ENHANCING SOFTWARE QUALITY IN LOW-CODE DEVELOPMENT: A FRAMEWORK FOR SALESFORCE APPLICATIONS

Abstract

Low-code development platforms (LCDPs) such as Salesforce have significantly transformed software development by enabling rapid application delivery with minimal coding effort. These platforms empower both developers and non-technical users to create and deploy business solutions efficiently. However, as applications built on LCDPs grow in complexity and scale, developers face increasing challenges in preserving critical software quality attributes such as reusability, flexibility, functionality, maintainability, and extendibility. In Salesforce, these challenges are intensified by architectural constraints including governor limits, a multi-tenant infrastructure, and platform-enforced execution boundaries, which necessitate more rigorous and structured design approaches. This study proposes a comprehensive framework for enhancing software quality in Salesforce development by integrating established object-oriented design patterns such as Singleton, Factory, Service, and Trigger Frameworks with best practices including Metadata-Driven Development, Bulkification, Modular Lightning Web Components (LWCs), and Test-Driven Development (TDD). These components are aligned with phases of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) to ensure seamless adoption in practical development workflows. A qualitative research methodology was employed, combining a focused literature review, expert interviews, and case study evaluations of three Salesforce components: Apex Controller Class, Apex Test Class, and Apex Trigger Class. The framework was validated through QMOOD (Quality Model for Object-Oriented Design) metrics, which revealed consistent improvements in Total Quality Index (TQI) scores, especially in reusability and functionality. Expert feedback further supported the framework's real-world applicability, noting improvements in scalability, modularity, and maintainability. While minor trade-offs in understandability were observed due to increased complexity, these were considered manageable with proper documentation. Overall, this research delivers a validated and actionable framework that supports Salesforce developers in building high-quality, scalable applications, addressing the unique constraints of low-code environments through structured design.