Pass Platform Developer I and prove you can code.

Walk into the exam knowing your Apex, SOQL, triggers and LWC cold. Learn, practice and review every section until the tricky code questions feel obvious, and earn the cert that shows you can build on Salesforce.

$9.99for 12 months of access ✓ 30-day refund
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Checked against official docs Oct 10, 2026 · Enrolled right after checkout

Platform Developer Cert Lab: 4 exam sections and their weights
21lessons weighted like the exam, so your hours go where the points are
370practice questions that explain every answer
4timed practice exams that show you're ready before you book
$9.99for 12 months, with a 30-day refund

What the Platform Developer cert can do for you

The cert is one line on a résumé. What it stands for is bigger: proof that you can write Apex that survives real data, build components people can use and ship code your team doesn't have to fix later. Here's what people usually want from it, and how this course helps you get there.

Proof you can code, on paper

Platform Developer is a credential anyone can verify with Salesforce. It gives you something concrete for your next review, your résumé and your LinkedIn profile, and it backs up a case for a raise or a developer role with a name people recognize.

A real step from admin to developer

The exam has no prerequisite, so you can make the move as soon as you're ready. It's also the prerequisite for Platform Developer II, so it opens the next step on the developer path.

The person your team asks

When a trigger fires twice, a data load hits a limit or a security review flags a query, you'll know why and how to fix it. Those are the moments leads, architects and clients remember.

Walking into the exam calm

By exam day you'll have taken 4 full practice exams on a 105-minute timer, so you'll know where you stand against the 68% pass mark before you pay the $200 exam fee.

Every feature, and what it does for you

Lessons weighted like the exam

21 lessons follow the official exam guide's 4 sections and weights. Developer Fundamentals and Process Automation and Logic are 55% of the exam together, so they get 12 of the 21 lessons. You stop guessing what to study and spend your hours where the points are.

10 questions after every lesson

You find out right away whether a lesson stuck, while it's still fresh, instead of finding the gap on exam day.

Every answer explained

Each question explains why the right answer is right and why the other options are wrong. You learn the reasoning, so a snippet you've never seen before still makes sense, on the exam and in code review.

Code you read like you do at work

Apex, SOQL and LWC samples in editor-style code blocks, plus short hands-on tasks in a free Developer Edition org. You watch the limit get hit and the trigger fire yourself, so the rule sticks.

A section check, flashcards and a 30-question quiz per section

Short, self-contained study sessions. Ten minutes of flashcards on a lunch break still moves you forward when your week is full.

4 full practice exams

60 questions, a 105-minute timer and the real 68% pass mark. Your results show which sections need work, so you book with evidence instead of hope.

Get the Cert Lab, $9.99Try a free lesson

What you'll be able to do

The exam tests the work a Salesforce developer does every day. Here's what you'll know when you finish, and why it matters at work.

  • Spot code that will hit a governor limit and bulkify it, so your triggers handle a 200-record data load instead of failing on it.
  • Choose between Flow, formulas, roll-ups and Apex the way the exam expects, and explain that choice to your admin team.
  • Write SOQL, SOSL and DML and know exactly what each returns, so you stop guessing at query results.
  • Predict how triggers, the save order and recursion play out, so a record update never surprises you twice.
  • Handle exceptions on purpose, including custom exceptions, so failures are clear instead of silent.
  • Build Lightning web components and protect your Apex against SOQL injection and XSS, so your code holds up in a security review.
  • Write tests with real assertions, read debug logs and deploy with the coverage you need, without the last-minute scramble.
  • Know where Agentforce for Developers helps and where its code still needs your review, a part of the exam and the job that's new to many developers.

Try one before you buy

This is the kind of snippet the exam uses, and the kind you'll practice. A data load updates 150 accounts in one transaction. What happens?

ContactCheck.apex
1trigger ContactCheck on Account
2    (after update) {
3  for (Account a : Trigger.new) {
4    Integer n = [SELECT COUNT()
5      FROM Contact
6      WHERE AccountId = :a.Id];
7  }
8}
Show the answer

It fails. The loop runs one query per record, so the 101st query breaks the synchronous limit of 100 SOQL queries per transaction. Wrapping it in try/catch doesn't help, because limit exceptions can't be caught. The fix is one query outside the loop, filtered with WHERE AccountId IN :Trigger.newMap.keySet(). In the course, every question explains each option like this and links to the Salesforce docs behind it.

