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In the rapidly evolving world of e-commerce, the role of a Salesforce Commerce Cloud Developer has become increasingly vital. Salesforce Commerce Cloud, formerly known as Demandware, is a robust and versatile platform for B2B, B2C, and D2C businesses. This growing demand creates the need for more certified Commerce Cloud developers.
This means it’s a golden opportunity for Salesforce enthusiasts who are freshers or professionals to develop their careers in this cloud.
Sounds interesting? Also, the average salary figure for a Salesforce Commerce Cloud Developer is around $7900.
Do you have reservations about where, when, and how to start your journey? Let us help you!
In this blog, we’ll outline the necessary steps to get you started in your career as a Salesforce Commerce Cloud in 2024.
Let’s get started!
Who are Salesforce Commerce Cloud Developers?
The person who designs, develops, and maintains e-commerce solutions on the Commerce Cloud platform is the Salesforce Commerce Cloud developer.
Also, they implement and customize e-commerce websites to meet the specific needs of businesses. By customizing the platform according to e-commerce business, they simplify order and inventory management, product catalogues, abandonment cart management, and much more for e-commerce stores.
This leads to delivering an exceptional online shopping experience for customers.
Responsibilities of a Commerce Cloud Developer
- Understand business needs and translate them into website architecture for designing user-friendly solutions for both customers and internal users.
- Working with stakeholders related to technical and creative designing areas.
- Consider the long-term needs of business and design with flexibility, scalability, and objectives in mind.
- Keep up to date with releases from Salesforce and eCommerce trends.
- Inspire quality, improvement, and stability in all the things that you do, such as system performance and data validation.
So, these are the main responsibilities that any Salesforce Commerce Cloud developer needs to take care of during the implementation and development process.
Skills Required for a Commerce Cloud Developer
- Backend development with B2C Commerce Cloud
- Front End development with HTML5, CSS, Bootstrap, jQuery
- NodeJS framework, JavaScrip
- Salesforce Page Designer
- Headless Commerce and PWA (Progressive Web Apps)
- Salesforce Reference Architecture
- Salesforce B2C Commerce Cloud Business Manager Interface
- Commerce processes such as adjustments, returns, payment capture, replacements, fulfilment, inventory management
- Experience in working with a project management methodology such as Agile
- APIs (SOAP/REST) including designing, developing, and consuming Salesforce APIs (REST, SOAP, Bulk, Streaming)
Next, we will explore the steps that will help you in becoming a Commerce Cloud Developer with much more ease and surety.
Steps to Become a Salesforce Commerce Cloud Developer?
1. Build a Solid Foundation
- Start by mastering web development fundamentals such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. These form the building blocks for Commerce Cloud development.
- Explore online resources, coding boot camps, and courses to gain proficiency in these essential technologies. Solidify your understanding of how web pages and user interfaces are structured.
2. Learn Salesforce Commerce Cloud
- Immerse yourself in Salesforce Commerce Cloud by leveraging official documentation and resources provided by Salesforce for training. They will help in learning more about architecture, features, and capabilities.
- Learn more about platform integration that can be performed with Commerce Cloud, such as with other systems, data sources, CRM systems, marketing automation platforms, and more.
- Trailhead, Salesforce’s free online learning platform, offers dedicated modules and trails that cover Commerce Cloud development comprehensively. These resources help you grasp the platform’s nuances and capabilities.
3. Gain Practical Experience
- Theory alone won’t suffice. To become proficient, set up your Commerce Cloud developer environment and embark on personal projects.
- Experiment with customizations, extensions, and integrations to gain practical insights. This hands-on experience is invaluable for mastering Commerce Cloud.
- Getting Salesforce Commerce Cloud training from online platforms such as Trailhead can help deepen your knowledge and understanding of the platform.
4. Explore Frontend and Backend Development
- Broaden your skill set to excel in both frontend and backend development, which are integral to Commerce Cloud projects.
- Strengthen your frontend skills by delving into popular frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue.js, commonly used for creating captivating user interfaces.
- For backend development, explore technologies like Node.js, Java, or other relevant server-side options. A diverse skill set enhances your versatility.
5. Get Certified
- Consider pursuing Salesforce Commerce Cloud certification to validate your expertise and stand out in the job market.
- Notable certifications to target are Salesforce Certified Commerce Cloud Digital Developer and Salesforce Certified Commerce Cloud Technical Solution Designer. These certifications demonstrate your proficiency to potential employers.
- To prepare for certification as a Commerce Cloud developer, the module distribution is:
1. B2C Commerce Setup (11%)
2. Work with a B2C Site (12%)
3. Data Management Using Business Manager Usage (24%)
4. Application Development (53%)
6. Network and Collaborate
- Join Salesforce developer communities and online forums to connect with peers and experts in the field. Attend meetups, webinars, and events to connect with like-minded people. Such groups often host study sessions, share resources, and provide valuable insights into the certification process.
- Engage in discussions, share your experiences, ask questions, and seek guidance. Collaboration with others exposes you to real-world challenges and accelerates your learning journey.
- Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook have Salesforce-focused groups and pages. Join these communities to interact with professionals who are preparing for or have already obtained Salesforce certifications.
7. Seek Internship or Entry-Level Positions
- Explore opportunities for internships or entry-level roles focused on Salesforce Commerce Cloud development.
- These positions provide real-world exposure, allowing you to apply your knowledge in practical scenarios and gain valuable experience.
- Many companies offer internship programs for individuals looking to gain hands-on experience in Salesforce Commerce Cloud development. Visit the careers sections of e-commerce companies and tech firms to explore internship opportunities.
8. Stay Updated
- Keep abreast of the rapidly evolving e-commerce technology landscape by staying informed about the latest trends and advancements.
- Start by subscribing to official Salesforce resources. Salesforce regularly releases updates, best practices, and new features related to Commerce Cloud.
- Become an active member of Salesforce Commerce Cloud developer communities. Platforms like Salesforce Stack Exchange and Salesforce Developer Community are excellent places to ask questions, share insights, and stay updated on industry trends.
- Attend industry conferences, webinars, workshops, and events to expand your knowledge and remain at the forefront of Commerce Cloud development.
- Remember that learning is a continuous process. Allocate dedicated time in your schedule to stay updated. Whether it’s an hour a day or a few hours a week, consistency is key.
9. Build a Portfolio
- Before you begin, it’s essential to understand what makes a portfolio effective. A portfolio should include real-world projects, detailed project descriptions, your role and contributions, technologies used, and the outcomes achieved. It should also be visually appealing and easy to navigate.
- Salesforce offers a developer playground, a free, fully functional Salesforce environment for testing and experimentation. Use this environment to develop and showcase your Salesforce Commerce Cloud projects.
- Emphasize your Salesforce Commerce Cloud skills throughout your portfolio. Mention relevant certifications, modules, and trails you’ve completed on Salesforce’s Trailhead platform.
10. Apply for Jobs
- Before applying to any employer, clarify your career goals and what you seek in a Salesforce Commerce Cloud developer job role. Understand your preferences for company size, industry, location, and specific responsibilities within the job.
- Once you’ve acquired a strong skill set, relevant certifications, and practical experience, start applying for Salesforce Commerce Cloud Developer positions.
- Tailor your resume and cover letter for each application, emphasizing your skills, certifications, and project experiences that align with the specific job requirements.
- Utilize job search platforms like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Indeed, and specialized Salesforce job boards. Set up job alerts to receive notifications for relevant positions.
What is a Salesforce Commerce Cloud and its features?
Now that you know how to go for a Salesforce Commerce Cloud job role, let’s take a look at its history and features as well.
Commerce Cloud emerged as a consequence of Salesforce acquiring two products called Demandware in 2016 and CloudCraze in 2018.
Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC) is an easy-to-scale cloud software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution for e-commerce websites. It will help you orchestrate all of your communication channels in such a way that a holistic experience is created for your customers, whether on a desktop or mobile. SFCC e-commerce offers two distinct products for retailers:
- Salesforce B2C Commerce Cloud: It will suit you most if you interact with individual online shoppers.
- Salesforce B2B Commerce Cloud: This edition will work best for launching online storefronts for a business that can buy large amounts of products from suppliers or make wholesale purchases.
Key features of Salesforce Commerce Cloud
- It allows you to enhance customer’s shopping experiences and streamline your upselling.
- It empowers you to connect with your customers across all possible touch points, both digital and physical.
- With its use, you can easily handle localization and the country’s legal requirements where your business operates.
- The advanced e-commerce merchandising toolkit enables consistency of product display and pricing across different countries.
- It follows a mobile-first approach, thus allowing your website to function smoothly on wide smartphones.
- Whatever scaling you want to perform, it will help handle it easily.
Finally, we will update you on the prerequisites that you need to take care of before going for the job role of Commerce Cloud developer.
Prerequisites for Salesforce Commerce Cloud Developer job
Before pursuing a career as a Salesforce Commerce Cloud Developer, there are several prerequisites you should consider to ensure you’re well-prepared for the role. Here are the key prerequisites:
- Familiarize yourself with Salesforce Commerce Cloud (formerly known as Demandware). Understand its architecture, features, and capabilities. You can start by exploring official Salesforce Commerce Cloud documentation and online resources.
- Gain a solid understanding of e-commerce concepts, including online retail operations, shopping cart functionality, payment processing, and customer experience. Knowledge of industry best practices is valuable.
- E-commerce systems often require integration with third-party services and APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). Familiarity with API integration concepts and tools is important.
- Consider pursuing relevant Salesforce certifications, such as the Salesforce Certified Commerce Cloud Digital Developer or other Salesforce certifications. These certifications validate your expertise and can make you a more attractive candidate to employers.
- E-commerce development often involves solving complex problems related to user experience, performance, and security. Strong problem-solving skills are highly valuable.
- Effective communication and collaboration skills are essential, as you’ll likely work with cross-functional teams, including designers, marketers, and project managers.
- The e-commerce landscape is evolving rapidly. Commit to ongoing learning and staying updated with industry trends, new technologies, and best practices.
- Build a portfolio showcasing your e-commerce development projects and achievements. A well-documented portfolio can demonstrate your skills and expertise to potential employers.
In case you are going for the role of Commerce Cloud developer, attending Salesforce developer training will be a good idea. It will help you by setting up a good foundation in the Salesforce ecosystem, development tools, and coding practices.
Concepts included in the Salesforce developer course, such as data modeling, Apex coding, and Visualforce, are transferable to Commerce Cloud development. Foundational certifications such as Salesforce Certified platform developer can be beneficial for Commerce Cloud developers.
Conclusion
Becoming a Salesforce Commerce Cloud Developer in 2024 is an exciting and rewarding journey. With dedication, continuous learning, and practical experience, you can build a successful career in e-commerce development.
Keep in mind that the field is dynamic, so adaptability and a passion for staying updated will be your keys to long-term success in this role. Good luck on your path to becoming a Developer in Commerce Cloud!
