User Salesforce CLI Unification: What is it about and what do I have to do?

Salesforce CLI Unification is a significant enhancement to the Salesforce Command Line Interface, designed to streamline and simplify the development process across Salesforce. This unification introduces a new, global CLI executable named sf, which aims to provide a unified command line taxonomy for cross-Salesforce development.

Key Aspects of Salesforce CLI Unification:

1. Unified Command Structure: CLI Unification brings a simpler taxonomy of commands that focuses more on the tasks developers need to perform, rather than on Salesforce product branding. This means commands are designed around actions or jobs performed when using the CLI, rather than being tied to specific Salesforce products or brands.
2. Cross-Cloud Development: The new sf executable is an evolution of the Salesforce CLI strategy, allowing for the integration of capabilities from other Salesforce CLIs like Heroku CLI and MuleSoft CLI. This results in new, cross-cloud commands under sf, simplifying the process of building and deploying apps across different Salesforce clouds.
3. Enhanced Usability and Productivity: The unification effort includes improvements in usability, such as the use of spaces instead of colons in commands, interactive prompting, and consistent output standards for JSON and tables. These changes aim to improve the overall CLI experience, making it more user-friendly and productive.
4. Seamless Transition: The new sf commands are designed to work alongside the existing sfdx commands. This means you can use both sf and sfdx commands interchangeably, allowing a gradual adoption of the new CLI without disrupting existing workflows or scripts.
5. Focus on Community Input: Salesforce has involved the developer community in the evolution of the CLI, ensuring that the changes and enhancements align with the needs and preferences of Salesforce developers.
6. Future Expansion: The range of projects and products that can be managed using the Salesforce CLI will continue to expand, incorporating more Salesforce products and features.

What Do You Need to Do?

1. Familiarize with the New Commands: Start exploring the new sf commands, especially if you are involved in Salesforce development across different clouds or products.
2. Adopt Gradually: You can begin integrating sf commands into your workflows while still using sfdx commands where necessary.
3. Stay Updated: Keep an eye on updates from Salesforce, as they continue to enhance and add new features to the CLI.
4. Provide Feedback: If you’re using the Beta or any new version of the CLI, your feedback can help shape future improvements and changes.

Salesforce CLI Unification represents a significant step in simplifying and enhancing the developer experience on the Salesforce platform, particularly for those working across multiple Salesforce clouds and products.

For more detailed information, you can visit the Salesforce Developers Blog: Announcing Salesforce CLI Unification and Salesforce CLI Unification — Now in Beta!.