Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder

 
As we all know that this year Salesforce has introduced many new certifications in Marketing and Pardot tracks. Salesforce has announced three (3) new Salesforce certifications for Developers too!

1. Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder
2. Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I
   • MCQ's exam (No Prerequisite, 60 multiple-choice/multiple-select questions)
3. The Salesforce Certified Platform Developer II
   • MCQ's exam (Prerequisite - Successful completion of the Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I exam, 60 multiple-choice/multiple-select questions)
   • Programming Assignment
   • Essay Exam 

With these new certifications, Salesforce has planned to transition:

• The Salesforce Certified Force.com Developer exam over to the Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder exam.
• The Salesforce Certified Force.com Advanced Developer exam over to the two new Salesforce Certified Platform Developer exams (Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I & Salesforce Certified Platform Developer II).

As per Salesforce, Of course you can continue to maintain your existing credentials. Also effective Sept. 14, 2015 the Salesforce Certified Force.com Developer and Salesforce Certified Force.com Advanced Developer exams will no longer be available for new applicants to register.

On 29th of November, 2015 I got a chance to appear in Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder. Of course I got PASSED otherwise I would not dare to write this post with my experience! As an existing Salesforce Certified Force.com Developer, I appeared in Transition exam instead of Full Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder exam.

About the Transition Exam 

The Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder multiple-choice transition exam has the following characteristics:

• Content: 20 multiple-choice/multiple-select questions
• Time allotted to complete the exam: 30 minutes
• Passing Score: 65%
• Attempts to pass: 3
• Registration fee: 100 USD; Retake fee: 50 USD

Study Resources

• If you are New to Salesforce read Full Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder study guide. 
• Already have Salesforce Certified Force.com Developer credential? If so, read these resources first:
• I’m in the process of earning my Salesforce Certified Advanced Developer Credential. What’s my path? 
• I’m a Salesforce Certified Force.com Advanced Developer. What’s my path? 
• Read Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder - Transition exam study guide under the section "Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder credential". Read "Section 5. Recommended Training and References" (Recommended).
• Managed v/s Unmanaged Packages
• Overview of Record Types
• Object Relationships in Salesforce
• Indirect Lookup Relationship 
• Roll Up Summary Fields
• External Objects
• Field Update Considerations
• Social Leads, Accounts & Contacts
• Introduction to Lightning Components
• Object Specific Actions
• Global Actions
• Understanding Sandbox Environment Types
• Changing Custom Field Types
• Person Accounts
• Trailhead : Reports & Dashboards
• Trailhead : Automation Tools in Salesforce
• Trailhead : Introduction to Lightning App Builder
• Webinar : Lightning App Builder
• Order of Execution
•  In what order are automation rules and Apex triggers processed?

One more thing to note about this transition exam is although there are only 20 questions for 30 minutes but the wording of those questions were not clear and more challenging. So the recommendation would be to take complete 30 minutes and review carefully all questions and answeres before submitting the exam.