sf-apex: Salesforce Apex Code Generation and Review
Use this skill when the user needs production Apex: new classes, triggers, selectors, services, async jobs, invocable methods, test classes, or evidence-based review of existing .cls / .trigger code.
When This Skill Owns the Task
Use sf-apex when the work involves:
- Apex class generation or refactoring
- trigger design and trigger-framework decisions
@InvocableMethod, Queueable, Batch, Schedulable, or test-class work- review of bulkification, sharing, security, testing, or maintainability
Delegate elsewhere when the user is:
- editing LWC JavaScript / HTML / CSS → sf-lwc
- building Flow XML or Flow orchestration → sf-flow
- writing SOQL only → sf-soql
- deploying or validating metadata to orgs → sf-deploy
Required Context to Gather First
Ask for or infer:
- class type: trigger, service, selector, batch, queueable, schedulable, invocable, test
- target object(s) and business goal
- whether code is net-new, refactor, or fix
- org / API constraints if known
- expected test coverage or deployment target
Before authoring, inspect the project shape:
- existing classes / triggers
- current trigger framework or handler pattern
- related tests, flows, and selectors
- whether TAF is already in use
Recommended Workflow
1. Discover local architecture
Check for:
- existing trigger handlers / frameworks
- service-selector-domain conventions
- related tests and data factories
- invocable or async patterns already used in the repo
2. Choose the smallest correct pattern
| Need | Preferred pattern |
|---|---|
| simple reusable logic | service class |
| query-heavy data access | selector |
| single object trigger behavior | one trigger + handler / TAF action |
| Flow needs complex logic | @InvocableMethod |
| background processing | Queueable by default |
| very large datasets | Batch Apex or Database.Cursor patterns |
| repeatable verification | dedicated test class + test data factory |
3. Author with guardrails
Generate code that is:
- bulk-safe
- sharing-aware
- CRUD/FLS-safe where applicable
- testable in isolation
- consistent with project naming and layering
4. Validate and score
Evaluate against the 150-point rubric before handoff.
5. Hand off deploy/test next steps
When org validation is needed, hand off to:
- sf-testing for test execution loops
- sf-deploy for deploy / dry-run / verification
Generation Guardrails
Never generate these without explicitly stopping and explaining the problem:
| Anti-pattern | Why it blocks |
|---|---|
| SOQL in loops | governor-limit failure |
| DML in loops | governor-limit failure |
| missing sharing model | security / data exposure risk |
| hardcoded IDs | deployment and portability failure |
empty catch blocks | silent failure / poor observability |
| string-built SOQL with user input | injection risk |
| tests without assertions | false-positive test suite |
Default fix direction:
- query once, operate on collections
- use
with sharingunless justified otherwise - use bind variables and
WITH USER_MODEwhere appropriate - create assertions for positive, negative, and bulk cases
See references/anti-patterns.md and references/security-guide.md.
High-Signal Build Rules
Trigger architecture
- Prefer one trigger per object.
- If TAF is already installed and used, extend it instead of inventing a second trigger pattern.
- Triggers should delegate logic; avoid heavy business logic directly in trigger bodies.
Async choice
| Scenario | Default |
|---|---|
| standard async work | Queueable |
| very large record processing | Batch Apex |
| recurring schedule | Scheduled Flow or Schedulable |
| post-job cleanup | Finalizer |
| long-running Lightning callouts | Continuation |
Testing minimums
Use the PNB pattern for every feature:
- Positive path
- Negative / error path
- Bulk path (251+ records where relevant)
Modern Apex expectations
Prefer current idioms when available:
- safe navigation:
obj?.Field__c - null coalescing:
value?? fallback Assert.*over legacy assertion styleWITH USER_MODEand explicit security handling where relevant
Output Format
When finishing, report in this order:
- What was created or reviewed
- Files changed
- Key design decisions
- Risk / guardrail notes
- Test guidance
- Deployment guidance
Suggested shape:
Apex work: <summary>
Files: <paths>
Design: <pattern / framework choices>
Risks: <security, bulkification, async, dependency notes>
Tests: <what to run / add>
Deploy: <dry-run or next step>LSP Validation Note
This skill supports an LSP-assisted authoring loop for .cls and .trigger files:
- syntax issues can be detected immediately after write/edit
- the skill can auto-fix common syntax errors in a short loop
- semantic quality still depends on the 150-point review rubric
Full guide: references/troubleshooting.md
Cross-Skill Integration
| Need | Delegate to | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| describe objects / fields first | sf-metadata | avoid coding against wrong schema |
| seed bulk or edge-case data | sf-data | create realistic test datasets |
| run Apex tests / fix failing tests | sf-testing | execute and iterate on failures |
| deploy to org | sf-deploy | validation and deployment orchestration |
| build Flow that calls Apex | sf-flow | declarative orchestration |
| build LWC that calls Apex | sf-lwc | UI/controller integration |
Reference Map
Start here
- references/patterns-deep-dive.md
- references/security-guide.md
- references/bulkification-guide.md
- references/testing-patterns.md
High-signal checklists
Specialized patterns
- references/trigger-actions-framework.md
- references/automation-density-guide.md
- references/flow-integration.md
- references/triangle-pattern.md
- references/design-patterns.md
- references/solid-principles.md
Troubleshooting / validation
Score Guide
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 120+ | strong production-ready Apex |
| 90–119 | good implementation, review before deploy |
| 67–89 | acceptable but needs improvement |
| < 67 | block deployment |