Before starting, ensure you have the following installed:
- Node.js (LTS version) — required to run the Salesforce CLI and MCP server
- Visual Studio Code — our code editor and workspace
- Claude Code extension in VS Code — the AI interface
- Salesforce Developer Edition org
- Install Salesforce CLI Extension Pack
Part 1: Salesforce CLI Setup
Step 1. Create project folder
Every Salesforce DX project lives in its own folder. This folder will eventually contain your metadata, configuration files, and the MCP server setup.
Create a folder in your Documents directory:
| C:\Users\pc\OneDrive\Documents\salesforce-mcp-demo |
Step 2. Open folder in VS Code
VS Code needs to know which folder is your active project.
Go to File → Open Folder and select the new folder:
VS Code opened with the project folder as workspace
Step 3. Open integrated terminal
The integrated terminal runs inside VS Code and automatically starts in your project folder.
go to Terminal → New Terminal.
Step 4. Verify Salesforce CLI
Check whether the Salesforce CLI is already installed. If it is, you will see a version number. If not, you need to install it first.
| sf –version |
Expected output shows the installed version and Node.js version:
If the command is not recognized, install the CLI globally via npm:
| npm install -g @salesforce/cli |
The installation downloads around 725 packages
Part 2: Authorize Your Dev Org
With the CLI installed, we now connect it to your Salesforce Developer Edition org.
Step 5. Run login command
This single command sets up the authentication flow and registers the org under a memorable alias.
| sf org login web –alias MyDevOrg –set-default |
Three things happen:
- sf org login web — starts a browser-based OAuth flow
- –alias MyDevOrg — assigns a short nickname so you don’t type full usernames later
- –set-default — marks this as your default org, so commands target it automatically
Step 6. Allow access in browser
Your default browser opens the Salesforce login page. After logging in, you see a consent screen listing the permissions the CLI needs: identity, web access, API access, and refresh tokens.
Salesforce OAuth consent screen — click Allow
Click Allow. Salesforce then confirms the authentication:
Authentication successful — safe to close tab
Step 7. Verify in terminal
Return to VS Code. The terminal confirms the authorization with your org ID and username:
Step 8. Confirm org is connected
Double-check that your org is registered and accepting connections. This is a good sanity test before moving to MCP configuration.
| sf org list |
Authenticated org listed with Connected status
The “(U)” marker indicates this is your default org. All future commands will target it unless you specify otherwise.
Part 3: Configure MCP Server
This is where the AI connects to Salesforce. The .mcp.json file is Claude Code’s address book — it tells Claude which MCP servers to load and how to communicate with them.
Step 9. Create .mcp.json file
In the root of your project folder, create a new file named exactly .mcp.json. The leading dot marks it as a configuration file.
You can create it via the VS Code sidebar: right-click the project folder → New File → type .mcp.json.
Step 10. Add the MCP configuration
Paste the following JSON into the file. This tells Claude Code to run the Salesforce DX MCP package via npx, targeting your default org:
| {
“mcpServers”: { “Salesforce DX”: { “command”: “npx”, “args”: [ “-y”, “@salesforce/mcp”, “–orgs”, “DEFAULT_TARGET_ORG”, “–toolsets”, “orgs,metadata,data,users,testing”, “–allow-non-ga-tools” ] } } } |
Save with Ctrl + S.
Part 4: First Claude Demo
We will ask Claude in plain English to list all custom objects in your Salesforce org. This proves the full chain is working: VS Code → Claude Code → MCP configuration → Salesforce CLI → your org.
Step 11. Open Claude Code panel
Find the Claude Code panel in VS Code’s right sidebar (or open it via Command Palette: Claude Code: New Chat). Start a fresh chat session so the .mcp.json is picked up cleanly.
Step 12. Send your first prompt
Type this natural language request into the chat box:
| List all the custom objects in my Salesforce org |
Natural language prompt in Claude Code
Step 13. Approve tool usage
Claude analyzes your request and determines it needs to run a Salesforce CLI command. For safety, Claude Code asks your permission before executing anything that touches your system or accounts.
Claude requests permission to run a bash command
Click Yes. This is a one-time approval
Step 14. Review the results
If you have Field Service Lightning or other managed packages installed, their objects show up here:
Claude returns a complete list of custom objects
Part 5: Generate Project Structure
So far, our folder only contains the .mcp.json file. For real development work — retrieving metadata, editing files, deploying changes — we need the standard Salesforce DX project structure.
Step 15. Generate the SFDX project
This command creates all the standard folders and config files Salesforce DX uses. The –name . (dot) tells it to use the current folder rather than creating a subfolder.
| sf project generate –name . –default-package-dir force-app |
Full SFDX project structure generated
Part 6: Retrieve Metadata
Retrieving metadata means pulling your org’s configuration (Apex classes, custom objects, flows, layouts, permissions) into local files.
Step 16. Create the manifest folder
The manifest folder holds your package.xml — a manifest file that tells Salesforce exactly what metadata to retrieve.
| mkdir manifest |
Step 17. Create package.xml
In the manifest folder, create a file named package.xml.
| <?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>
<Package xmlns=”http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata”> <types> <members>*</members> <n>ApexClass</n> </types> <types> <members>*</members> <n>ApexTrigger</n> </types> <types> <members>*</members> <members>Account</members> <members>Contact</members> <members>Opportunity</members> <members>Lead</members> <members>Case</members> <n>CustomObject</n> </types> <types> <members>*</members> <n>Flow</n> </types> <types> <members>*</members> <n>Layout</n> </types> <version>62.0</version> </Package> |
Step 18. Run the retrieve command
This command reads your package.xml and downloads matching metadata from your org into force-app/main/default
| sf project retrieve start –manifest manifest/package.xml |
Metadata retrieve in progress — profiles being created locally
Step 19. Explore retrieved metadata
Expand force-app/main/default/ in the sidebar. Each metadata type gets its own folder:
Part 7: AI-Powered Field Creation
Step 20. Request a new custom field
In the Claude Code chat, describe the field you want. Be specific about the type, length, and location:
| Add a new custom field to the Account object called
Customer_Health_Score__c of type Number (length 3, decimal places 0). Add a description “Internal score 0-100 representing customer health”. Update the Account object XML file in force-app/main/default/objects/Account/ |
Natural language field creation request
Step 21. Claude analyzes existing patterns
Claude does not blindly generate code. It first reads existing custom fields to learn your project’s conventions. It sees you use the DX source format (one file per field, not inline in the object definition) and follows that same pattern.
Claude inspecting existing field files before writing new code
Step 22. Approve file creation
Claude asks permission to write the new file. Click Yes. Option 2 would approve all file writes for the session — useful when you trust Claude’s actions and want faster iteration.
Step 23. Review the generated XML
Claude creates Customer_Health_Score__c.field-meta.xml with the correct Salesforce CustomField XML structure:
Generated field-meta.xml with proper structure
Part 8: Deploy to Salesforce
The field currently exists only as a file on your local machine.
Step 24. Deploy via right-click menu
The cleanest way to deploy a single file is the VS Code right-click menu. In the sidebar, right-click the new field file and select “SFDX: Deploy This Source to Org”:
Right-click context menu showing SFDX deploy options
If you prefer the terminal, the command is:
| sf project deploy start -d force-app/main/default/objects/Account/fields/Customer_Health_Score__c.field-meta.xml |
Step 25. Verify the field in Salesforce
Log in to your Dev Org in a browser and confirm the field is live:
- Go to Setup → Object Manager → Account
- Click Fields & Relationships
