Salesforce Platform Developer Practice Exam

Can Apex be used to define criteria-based sharing rules?

1. Yes, always

2. Yes, but only for certain objects

3. No, it's not allowed

4. Yes, if configured correctly

The correct answer is: No, it's not allowed

In Salesforce, criteria-based sharing rules specifically allow for sharing access based on specific field values, and they are primarily configured through the Salesforce user interface rather than with Apex. Apex does not have the capability to directly define or create criteria-based sharing rules. Sharing rules are meant to be set up declaratively, giving administrators the ability to manage data access without needing to write code. While there are scenarios where Apex may be used alongside sharing rules—such as when developing custom sharing logic or using manual sharing—Apex cannot be used to create the criteria-based sharing rules themselves. As a result, the most accurate answer reflects the limitations of Apex in this context, emphasizing that defining criteria-based sharing rules is not permitted within its framework.