Platform Developer I

This one is for professionals with experience in both developing and deploying business logic and user interfaces using the programmatic capabilities of the Lightning Platform, further customising and extending Salesforce using Apex, Visualforce, and Lightning components. This credential does not require the Admin certification as a prerequisite, but to be proficient Salesforce Developers it is still recommended to have it before moving into the programming realm. For absolute beginner it might be recommended to start out with SQL, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript courses, like the ones offered by The Odin Project and Frontend Masters before tackling Apex.

To put things in perspective: in Traditional Development a professional must know how to set up and manage the entire technology stack, which includes the Web Server, Front End, Back End, and the Databases. Each layer must be developed, configured, and integrated before actual application logic can begin.

When using Salesforce, the above Infrastructure is already built in, integrated, and ready to use, allowing developers to focus on delivering business solutions: Salesforce UI, Lightning Components and Flow simplify and accelerate the Front End building part, Standard and Custom Objects take care of the Database part, the Back End logic is taken care of by Apex, and SOQL simplify querying.

To use an analogy, developing with Salesforce is like stepping into a fully equipped recording studio with state-of-the-art mixers and musical instruments immediately ready to record, while Traditional Development is like building the studio and instruments from scratch before even tracking the first song.

That being said, starting with Traditional Development and then transition to Salesforce Development is useful because:

Helps building strong core software programming fundamentals concepts that Apex also relies on.
Knowing System architecture and how systems scale (and fail) equip developers to make better design decisions.
Encourages best practices, like scalable and efficient code, with reusable components, over platform constraits.
Provides greater career flexibility beyond just Salesforce, as professionals will be used to work across broader tech domains.

Using another musical analogy, starting with Salesforce is like learning to play an instrument focusing only on one style, while with Traditional Development a professional will learn to play all kind of styles, making them a far more adaptable and skilled (and sought after!) musician suitable for any situation.

Relevant resources for practicing: