Going into TrailheaDX, the Salesforce Developer Conference, I was particularly interested in sessions around Lightning. For example the session on 'Build a Context-Aware Lightning Component' caught my eye as I reviewed the TrailheaDX agenda. I've been interested in this topic because 'Record' and 'Home' customization has been a feature that was in pilot until the upcoming Summer ’16 release. With this going live, it removes a huge roadblock to using lightning components more often, and building context aware components is going to become a skill all of us who develop on the Salesforce Platform will need to know. As it turned out, I did enjoy the session. However it was a different Lightning feature that electrified me!
Lightning Locker Service isn’t just a security tool. It’s also designed to enforce strong agreements (and versioning) across components so that an upgrade to Company A’s component will not break Company B’s component that relies on version [new version -1] of A’s component. Its full functionality is still a few releases out, but it brings us closer to a secure environment where multiple components from multiple vendors can be expected to play nicely together (and not screen scrape/steal data unexpectedly).SLDS (Salesforce Lightning Design System) - built in SCSS compilation happens in custom lightning components with the tokens system and inclusion of SLDS is no longer necessary in Lightning Components. Visual force is not so fortunate and you have to run your own build in order to make changes to the styling. I get a sense from attending TrailheaDX that Salesforce is not under any urgency to fix that difference either.
With all these new features coming out in Lightning and fewer changes happening in Aloha and Visualforce, the writing's on the wall and it says
"Lightning is Here". The CRM Science Labcoats are ready! Are you?
