Salesforce Org Source Compare
Effortlessly compare source code and metadata between multiple Salesforce organizations directly in VS Code.
Stop switching between browser tabs and complex tools. Get instant access to your Salesforce source code with smart caching, configurable metadata retrieval, and lightning-fast comparisons—all within your favorite editor.
🚀 Quick Start
1. Install from VS Code Marketplace
Search for "Salesforce Org Source Compare" in the Extensions view or install directly.
2. Prerequisites
- Salesforce CLI v2: Install from developer.salesforce.com
- Authenticated Orgs: Connect your orgs with
sf org login web --alias my-org
3. Start Comparing
- Click the Salesforce icon in the Activity Bar
- Add your authenticated orgs with the + button
- Expand orgs to browse source files
- Right-click files to select for comparison
- Click the diff icon to compare side-by-side
✨ Key Features
🏢 Multi-Org Management Made Simple
- One-Click Access: Add any authenticated Salesforce org instantly
- Smart Caching: Files load instantly from cache, refresh only when needed
- Live Progress: Real-time indicators for all operations
- Inline Config: Configure metadata types with the gear button next to each org
- 25+ Metadata Types: ApexClass, LWC, Flows, CustomObjects, TestSuites, and more
- Per-Org Configuration: Customize what to retrieve for each organization
- Category Organization: Metadata grouped by Apex, Components, Security, Analytics, etc.
- Quick Presets: Enable All Types, Core Only, or Reset to Defaults
⚡ Lightning-Fast Comparisons
- Instant Diff: Compare files using VS Code's native diff editor
- No Network Delays: All comparisons use locally cached files
- Smart Selection: Click to open, right-click to select for comparison
- Visual Indicators: Selected files show numbered badges [1] and [2]
🎯 Native Salesforce Structure
- Real SFDX Layout: Browse actual
force-app/main/default/ directory structure
- Complete Coverage: Classes, triggers, LWC, Aura, objects, flows, test suites
- Click to Edit: Open any file directly in VS Code with full syntax highlighting
- State Preservation: Folder expansion remembered across sessions
🎮 Core Functions
File Comparison
Compare files between different Salesforce orgs:
- Select Files: Right-click any file and choose "Select File" - first file gets blue [1] badge, second gets red [2] badge
- Start Comparison: Click the diff icon (⚡) in the toolbar or use the "Compare Selected Files" command
- View Results: Files open side-by-side in VS Code's built-in diff editor with syntax highlighting
- Clear Selection: Click the clear icon (🗑️) to reset file selection
File Search (Ctrl+F)
Search and compare files across all organizations:
- Open Search: Press
Ctrl+F when focused on the extension panel or click the search icon (🔍)
- Search Files: Type to filter files across all your connected orgs
- Select Multiple: Choose 1 or 2 files from the search results
- Auto-Compare: Selecting 2 files automatically starts the comparison
Configure which metadata types to retrieve for each org:
- Open Config: Click the gear icon (⚙️) next to any org name
- Select Types: Choose from 25+ metadata types organized by categories (Apex, Components, Security, etc.)
- Quick Presets: Use "Enable All Types", "Core Types Only", or "Reset to Default" buttons
- Preview: Click "Preview Manifest" to see the generated package.xml
- Save: Changes are automatically saved when you make selections
Refresh Organizations
Keep your org data up-to-date:
- Refresh All: Click the main refresh button (🔄) to update all expanded orgs from Salesforce
- Refresh Single Org: Right-click an org and select "Refresh Organization" or click the refresh icon next to the org name
- Smart Caching: Files load instantly from cache between refreshes - refresh only when you need the latest changes
- Timestamp Display: See exactly when each org was last refreshed (e.g., "Today, 2:30 PM", "Yesterday, 4:15 PM")
🛠️ Settings & Configuration
Configure the extension through VS Code settings or the manifest configuration interface:
- API Version: Choose Salesforce API version (58.0-61.0) in VS Code settings
- Timeouts: Adjust operation timeouts for large orgs
- Cache Settings: Control cache duration and cleanup behavior
- Metadata Types: Default metadata types for new orgs
- Logging: Set log level for troubleshooting (error, warn, info, debug, trace)
🆘 Common Issues
"No organizations found"
- Run
sf org list to check authenticated orgs
- Re-authenticate:
sf org login web --alias my-org
"Files not loading"
- Click the refresh button to reload from Salesforce
- Check org permissions and network connectivity
"TestSuites not showing"
- Ensure ApexTestSuite is enabled in manifest configuration
- Check if your org has test suites created
Extension not responding
- Reload VS Code window:
Ctrl+Shift+P → "Developer: Reload Window"
- Check Output panel → "SF Org Source Compare" for logs
🔧 Pro Tips
- Smart Caching: Files display instantly from cache. Use refresh only when you need latest changes from Salesforce
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Use
Ctrl+Shift+P and search "SF Org Compare" for all available commands
- Multiple Comparisons: You can have multiple diff editors open simultaneously
- Custom Metadata: Configure different metadata types per org based on your needs
- Progress Tracking: Long operations show detailed progress with cancellation options
🤝 Contributing
We welcome contributions! See our Development Guide for technical details.
Quick Contribution Steps
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch:
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature
- Make your changes and add tests
- Run tests:
npm test
- Submit a pull request
For detailed development setup, architecture overview, and testing guidelines, see DEVELOPMENT.md.
📞 Support & Feedback
Transform your Salesforce development workflow. Install now and start comparing!
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