# Change sets: connections, components and deployment

*Platform App Builder Study Guide · App Deployment · Last updated October 25, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-app-builder/app-deployment/change-sets-connections-components-and-deployment*

When a change set can move metadata (affiliated orgs, authorized connections), how outbound and inbound change sets are built, uploaded, validated and deployed, and why components go missing, hidden or rolled back.

- Certification: Salesforce Platform App Builder
- Exam section: App Deployment
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-app-builder

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a use case, demonstrate knowledge, viability, and troubleshooting when using change sets.

## What the exam expects

- Decide whether change sets can work at all: affiliated orgs only, and only along authorized connections.
- Build an outbound change set with every dependent component and field, and fix one after upload.
- Predict how an inbound deployment behaves: one transaction, Apex tests in production, 75% coverage.
- Use Validate and quick deploy to de-risk a scheduled release, and know what Validate can't test.
- Troubleshoot what arrives wrong: hidden tabs, unfiled reports, inactive flows, deletions and renames.

Key terms: **deployment connection** (the link between two affiliated orgs); **outbound change set** (built and uploaded in the source org); **inbound change set** (received and deployed in the target org); **validation** (a test deployment that commits nothing); **quick deploy** (a shortened deployment for a successfully validated change set).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who can connect | Only orgs affiliated with the same production org | [Connections](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.changesets_about_connection.htm&type=5) |
| Connection vs permission | Each org must be authorized to send and receive | [Connections](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.changesets_about_connection.htm&type=5) |
| Size | Up to 10,000 files, 400 MB total, about 5,000 components | [Outbound](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.changesets_about_outbound.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| After upload | Closed: can't edit or recall; clone to change | [Upload](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.changesets_outbound_init_deploy.htm&type=5) |
| Expiry | Outbound change sets expire six months after upload | [Upload](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.changesets_outbound_init_deploy.htm&type=5) |
| Object without fields | Deploys an empty object; each field must be added | [Best Practices](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.changesets_best_practices.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Deletions and renames | Not possible with change sets | [Best Practices](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.changesets_best_practices.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Apex tests | All local tests run in production when Apex is included; not automatic in sandboxes | [Best Practices](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.changesets_best_practices.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Rollback | Single transaction: any failure rolls back everything | [Deploy](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.changesets_inbound_deploy.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Coverage | 75% for production; not enforced in sandbox or Developer Edition | [Deploy](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.changesets_inbound_deploy.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Tabs | Hidden unless profiles set visibility (Professional Edition excepted) | [Components](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.changesets_about_components.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why can't two unrelated production orgs exchange change sets?
- When does an uploaded outbound change set expire, and what happens then?
- What limits apply to one outbound change set?
- Why must you activate a flow by hand after it arrives in a target org?

## Sources

- [Deployment Connections for Change Sets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.changesets_about_connection.htm&type=5)
- [Outbound Change Sets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.changesets_about_outbound.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Upload an Outbound Change Set](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.changesets_outbound_init_deploy.htm&type=5)
- [Change Sets Best Practices](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.changesets_best_practices.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Deploy a Change Set](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.changesets_inbound_deploy.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Validate a Change Set](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.changesets_inbound_test_deploy.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Components Available in Change Sets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.changesets_about_components.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Special Behavior in Deployments](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.deploy_special_behavior.htm&type=5)
- [Deploy Your Changes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.deploy_overview.htm&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 9 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Platform App Builder pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams