SF-PD2 Practice Test 4 — 10 Questions

Question 1

Refer to the exhibit. The developer needs to update this code to be more robust. What is the most critical issue to address in this code snippet?

Accepted Answer

The code will fail with an exception if the ID does not exist.. The current code lacks a check for whether the account exists before accessing or updating it. If the query returns no records, it will throw a 'List has no rows for assignment to SObject' exception. Robust code should handle this possibility by checking for null or using a list to retrieve the record safely, ensuring the application remains resilient even when data is missing.

Answer

The code is not bulkified to handle a list of IDs.

Answer

The code does not use 'with sharing' to enforce security.

Answer

The code uses hardcoded string values for the name.

Question 2

A developer is writing a test class for an Apex trigger that updates a related Contact when an Account's BillingCity changes. The trigger handler uses a SOQL query to fetch related Contacts. What is the recommended way to ensure the test class covers the trigger logic without hitting governor limits?

Accepted Answer

Use Test.startTest() and Test.stopTest() around the DML operation that fires the trigger, and create test data with @TestSetup.. The recommended approach is to use @TestSetup to create test data once for all test methods, and to wrap the DML operation that fires the trigger with Test.startTest() and Test.stopTest(). This isolates the trigger's execution and resets governor limits, ensuring the test covers the trigger logic without exceeding limits. Other options either misplace the start/stop methods or use less optimal data creation methods.

Answer

Use Test.startTest() and Test.stopTest() around the SOQL query in the trigger handler, and create test data with @TestSetup.

Answer

Use Test.startTest() and Test.stopTest() around the DML operation that fires the trigger, and create test data with Database.insert() without @TestSetup.

Answer

Use Test.startTest() and Test.stopTest() around the DML operation that fires the trigger, and create test data with Test.loadData().

Question 3

A developer is building an Apex REST resource that must accept an inbound JSON payload from a third-party system. The payload contains a nested structure with a list of order line items, each having its own nested product object. The developer wants to deserialize the payload directly into typed Apex classes without writing manual parsing logic. Which approach should the developer use?

Accepted Answer

Call JSON.deserialize with the typed Apex class as the second argument, ensuring the class hierarchy mirrors the JSON structure.. Typed deserialization with JSON.deserialize against an Apex class whose members mirror the JSON keys is the standard way to convert a structured payload into Apex objects. Nested lists and inner classes are populated automatically by matching names, so no manual token handling is needed. The untyped and parser-based approaches require explicit mapping and therefore reintroduce the manual work the scenario wants to eliminate.

Answer

Use JSONParser to walk the token stream and instantiate each typed class as tokens are read.

Answer

Use JSON.deserializeUntyped and cast the returned Object directly to the typed Apex class.

Answer

Use JSON.createParser and bind the parser to a typed Apex class using the readValueAs method.

Question 4

A developer needs a custom Apex controller method to return a filtered list of Opportunities for a Visualforce page. The method must respect the running user's record-level access so that users cannot see Opportunities they are not permitted to view. Which approach should the developer use?

Accepted Answer

Query with WITH USER_MODE so the query executes in the running user's context and respects sharing and permissions.. Running the SOQL with WITH USER_MODE executes the query in the running user's context, so object permissions, field-level security, and record-level sharing all apply automatically. This is the intended declarative mechanism for respecting a user's access in Apex. WITH SECURITY_ENFORCED covers only field and object permissions, an unqualified query runs in system mode and ignores sharing, and WITH SYSTEM_MODE deliberately bypasses access checks, so none of those options meet the requirement.

Answer

Query with WITH SECURITY_ENFORCED and rely on it to apply record-level sharing rules for the running user.

Answer

Query with WITH SYSTEM_MODE to guarantee access to all Opportunities, then rely on the Visualforce page's permissions to hide rows.

Answer

Query normally without any mode clause and then filter the results in Apex using a manual sharing check.

Question 5

Refer to the exhibit. The query is performing poorly on an object with 5 million records. What is the most likely cause, and how should it be addressed?

