stay curious!

Written by

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Mohit Bansal

Salesforce Technical Architect | Lead | Salesforce Lightning & Integrations Expert | Pardot | 5X Salesforce Certified | App Publisher | Blogger

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Gopinath G

Passionate about the intersection of cutting-edge technologies

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