SF-PD2 User Interface Practice Question
A developer is experiencing performance issues with a Visualforce page that includes multiple complex components and a large amount of data. The page uses a standard controller with several extensions. Which technique should the developer use to reduce the view state size and improve page load time?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse 'transient' with 'static' or other modifiers, incorrectly thinking it relates to caching or performance optimization rather than specifically excluding data from the view state.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Mark non-essential controller variables with the 'transient' keyword.
Visualforce view state can significantly impact performance, as it is sent back and forth between the client and server. Minimizing the data stored in the view state is essential. Using the transient keyword on variables that do not need to persist across postbacks is a primary optimization technique for Visualforce developers.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Mark non-essential controller variables with the 'transient' keyword.
Why this is correct
The transient keyword prevents a variable from being included in the Visualforce view state. This is highly effective for large collections or temporary data that only needs to exist during the current request. By reducing the view state size, the developer decreases the payload sent over the network.
- ✗
Replace the standard controller with a custom controller using 'without sharing'.
Why it's wrong here
Changing the sharing mode of a controller affects security and data visibility but does not have a direct impact on the view state size or page load performance. While 'without sharing' might slightly speed up database queries, it does not address the fundamental issue of a bloated view state.
- ✗
Wrap all input fields in an <apex:actionRegion> component.
Why it's wrong here
An actionRegion is used to limit which part of the component tree is processed by the server during an AJAX request. While it improves server-side processing time for partial refreshes, it does not reduce the overall size of the view state that must be maintained for the entire page.
- ✗
Increase the 'apiVerson' in the Visualforce page metadata to the latest version.
Why it's wrong here
Updating the API version ensures the page uses the latest platform features and bug fixes, but it is not a performance optimization strategy for view state. View state management is a design concern involving how data is handled in the controller rather than a versioning configuration.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every SF-PD2 question from scratch — 226 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Salesforce exam blueprint
This SF-PD2 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Salesforce certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SF-PD2 exam.