Accepted Answer

Filtering on a related object field is causing a full table scan.. The query filters on a related object field, which can lead to inefficient joins if the field is not indexed. In Salesforce, filtering on fields from related objects often bypasses standard indexes. To optimize this, the developer should consider denormalizing data or ensuring the cross-object relationship filter is supported by an index to avoid full table scans that degrade performance significantly.

Answer

The query is selecting too many fields and should use SELECT *.

Answer

The batch size is too small, causing excessive API calls.

Answer

The query needs to be converted into a subquery using a nested SELECT.

Question 6

A developer is tasked with handling a large volume of external data updates in Salesforce. To ensure optimal performance and avoid governor limit issues, which bulk processing approach should be used?

Accepted Answer

Batch Apex.. For high-volume operations, Batch Apex is the standard solution. It processes records in chunks, which allows for the handling of millions of records by resetting governor limits (like CPU time and heap size) between each batch. By breaking down a massive operation into smaller, manageable units, the developer ensures the process remains stable and doesn't time out or hit limits, which is the primary challenge in large data integrations.

Answer

Synchronous Apex with nested loops.

Answer

Asynchronous Future methods.

Answer

Custom REST API with synchronous processing.

Question 7

Which of the following is an advantage of using a 'Source-Driven' development model over an 'Org-Centric' model?

Accepted Answer

It facilitates parallel development through version control branching.. Source-driven development treats the version control system as the source of truth, enabling better collaboration, easier branching, and more stable release cycles. It removes the dependency on the state of a single, monolithic org. This approach is essential for large teams and modern DevOps, reducing the risks associated with manual configuration changes and providing a clear, auditable history of the entire application's development.

Answer

It allows developers to skip unit tests during the release process.

Answer

It eliminates the need for managing deployment manifests.

Answer

It allows for faster development because you don't have to compile code.

Question 8

A developer is writing a batch Apex class to process 50,000 Account records. To ensure optimal performance and avoid hitting governor limits, which strategy should be implemented regarding DML operations?

Accepted Answer

Collect modified records into a List and perform a single DML operation after the loop.. Batch Apex should always perform DML operations outside of the loop iterating over the scope records. By collecting records in a List and performing a single DML operation after the loop finishes, the developer significantly reduces the number of DML statements consumed. This pattern is critical for scalability in Salesforce, as it prevents hitting the 150 DML limit per transaction while maximizing bulkification efficiency.

Answer

Perform DML operations inside the loop to ensure immediate data updates.

Answer

Call the Database.update() method for every individual record in the scope.

Answer

Use the Future method to update each record asynchronously.

Question 9

Refer to the exhibit. An Apex trigger is failing during a mass update of records. The developer identifies that the SOQL query is inside a loop. Which pattern must be applied to fix this error while maintaining the required functionality?

Accepted Answer

Collect all IDs in a Set and execute a single SOQL query outside the loop.. The 'Too many SOQL queries: 101' error is the most common indicator of a 'SOQL query in a loop' anti-pattern. To fix this, the developer must move the query outside the loop by collecting the necessary IDs into a Set or List first. Then, perform a single SOQL query that fetches all required records at once, storing them in a Map for efficient, constant-time retrieval during the trigger execution.

Answer

Increase the SOQL query limit by using a @future method to perform the query.

Answer

Use the Database.queryAll() method to bypass standard governor limits.

Answer

Wrap the loop in a try-catch block to ignore the error and proceed with the remaining records.

Question 10

A developer needs to implement a custom validation rule that involves complex cross-object logic. The logic is too complex for a standard Validation Rule formula. What is the best practice for implementing this logic?

Accepted Answer

Implement a 'before' trigger and use 'addError()' on the sObject.. Validation rules are great for simple conditions, but when logic spans multiple objects or requires complex arithmetic, Apex triggers are the superior choice. Using an 'Apex Trigger' on the 'before insert' or 'before update' events allows for a complete, programmatic validation. If the validation fails, using the 'addError()' method on the record is the standard way to provide user feedback and prevent the DML operation.

Answer

Create a Flow with a decision element to delete the record if invalid.

Answer

Use a Record-Triggered Flow to update the record status to 'Invalid'.

Answer

Use a scheduled job to find and clear invalid records nightly.