Testing, Debugging, and Deployment20% of the exam
Debugging with logs and monitoring async jobs and flows
How trace flags, debug levels and debug logs capture a transaction, how to read a log for limits and performance, when to use checkpoints and the Apex Replay Debugger, and how to monitor batch, Queueable and future jobs (Apex Jobs, Flex Queue, AsyncApexJob) and failing flows.
Describe how to approach debugging system issues and monitoring flows, performance, asynchronous, and batch jobs.
~8 min read · 12 practice questions ·
What the exam expects
- Capture the right debug log: set a trace flag on the user, class or trigger with a debug level that raises the categories you need and lowers the rest.
- Read a log for execution order and cumulative limit usage, and fix CPU and query problems it reveals.
- Choose between Developer Console checkpoints and the Apex Replay Debugger to inspect variable state.
- Monitor batch, Queueable, scheduled and future jobs with Apex Jobs, the Apex Flex Queue and AsyncApexJob, and pick the async type that makes a job monitorable and scalable.
- Surface and debug flow failures with error emails, fault paths, the Monitor tab and the Flow Builder debugger.
Key terms: trace flag (switches on logging for a user, class or trigger for a time window); debug level (a set of log levels per category, such as Apex Code FINEST); checkpoint (a heap snapshot taken the first time a chosen line runs); AsyncApexJob (the record behind every queued job); flex queue (where batch jobs wait in Holding status).
Key facts
When logs are generated
- Detail
- Active user trace flags, Apex test runs, requests with debugging headers
CLASS_TRACING trace flag
- Detail
- Overrides levels for a class or trigger; can't generate a log alone
Log size and retention
- Detail
- 20 MB per log; system logs 24 hours, monitoring logs seven days
CPU time limit
- Detail
- 10,000 ms synchronous, 60,000 ms asynchronous
Developer Console checkpoints
- Detail
- Up to five; captured once per line
Replay Debugger checkpoints
- Detail
- Up to five; expire after 30 minutes; one log at a time
Apex Jobs page window
- Detail
- Jobs submitted in the past seven days; older via AsyncApexJob
Apex Flex Queue
- Detail
- Up to 100 Holding batch jobs; five queued or active at once
System.enqueueJob limit- Detail
- 50 per synchronous transaction, 1 per asynchronous one
Flow error email recipient
- Detail
- Admin who last modified the flow or Apex exception email recipients
Sources for this section (9)
- Debug Logshelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Debug Log Levelshelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Debug Logdeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Execution Governors and Limitsdeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Set Checkpoints in Apex Codehelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Apex Replay Debuggerdeveloper.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Monitor the Apex Job Queuehelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Monitoring the Apex Flex Queuehelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Troubleshooting Flow Run Time Errorshelp.salesforce.com (opens in a new tab)
- Why doesn't running the failing DML in Execute Anonymous reproduce another user's error?
- When is a CLASS_TRACING trace flag enough to produce a log?
- What status does a batch job show while it waits in the Apex Flex Queue?
- Why use Queueable rather than a future method for work you must monitor and chain?
The questions are free to read. Answers with their sources and self-grading are included with the pack.
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