DX@Scale is a Remarkable Salesforce Devops Powerhouse
DX@Scale, is a free open-source software (FOSS) offering published by Accenture, who is the largest Salesforce global system integrator. It is an advanced project designed to transform enterprise Salesforce application development with a modular, devops-first architecture and platform. DX@Scale is a charter member of the Salesforce Devops Industry Map.
Not Your Father’s Salesforce Devops Methodology
The DX@Scale project is not your usual FOSS repo or project. Instead, it is the public face of a diverse, modern, and powerful Salesforce application development methodology in use by Accenture. Several large Accenture Salesforce implementations now use the DX@Scale architecture.
At the core of DX@Scale is a development methodology that predominantly uses 2nd generation packages. The result is a source tree that has an uncanny resemblance to that of a Java program. Having a real source tree is a welcome update to the typical way of organizing Salesforce functionality and should help with code quality and security.
Backend Services Ready for Action
A common lament of Salesforce developers is how long it takes to run a Salesforce pipeline. One DX@Scale component, “sfpowerkit pool,” employs a set of backend processes that dramatically shortens pipeline execution time.
DX@Scale has many other components, scripts, and repositories in its architecture. A few of these include developer scripts for coding, a set of tools used operate pipelines, and developer tools for Marketing Cloud.
This Is Observability
DX@Scale’s support of observability functions is tremendous. In fact, the observability features of DX@Scale completely eclipse every other Salesforce devops platform. Other Salesforce devops platform vendors should take note of the richness, openness, and variety of the metrics emitted.
The best observability feature of DX@Scale is the use of conventional devops metrics, emitting data via standard daemons like StatsD. This allows for the use of FOSS observability platforms like ELK, Prometheus, and Grafana or commercial platforms such as Datadog.
Not for Everybody
DX@Scale facilitates what Accenture frequently does for a global enterprise who has just invested in Salesforce. This is when Accenture leads a project by letting the architects and developers take over, create a production team involving the client, build it, and then bring in the client for rollout and operations.
A full 2nd generation package-based development model may not be practical for older orgs. For that reason, DX@Scale will work best when starting new Salesforce projects.
Found in Australia
DX@Scale finds its home with Accenture employee Azlam Abdulsalam (LinkedIn), based in Melbourne, Australia. Before leading DX@Scale, Azlam was already known by the users of the “sfpowerscripts” repository. Now, several enterprise teams besides Accenture are using DX@Scale for major projects.
DX@Scale Is A Powerhouse
The DX@Scale project gives Salesforce architects a rich devops framework that uses design patterns and pipeline actions more familiar to software engineers who have worked in “regular” devops. While focused on its own development methodology, DX@Scale has components of value to any software engineer working in Salesforce. With this suite of tools and capabilities, DX@Scale helps enterprises leapfrog into a modern app development methodology.
