Salesforce Introduces Agentforce DX Pro-Code Tools for Developers

Salesforce has officially launched Agentforce DX, a new suite of pro-code tools designed to give developers full control over AI agent development, without forcing them to abandon their preferred workflows.

In their launch announcement, Salesforce have acknowledged the cognitive overhead of context switching required to develop a feature both in your IDE and in the org UI. Recognizing this extends to Agentforce, they’re looking to change this so developers can build intelligent assistants within Salesforce from the comfort of their preferred working environment. 

As of May 21, 2025, Salesforce’s Agentforce DX tools are generally available (GA), giving developers the power to create, test, and manage AI agents using the Salesforce CLI, Visual Studio Code, and Code Builder, with no browser required.

What’s in the Toolkit?

Agentforce DX brings several developer-first features to the table:

• New CLI plugin: A dedicated sf agent plugin lets developers generate agent specs, create agents, preview agent behavior, and run tests directly in the terminal.
• VS Code + Code Builder extension: The new IDE extension supports editing, testing, and previewing agents in real time, all without having to jump into an org.
• Human-readable YAML files: Agent configurations are now stored in readable YAML, and agent and test metadata can easily be transformed from standard Salesforce metadata XML to YAML for better readability and editability. 

Together, these updates allow developers to keep their hands on the keyboard and out of the builder UI.

Why It Matters

Since Agentforce was launched, Salesforce has received persistent feedback from developers to “let me stay in my IDE”. The Agentforce DX launch brings that promise to the pro-code community. 

Now, Agentforce fits into familiar pro-code workflows: source-controlled metadata, CI/CD pipelines, local development environments, and test automation. Developers can even preview agent conversations while updating Apex classes, all from their IDE.

How to Get Started

To start using Agentforce DX:

1. Update your Salesforce CLI: sf update
2. Run any Agentforce command to install the plugin: sf agent generate agent-spec
3. Install the updated IDE extensions: You can use either the VS Code Marketplace or Open VSX.

Salesforce also provides a free developer environment bundled with Agentforce, Data Cloud, and all the necessary tools, which is ideal for experimentation or learning.

Final Thoughts

With Agentforce pro-code support now in GA, developers can look to build smarter Salesforce experiences with AI without leaving their coding environment.

If you’re ready to start building, make sure to check out these resources:

• Agentforce DX Developer Guide
• Agent Commands Reference
• Agentforce DX pro-code GA Demo video