AI in Code Generation - March User Group

Join our March user group meeting where Peter Caitens takes us through AI tools we can use to enhance our developer skills.

1. Salesforce Developer Group Brisbane, Australia @peter.caitens Group Leader: Peter Caitens

2. AI in Code Generation Peter Caitens @peter.caitens Streamlining Your Salesforce Development

3. Peter Caitens Salesforce Lead Developer 8Squad Pty Ltd

4. Todays Agenda Why Code Generation Matters Code Generation Tools Einstein for Developers

5. Meet Tom Mid-level Salesforce Developer Works for a small real estate firm He has been asked to write a new utility class So as a good SF developer he: Checks out Trailhead for the best practices Spends 1 day writing his class Spends another day writing the test class and manages to get to 76% coverage Whew! Job Done

6. Why Code Generation Matters Code generation significantly boosts developer productivity Code generation improves code quality and consistency Code generation accelerates innovation and time-to-market Code generation democratizes access to development skills So, let’s have a look at some of the main code generation tools available to us as developers today.

7. ChatGPT What is it? A powerful large language model (LLM) chatbot developed by OpenAI Can generate text, translate language , write different kinds of creative content, and answer your questions in an informative way Generates creative, human-like code snippets Understands natural language instructions Can adapt to various coding styles and patterns Can provide inaccurate or misleading code especially for complex Salesforce-specific scenarios Requires careful validation before deployment Still under development, reliability can be inconsistent Pros Cons

8. GitHub Copilot What is it? AI-powered code suggestion tool developed by GitHub and OpenAI Integrated directly into your code editor (e.g., VS Code) Suggests contextually relevant code in real-time "Learns" your coding style over time Works well for common, repetitive code patterns Seamless VS Code integration May not grasp complex Apex logic or Salesforce-specific nuances Can inadvertently introduce bad coding habits if not carefully reviewed Costs $ Pros Cons

9. Einstein for Developers What is it? Salesforce-native suite of AI-powered development tools Includes features like Code Generation, Code Completion, and Code Recommendations Tailored to Salesforce, understands platform-specific details Integrates seamlessly with Salesforce development workflows (VS Code, Salesforce DX) Improves code quality and adherence to best practices Less flexible in creative code generation compared to ChatGPT May require some initial setup or configuration Pros Cons

10. Which One to Choose Key Considerations Complexities of Code Simple tasks? Copilot might do Complex logic? Lead towards Einstein Want experimental solutions? ChatGPT Salesforce Expertise Deep platform knowledge favours Einstein Integration Want it within your workflow? Einstein or Copilot shine

11. The Future of code Generation The Big Picture: Code generation is rapidly evolving Expect even more sophisticated and specialized tools to emerge Focus on Learning: Don't let tools replace core Salesforce development skills Use them to augment your expertise, not as a crutch A Collaborative Future: Imagine tools understanding code intent, refactoring intelligently...

12. Einstein for Developers Setup Step 1: Setup Einstein for Developers Setup

13. Einstein for Developers Setup Step 2: Install the VSCode Extension

14. Einstein for Developers Setup Step 3: Run your query

15. Tom Catchup He has been asked to write another class He has just listened to this talk and is inspired to try Einstein for Developers So, as a good Salesforce AI Developer he: c reates a query in Einstein for Developer that create a large piece of the code he requires Fills out the specifics of the code Asks Einstein for Developers to create the test class for him Tweaks the tests to get them to pass Jobs done in 1 day.

16. STOP RECORDING

17. Brisbane Developer Group Next Meeting Advanced Flow Concepts Every Developer Should Know May 1 - 12pm, virtual with Tim Combridge Session Topic Suggestions LinkedIn Group https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14345387/