Your 5-week plan

It follows the 4-week study plan that comes with the course: one exam section a week, about one lesson a day, five or six days a week. Then a week of practice exams. Go faster or slower, you have 12 months. Each section ends with a section check, flashcards and a 30-question practice quiz, so you know it stuck before you move on.

Week 1

Developer Fundamentals

27% of the exam · 6 lessons

Governor limits and why they exist, MVC, declarative vs code, data modeling and relationship queries, and what Agentforce for Developers can and can't do. The foundation everything else sits on.

Week 2

Process Automation and Logic

28% of the exam · 6 lessons

The biggest section. Apex syntax and control flow, SOQL, SOSL and DML, triggers and the save order, recursion and exception handling. It's where much of your day-to-day code lives, so the time pays off at work too.

Week 3

User Interface

25% of the exam · 5 lessons

Secure your Apex with sharing, user mode and stripInaccessible, stop SOQL injection and XSS, then build Lightning web components that talk to each other and to Apex.

Week 4

Testing, Debugging, and Deployment

20% of the exam · 4 lessons

Write tests with real assertions, set up test data the right way, read debug logs and know your environments and deployment options.

Week 5

Practice exams and review

4 full exams · 60 questions each

Take the timed practice exams. Your results point to your weak sections, so your last hours go exactly where you need them. The governor limits cheat sheet is your final review. Book the exam when you're clear of 68%.

Start week 1 today

You're enrolled right after checkout. Or try a free lesson and see if the format fits you.

$9.9912 months
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Why a plan built on practice works

Pulling an answer out of memory strengthens it more than rereading does. Researchers call it retrieval practice. In a 2006 study by Roediger and Karpicke, students who practiced recall remembered about 61% a week later, against about 40% for students who reread. A 2013 review led by John Dunlosky rated practice testing as one of only two high-utility study techniques. Read more in The Science of Studying for Salesforce Certifications.

That's why every part of this course asks you to answer, not just read: lessons, section checks, flashcards, quizzes and practice exams. More of each hour you put in is still there on exam day.

See exactly what you'll study

4 sections · 21 lessons · 370 practice questions · 4 practice exams. Try a free lesson before you decide.

Developer Fundamentals · 27% · 6 lessons
  • DF1: Multitenancy and governor limitsTry a free lesson
  • DF2: MVC and the Lightning Component Framework🔒 Locked
  • DF3: Declarative or code: formulas, roll-ups and Apex🔒 Locked
  • DF4: Relationships: lookup, master-detail and many-to-many🔒 Locked
  • DF5: Accessing related data: relationship queries and external IDs🔒 Locked
  • DF6: Agentforce for Developers: uses and limits🔒 Locked
  • Section check, flashcards and a 30-question practice quiz🔒 Locked
Process Automation and Logic · 28% · 6 lessons
  • PA1: Declarative automation and Apex together🔒 Locked
  • PA2: Variables, constants, methods, modifiers and interfaces🔒 Locked
  • PA3: Control flow: if-else, switch and loops🔒 Locked
  • PA4: SOQL, SOSL and DML in Apex: what they return🔒 Locked
  • PA5: Triggers, the save order and recursion🔒 Locked
  • PA6: Exception handling and custom exceptions🔒 Locked
  • Section check, flashcards and a 30-question practice quiz🔒 Locked
User Interface · 25% · 5 lessons
  • UI1: Secure data access in Apex: sharing, user mode and stripInaccessible🔒 Locked
  • UI2: Preventing SOQL injection and XSS🔒 Locked
  • UI3: Building Lightning web components: files, decorators and targets🔒 Locked
  • UI4: LWC events and component communication🔒 Locked
  • UI5: Apex for components, flows and agents🔒 Locked
  • Section check, flashcards and a 30-question practice quiz🔒 Locked
Testing, Debugging, and Deployment · 20% · 4 lessons
  • TD1: Writing Apex tests: @IsTest, assertions and code coverage🔒 Locked
  • TD2: Test data: setup methods, loadData and SeeAllData🔒 Locked
  • TD3: Developer tools, debug logs and monitoring🔒 Locked
  • TD4: Environments and deployment🔒 Locked
  • Section check, flashcards and a 30-question practice quiz🔒 Locked
Practice exams · 4 full exams · 60 questions each
  • Practice Exam 1: 60 questions, 105-minute timer🔒 Locked
  • Practice Exam 2: 60 questions, 105-minute timer🔒 Locked
  • Practice Exam 3: 60 questions, 105-minute timer🔒 Locked
  • Practice Exam 4: 60 questions, 105-minute timer🔒 Locked
Try a free lessonGet the Cert Lab, $9.99

Your instructor

Nick Frates

Nick Frates, senior Salesforce developer

Nick writes Apex, triggers and Lightning web components for a living, so the lessons start where developers get stuck: limits, order of execution and security, not syntax drills.

Every limit and code sample in the course is checked against Salesforce's developer docs, Help or Trailhead, and each lesson lists its sources. If a fact can't be sourced, it isn't in the course.

Nick loved Focus on Force and used it constantly on his way to 17 Salesforce certifications. He learned fastest by taking practice tests rapid-fire, over and over, so he built Cert Lab around that: fast testing with up-to-date links and screenshots, designed to test you to success.

Is it right for you?

You're an admin moving into code

You know the platform and you've seen what Flow can't do. This turns that curiosity into Apex, SOQL and LWC skills, and a credential that shows you made the jump.

You code every day but haven't studied the outline

The exam asks about things you may not touch often: test data options, deployment, security enforcement and Agentforce for Developers. The quizzes find those gaps fast, so you don't spend time on what you already know.

You've done Trailhead and want exam-style practice

Badges teach the platform. This adds hundreds of exam-style questions with the reasoning behind each answer, and timed practice exams that tell you when you're ready.

You're retaking after a miss

Timed, exam-weighted practice exams show which sections cost you points, so you can fix those before you pay the $100 retake fee.

Who it's not for

Anyone looking for real exam questions (there are none here) or complete beginners who have never written code. Start with the free Admin course instead. It costs nothing and gives you the platform basics first.

Everything you get

21 lessons across all 4 exam sections
Every section covered, in proportion to its weight on the exam		✓
370 practice questions with explanations: 210 in lessons, 40 in section checks, 120 in 4 practice quizzes
Enough repetition that the right answer comes quickly under time pressure		✓
4 full practice exams of 60 questions each, timed at 105 minutes
Know your score before you book the exam		✓
A section check and flashcards for every section
Quick reviews that fit into a short break		✓
Code samples and hands-on tasks for a free Developer Edition org
See the behavior yourself, with no paid org needed		✓
Every answer explained, with links to the official Salesforce docs
Learn the reason, then check the source yourself		✓
Bonus 1: Platform Administrator Cert Lab (all 8 sections)
Fill platform gaps now, or use it for your next cert		Free
Bonus 2: Governor limits cheat sheet
A quick final review of the numbers the exam leans on		✓
Bonus 3: 4-week study plan
One section a week, so you always know what's next		✓
12 months of access
Study at your own pace and come back to review later		✓
30-day refund
If it isn't for you, email us and get your money back		✓
Your price
The exam itself is $200		$9.99
12 months

For comparison, the exam costs $200 and a retake costs $100, according to the official Salesforce exam guide.

✓ 30-day refund

Questions

How much does the Platform Developer Cert Lab cost?

$9.99 for 12 months of access to every lesson, quiz, flashcard set and practice exam.

How long does it take to study for the Platform Developer exam with Cert Lab?

About 25 hours, or roughly 5 weeks at 5 hours a week: 4 weeks of lessons following the included study plan, then a week of practice exams. Each lesson takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including its 10 practice questions.

Do I have to follow the 5-week plan?

No. It's a suggested pace. You have 12 months of access, so you can go faster, slower, or skip straight to the practice exams.

Do I need the Admin certification first?

No. The exam has no prerequisite. Salesforce recommends the Platform Administrator cert but doesn't require it, which is why the Platform Administrator Cert Lab is included free if you want to fill platform gaps.

What is the passing score for the Platform Developer exam?

68%, or about 41 of the 60 scored questions, in 105 minutes, according to the official Salesforce exam guide. The exam may also include up to 5 unscored questions.

What's in the practice exams?

4 full practice exams of 60 questions each, weighted by section like the official exam guide, with a 105-minute timer and the same 68% pass mark. After you submit, you see the correct answers and an explanation for every question. You can retake them as often as you like.

I already write Apex. Will this help?

Yes, that's a common starting point. The exam rewards reading short snippets for governor limits, order of execution and security, plus topics you may not touch daily, like test data options, deployment and Agentforce for Developers. The practice quizzes and exams drill exactly that.

Do I need a paid Salesforce org?

