Salesforce Platform Developer Practice Exam

What is a good practice for a developer to follow when writing a trigger?

1. Using the Map data structure to hold query results by ID.

2. Using @future methods to perform DML operations.

3. Using the set data structure to ensure distinct records.

4. Using synchronous callouts to call external systems.

The correct answer is: Using the Map data structure to hold query results by ID.

A fundamental good practice for developers writing triggers in Salesforce is to utilize the Map data structure to hold query results by ID. This approach provides several advantages. First, it enhances performance by enabling developers to quickly retrieve records based on their IDs, minimizing the number of queries needed when processing multiple records during a trigger execution. Since triggers can run for bulk operations involving numerous records, having these records in a map ensures that the developer can reference and manipulate them efficiently without repeating SOQL queries, which is critical for governor limits in Salesforce. By using a Map, the developer also makes the code more readable and maintainable. It organizes data logically, facilitating easy access to related records, especially in scenarios where the trigger operates on multiple records. This can be particularly useful when updating or validating data, as it prevents the need to loop through large collections to find specific instances. Using @future methods, while beneficial for asynchronous processing, introduces complexity and potential issues with transaction management, particularly in a trigger context where the synchronization of changes may be critical. The set data structure, while useful for ensuring uniqueness, does not inherently address performance issues related to querying and handling data effectively in bulk. On the other hand, synchronous callouts can lead to performance bottlenecks and violate governor limits