Platform Events Interview Questions

In this blog post let's look at a few Platform Events Interview Questions that will be helpful to you when you are taking up your interview.

Introduction:

Salesforce Platform Events are a powerful tool for real-time event-driven architecture that allow developers to build reactive applications on the Salesforce platform. In this article, we will discuss the top interview questions, advanced interview questions, advantages, and disadvantages of Salesforce Platform Events.

Interview Questions:

1. What are Salesforce Platform Events?

Salesforce Platform Events is a feature that allows different applications or systems to communicate and share information with each other asynchronously. Think of them like messages or notifications that can be sent and received by different systems, based on a publish-subscribe model. This means that systems can receive real-time updates about events or changes that occur in Salesforce, even if they are not directly connected to the same Salesforce org. Platform events can be used for integrating Salesforce with external systems, coordinating between different Salesforce applications or orgs, and building event-driven applications.

2.  How do Salesforce Platform Events differ from custom objects?

Custom Objects are used to store data within Salesforce, while Platform Events are used to trigger real-time communication and actions between Salesforce and external systems or applications.

Platform Events are asynchronous and can be subscribed to by multiple systems at the same time, while Custom Objects are synchronous and can only be accessed by one system at a time.

3.  What is the purpose of Salesforce Platform Events?

The purpose of Salesforce Platform Events is to facilitate real-time communication and information sharing between different systems or applications, allowing them to trigger actions and react to events in a timely manner.

4.  How are Salesforce Platform Events triggered?

Salesforce Platform Events can be triggered by a variety of sources, including Apex code, Process Builder, Workflow Rules, and external systems via the Salesforce API.

5.  Can you give an example of how to use Salesforce Platform Events in a real-world scenario?

One example of how to use Salesforce Platform Events in a real-world scenario is to integrate Salesforce with an external order fulfillment system.

When a new order is created in Salesforce, an Apex trigger can publish a Platform Event containing information about the order. The order fulfillment system can subscribe to the event and receive real-time updates about new orders.

As the order is processed and updated in the order fulfillment system, it can publish a Platform Event containing updated information about the order, which Salesforce can subscribe to and use to update the order record in real time.

This integration allows both systems to stay in sync and share information in real time, improving order fulfillment accuracy and efficiency.

6.  How can you monitor Salesforce Platform Events?

Salesforce Platform Events can be monitored using the Event Monitoring feature in Salesforce, which provides real-time access to event log data. Additionally, administrators can use tools like Salesforce's native Event Monitoring Analytics app or third-party monitoring tools to analyze and visualize event data for insights and alerts.

7.  How do Salesforce Platform Events help with scalability?

Salesforce Platform Events can help with scalability by allowing different systems or applications to communicate and share information asynchronously, reducing the need for synchronous calls and improving performance. Additionally, Platform Events are designed to be highly scalable, with the ability to handle high volumes of event messages without impacting system performance.

Advanced Interview Questions:

1. What is the maximum size of a Salesforce Platform Event message?

The maximum size of a Salesforce Platform Event message is 2 MB. If the message exceeds this limit, it will be rejected and an error will be generated.

2.  How can you ensure the delivery of Salesforce Platform Events?

Salesforce Platform Events are designed to be reliable and are delivered using a publish-subscribe model. To ensure delivery, you can use the "replayId" field, which is a unique identifier that is generated for each Platform Event.

Subscribers can use this identifier to retrieve missed events or to replay events in case of a failure or outage. Additionally, Salesforce provides monitoring tools and alerting mechanisms to help identify and address any delivery issues.

3.  How can you subscribe to Salesforce Platform Events?

To subscribe to Salesforce Platform Events, you can create a trigger, Apex class, or Flow that listens for the specific event and performs an action in response to the event. You can also subscribe to Platform Events using external systems via the Salesforce API.

4.  Can you use Apex to consume Salesforce Platform Events?

Yes, you can use Apex to consume Salesforce Platform Events by creating an Apex trigger or Apex class that subscribes to the event and performs an action in response to the event.

5.  How can you handle errors when consuming Salesforce Platform Events?

To handle errors when consuming Salesforce Platform Events, you can use try-catch blocks in your Apex code to catch and handle exceptions that may occur during event processing. You can also use the "replayId" field to replay events in case of a failure or outage. Additionally, Salesforce provides monitoring tools and alerting mechanisms to help identify and address any processing errors.

6.  How can you configure Salesforce Platform Event triggers?

To configure Salesforce Platform Event triggers, you can create an Apex trigger on the event object and specify the criteria for when the trigger should fire. You can use the standard Apex Trigger syntax and available trigger events to define the trigger logic, which can include filtering based on field values or other criteria. Additionally, you can use Apex to subscribe to events programmatically and specify custom processing logic.

7.  What is the difference between a standard and custom Salesforce Platform Event trigger?

There is no difference between a standard and custom Salesforce Platform Event trigger. Platform Event triggers are created using the same Apex Trigger syntax and can be either standard or custom, depending on the event object being used. The trigger logic and processing are the same regardless of whether the event object is a standard Salesforce object or a custom object.

Advantages:

1. Real-time data updates: Salesforce Platform Events allow developers to build reactive applications that respond in real-time to events.
2. Scalability: Salesforce Platform Events are designed for high-volume, high-velocity events, making them ideal for applications that require high scalability.
3. Efficiency: Salesforce Platform Events use a publish-subscribe model, which reduces the need for polling and improves overall efficiency.
4. Integration: Salesforce Platform Events can be integrated with other Salesforce features, such as Apex, Process Builder, and Lightning Web Components.
5. Customization: Developers can customize Salesforce Platform Events to meet their specific needs.

Disadvantages:

1. Complexity: Salesforce Platform Events can be complex to set up and manage, particularly for developers who are new to event-driven architecture.
2. Cost: Salesforce Platform Events can be expensive, particularly for high-volume applications.
3. Limited data storage: Salesforce Platform Events are not designed for long-term data storage, so developers may need to find alternative solutions for data archiving.

In summary, Salesforce Platform Events are a powerful tool for building reactive applications on the Salesforce platform. While they offer many advantages, they can also be complex to set up and manage and can be expensive for high-volume applications. However, with careful planning and management, Salesforce Platform Events can be an excellent tool for developers looking to build real-time, scalable applications.