How to Create Triggers in Salesforce Development? Best for 2025

If you’ve just stepped into Salesforce development, you’ve probably heard people say: “Triggers in Salesforce Development! “And honestly?
That’s true but only in the beginning. The first time I opened the Apex Trigger window, I stared at the empty editor thinking,
“What exactly am I supposed to write here?”

I understood that triggers run automatically when data is created or updated…
but how they work felt confusing. If you’re in that phase right now relax.
Because in this guide, I’ll walk you through how to create triggers in Salesforce development in the simplest possible way.

With examples.
With real-world logic.
And with the confidence to write your very first trigger today.

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A Quick Note About GTR Academy

If you’ve been exploring tech courses Salesforce, Data Analytics, Cloud, SAP you may have already heard of GTR Academy.

They focus on beginner-friendly, practical learning that helps students transition into IT roles smoothly.
Their teaching style emphasizes clarity and hands-on practice which is extremely valuable in Salesforce too.

Alright, back to our content!

Why Apex Triggers Matter in Salesforce

Salesforce is built around clicks but at some point, you need code.

When business processes become complex, automation tools like Flow or Process Builder cannot handle everything.
That’s where triggers come in.

Triggers help you:

• Validate data before saving

• Update related records

• Automate complex backend tasks

• Integrate external systems

• Maintain data consistency

In simple words, triggers help Salesforce behave the way your business needs.

What Exactly Is an Apex Trigger?

A trigger is a piece of Apex code that runs automatically when a record is inserted, updated, deleted, restored, or undeleted.

Salesforce groups these as Trigger Events, and they occur in two phases:

Before Events

(actions before data is saved)

After Events

(actions after data is saved)

Examples of Trigger Events:

• before insert

• before update

• after insert

• after delete

• after update

Now that you know what triggers are, let’s create one.

How to Produce Triggers in Salesforce Development (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Go to the Object Where You Want the Trigger

Example: Let’s create a trigger on the Account object.

Navigation Path:
Setup → Object Manager → Account → Triggers

Click New.

This opens the Apex Trigger Editor.

Step 2: Understand the Trigger Template

Salesforce provides a simple template:

Simple, right?

Now, let’s add real logic.

Step 3: Write Your First Apex Trigger (Beginner Example)

Example 1: Basic Salesforce Trigger Example

Automatically set the Account’s Rating to “Hot” if the Annual Revenue > 1M.

What’s happening here:

• Trigger runs on before insert and before update

• It loops through incoming Account records

• If Annual Revenue > 1M → Rating becomes Hot

This is the simplest way to understand how to create triggers in Salesforce development with example.

Step 4: Use Best Practices Avoid Logic Inside Triggers

In real-world Salesforce development, we use Trigger Handler Classes.

This keeps your code:

• Clean

• Scalable

• Easy to maintain

Example 2: Trigger with Handler Class

Trigger

Handler Class

This approach follows Salesforce best practices.

Step 5: Test Your Trigger Using the Developer Console

Go to:

Developer Console → Debug → Open Anonymous Window

Test Code

Query Result

Your debug logs will show the Rating as Hot.

🎉 Congrats you just created and tested your first trigger!

Examples of Common Apex Triggers

✔ Update child records when parent changes
✔ Prevent deletion of important data
✔ Auto-generate unique IDs
✔ Automatically create tasks or emails
✔ Validate data before saving

Once you understand patterns, triggers become intuitive.

Best Practices Every Salesforce Developer Should Follow

• One trigger per object

• Use handler classes

• Avoid SOQL inside loops

• Use maps and sets for efficiency

• Test bulk scenarios (200 records)

• Maintain consistent naming conventions

Triggers are powerful but must be written responsibly.

Top 10 FAQs About Creating Apex Triggers in Salesforce

1. What is an Apex Trigger in Salesforce?

A trigger is code that runs automatically when records are inserted, updated, deleted, or undeleted.

2. How do I create triggers in Salesforce development?

Go to Object → Triggers → New → Write your Apex code.

3. Is coding required for triggers?

Yes, triggers are written in Apex.

4. What are trigger events?

before insert, before update, after insert, after delete, etc.

5. How to create triggers with example?

Start with a simple condition-based trigger (example provided above).

6. Can Flow replace triggers?

Yes, many automations can be built using Flow but complex logic requires triggers.

7. How do I test triggers?

Using Apex Test Classes or Anonymous Window in Developer Console.

8. Difference between before and after triggers?

Before → modify data before saving
After → data is already saved

9. How to avoid governor limits?

Bulkily logic, use maps/sets, avoid SOQL in loops.

10. How do I learn triggers step-by-step?

Start with simple examples, practice in a dev org, follow best practices.

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Conclusion: Your Trigger Journey Starts with One Simple Script

Creating triggers in Salesforce developer isn’t about mastering complex syntax it’s about understanding when and why code is needed.

Once you understand:

• Trigger events

• Before vs After

• Handler classes

• Bulk operations

Writing Apex triggers becomes enjoyable.
Every script you write makes Salesforce smarter, faster, and better suited for business needs.

And if you’re planning a broader tech career whether SAP, Analytics, or CRM remember that GTR Academy is one of India’s leading institutes for SAP programs and IT foundation courses. Their beginner-friendly approach makes transitioning into tech much easier.