No. A free Developer Edition org is enough for every hands-on task.

Is it current?

Yes. It follows the current official exam outline, including Agentforce for Developers, and the lessons were checked against Salesforce's developer docs, Help and Trailhead on Oct 10, 2026.

How soon can I start?

Right after checkout. You're enrolled as soon as your payment goes through.

How long do I have access?

12 months from the day you buy.

What if it's not for me?

Email refunds@nickfrates.com within 30 days for a full refund. See the refund policy.

Are these real exam questions?

No. Every snippet and question is written from the public exam objectives and Salesforce's docs. Using real exam questions breaks Salesforce's certification rules, and it can cost you the certification.

Earn the cert, and write code your team trusts.

Pass the exam, bring sharper Apex to your next sprint and give yourself a credential you can point to.

$9.9912 months of access ✓ 30-day refund
Get the Cert Lab, $9.99

Not ready to buy? Try a free lesson and judge it for yourself.

Comparing prep options? See Focus on Force vs Cert Lab for Platform Developer.

$9.99 · 12 months
Platform Developer Cert Lab · 30-day refund
Get the Cert Lab, $9.99

Platform Developer Cert Lab

Categories: Salesforce Developer
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Cert Lab study guide for the Salesforce Certified Platform Developer exam: 4 exam sections, Developer Fundamentals 27%, Process Automation and Logic 28%, User Interface 25%, Testing, Debugging, and Deployment 20%

About Course

Study course for the Salesforce Certified Platform Developer exam: lessons for all 4 exam sections (Developer Fundamentals, Process Automation and Logic, User Interface, and Testing, Debugging, and Deployment), each with a section check, flashcards and a practice quiz.

Who it’s for

  • Admins and declarative builders moving into Apex, SOQL and Lightning Web Components.
  • Developers who code every day but haven't studied the exam outline, governor limits and testing rules.
  • Anyone who missed a pass and wants timed, exam-weighted practice on their weak sections.

What it costs

$9.99 for 12 months of access to every lesson, quiz and practice exam.

How long it takes

About 25 hours, or roughly 5 weeks at 5 hours a week. That's based on what's in the course: 21 lessons at about 30 minutes each, a section check and flashcards for each of the 4 sections, 120 section-quiz questions, and 4 practice exams of 60 questions, each with time to review the explanations.

What you get out of it

  • Lessons follow the official exam guide sections and weights, so your time goes where the points are.
  • Every quiz question explains why each option is right or wrong and links to the official Salesforce documentation.
  • A section check and flashcards close every section, so you review before you move on.
  • 4 full practice exams of 60 questions each, weighted like the real exam, show your weak sections before you book.

Why practice tests work

Drilling practice tests works because of retrieval practice: pulling an answer out of memory strengthens it more than rereading does. In a 2006 study by Roediger and Karpicke, students who practiced recall remembered about 61% a week later, against about 40% for students who reread. A 2013 review led by John Dunlosky rated practice testing as one of only two high-utility study techniques. Read more in The Science of Studying for Salesforce Certifications.

FAQ

How much does the Platform Developer Cert Lab cost?

$9.99 for 12 months of access to every lesson, quiz and practice exam.

How long does it take to study for the Platform Developer exam with Cert Lab?

About 25 hours, or roughly 5 weeks at 5 hours a week, based on the lessons, section quizzes and 4 practice exams in the course.

What's in the practice exams?

4 full practice exams of 60 questions each, weighted by section like the official exam guide. After you submit, you see the correct answers and an explanation for every question.

Why do practice tests help?

Retrieving an answer from memory makes it stick better than rereading. This is called retrieval practice, or the testing effect.

Show More

Course Content

Developer Fundamentals (27%)

  • DF1: Multitenancy and governor limits
  • DF2: MVC and the Lightning Component Framework
  • DF3: Declarative or code: formulas, roll-ups and Apex
  • DF4: Relationships: lookup, master-detail and many-to-many
  • DF5: Accessing related data: relationship queries and external IDs
  • DF6: Agentforce for Developers: uses and limits
  • Developer Fundamentals: Section check
  • Developer Fundamentals: Flashcards
  • Developer Fundamentals: Practice Quiz

Process Automation and Logic (28%)

User Interface (25%)

Testing, Debugging, and Deployment (20%)

Practice Exams
Four full 60-question practice exams, weighted like the official exam guide.

Bonuses
Extras included with your enrollment.

Student Ratings & Reviews

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