Platform Developer I vs II: What Changes and Which to Take (2026)

Hey friends,

Platform Developer I tests whether you can write correct Apex, SOQL and Lightning components. Platform Developer II tests whether you can design code that scales, stays maintainable and integrates, and you need Platform Developer I before you can earn it. Both have 60 scored questions and cost US$200, but Platform Developer II gives you 120 minutes instead of 105 and needs 70% instead of 68%.

All numbers here are from the official guides: the Platform Developer exam guide (Salesforce now calls the first one Salesforce Certified Platform Developer) and the Platform Developer II exam guide.

Same question count and price. Different depth.

How do the exam sections compare?

What's actually harder on Platform Developer II?

• Scale. The guide expects you to understand implications of larger data volumes, roughly 300,000 to 480,000 records, and to write Apex that scales to large data sets.
• Async depth. Queueable, batchable, schedulable and @future, and when each is the right call.
• Integration. Apex SOAP and REST web services, callouts and platform events.
• Sharing in code. Complex sharing models, including Apex managed sharing.
• Testing depth. Mocks and stubs, and Jest for Lightning web components.
• Design. Trigger design patterns, code reuse, and spotting inefficiencies in sample code.

Platform Developer I asks you to write a trigger that works. Platform Developer II hands you one that works on 10 records and asks why it breaks on 200,000.

Who should take which?

Platform Developer I first, always, since it's the prerequisite. Salesforce describes the Platform Developer II candidate as having 2 to 4 years of development experience, including at least 1 year designing, building and deploying on the platform. If you're under that, the exam is passable with study, but the scenarios will feel abstract.

How do you go from Platform Developer I to II?

1. Get solid on async Apex: Batch Apex, Database.Stateful and scheduling.
2. Learn the six integration patterns and practice callouts with Named Credentials.
3. Refactor something real into Service, Domain and Selector layers.
4. Add Jest tests to a Lightning web component and a Stub API mock to an Apex test.
5. Build Apex managed sharing on a custom object in a Developer Edition org.
6. Drill Platform Developer II practice questions until you're above 70% consistently.

What mistakes do people make moving up?

• Studying more syntax. The jump is design and scale, not new keywords.
• Skipping Performance. It's 18% and doesn't exist on Platform Developer I.
• Ignoring Visualforce and Aura. The Platform Developer II guide still lists Visualforce techniques and Aura components alongside LWC.
• Not budgeting for maintenance. Platform Developer II needs a maintenance badge on Trailhead once a year.

A bit about how I study. Focus on Force was my favorite resource on the way to 17 Salesforce certs. I started the traditional way, reading the study guide first and testing second, but rapid-fire practice tests are what actually made things stick. That's the loop Cert Lab is built on: quick questions, then explanations with current links, then go again.

FAQ

Is Platform Developer II worth it?

If you write Apex for a living, it signals you can design for scale, not just write code. Salary context is in my Salesforce developer salary post.

Can I take Platform Developer II without Platform Developer I?

No. The Salesforce Certified Platform Developer certification is the prerequisite.

Which is harder, Platform Developer I or II?

Platform Developer II: a higher passing score (70% vs 68%), an extra Performance section, and scenario questions about design, scale and integration.

How long between the two?

Salesforce doesn't set a wait. Its audience description assumes 2 to 4 years of development experience for Platform Developer II.

Where should you go next?

• The Platform Developer II study guide.
• Platform Developer II cost and passing score.
• Salesforce developer career path.

Nick Frates, a senior Salesforce developer with 17 certifications, built the Platform Developer II Cert Lab at nickfrates.com: rapid-fire practice questions for every exam section, each answer explained.

Hope this helps!

Best,

Nick