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Salesforce offers two distinct user interfaces, Classic and Lightning, to support the varied needs of different businesses.
Salesforce Classic is known for its straightforward tab-based approach, while Lightning offers a more modern, component-driven design and enhanced mobile experiences.
While both interfaces enable users to manage contacts, sales processes, business operations, and more, how would you differentiate between them and opt for the one best suited for your business?
Well, we are here to help! This blog will compare Salesforce Classic and Salesforce Lightning and discuss when to use each of them, why to migrate, and how.
Let’s get started!
Salesforce Classic is the original user interface (UI) of Salesforce, introduced in the early 2000s. It offers a simple, text-heavy, and tab-based layout with basic functionalities, providing a look and feel similar to a traditional webpage. This is suitable for users who prefer a straightforward, no-frills experience.
You get traditional, tab-based navigation with limited customization options. However, you can leverage basic reporting and dashboard capabilities to visualize and analyze your data.
However, it does not support modern features and customizations, which makes it less visually appealing and less flexible as per the modern needs of today’s businesses. In this case, you have Salesforce Lightning to the rescue!
Salesforce Lightning is a modern, intuitive UI designed to enhance user experience with a dynamic, component-based layout. You get a visually appealing and rich layout that improves productivity.
Lightning offers advanced tools for automation, app building without coding, interactive dashboards, drag-and-drop components, AI integration, comparative charts, infographics, and improved security. Its design makes it easier for businesses to personalize their Salesforce experience, work faster, and take advantage of new features that aren’t available in Classic.
| Basis/UIs | Salesforce Classic | Salesforce Lightning |
|---|---|---|
| Design and layout | Offers limited and basic visual elements. Tab-based layout focused on lists and texts. | Offers a modern and visually rich interface. You get interactive dashboards, graphics, and drag-and-drop components. |
| Navigation | Navigation is facilitated through static tabs and menus. | Navigation is facilitated through utility bars. The homepages can be customized for more personal experiences. |
| Customization | You get basic customization options, such as creating custom pages, and application development requires coding using Apex and Visualforce. | You get extensive customization options using Lightning components and App Builder. It leverages drag-and-drop components and minimal coding. |
| Mobile Responsiveness | Limited mobile functionality, as it does not support all mobile devices. | Fully mobile, functional, and responsive. Can be used on desktop and mobile. |
| Productivity Features | Basic and mundane dashboards, reporting, and automation using fewer visualization options. | Interactive dashboards. Kanban boards, advanced workflow automations, and built-in AI for smarter analytics and insights. |
| Security and Scalability | Lacks modern security enhancements and flexible controls available in Lightning. | Includes advanced security features, better data protection, and scalable frameworks for growth. |
| New features and upgrades | No new features and updates. | Continuous updates and enhancements. |
| Overall performance | Slow performance | Faster and optimized performance |
Having reviewed the differences between the two interfaces, it’s clear that now is the time to upgrade to the Lightning version if you haven’t already.
Transitioning from Salesforce Classic to Lightning is not just about a modern UI shift; it is about advanced customization options, smarter automations, and enhanced user experiences.
Salesforce Classic is still available for system administrators but is in maintenance mode. Salesforce itself is directing existing users to migrate to Lightning, while new users are offered the same.
As discussed above, Lightning offers versatile features, including interactive dashboards, customizable homepages, advanced automation tools, and mobile optimization. All this makes users work faster and smarter while helping streamline complex and repetitive tasks, saving time and reducing errors.
Backing it up by the Forrester Consulting study, The Total Economic Impact of Salesforce Lightning, it shows that users save up to 10 hours per employee per week.
Lightning UI is optimized for speed and performance, handling large datasets and complex queries more efficiently. Plus, the enhanced real-time data processing capabilities improve overall system responsiveness.
Salesforce CRM continuously adds new features and improvements to Lightning, ensuring it stays up-to-date with the latest technology trends. This makes the platform’s UI more future-proof.
Lightning includes advanced reporting, visualization, and AI-powered features like Einstein for smarter decision-making and predictive analytics. With this, businesses can make faster, data-driven choices for growth.
To resolve these challenges, you would require a Salesforce Lightning developer who is an expert in understanding them and suggests and develops efficient solutions.Â
Hiring a Salesforce Lightning developer is your ultimate solution to all these challenges. With their expertise in Lightning Web Components, Apex, Visualforce, data migration, testing, and more, developers ensure the data is mapped accurately and the migration is seamless.
Here is a detailed explanation of what jobs Lightning developers perform in this transition:
A developer can thoroughly understand and evaluate the current setup and then conclude what existing components are compatible with the Lightning and what aspects need to be reworked. Then, they can create a complete roadmap for migration and highlight the critical features.
Salesforce developers can customize and configure the user interface to match business requirements and workflows using features offered by the Lightning version, such as App Builder and Lightning Web Components (LWC). This approach also facilitates the creation of a more personalized and efficient user interface, which can lead to improved user adoption rates.
Then they can ensure all the records transfer seamlessly, ensuring data consistency and hassle-free migration by following the best practices.
Salesforce developers work with stakeholders to assess which Classic features and customizations are essential.
They verify all necessary compatibility, update integrations, and ensure that all security mandates are followed, as the Lightning UI has strict security requirements, and changes in the framework can break existing integrations.
Finally, they perform all relevant tests, such as user adoption testing and bug fixes, to enhance the overall performance of the interface.
With experienced coding and integration skills, developers manage complex deployments efficiently.
Developers collaborate with admins to build interactive training environments reflecting the new Lightning experience.
However, you must be thoughtful about how to hire the right Salesforce developer to make an efficient decision for your business.
While cost is a key consideration in hiring, we have a full-fledged blog describing the costs for hiring Salesforce developers all across the globe. Get all the insights altogether!
OR
Read the blog here!
Relying on a basic user interface (UI) can limit your team’s productivity and fail to support personalized experiences. A simple solution is to switch to the more efficient Salesforce Lightning user interface. However, this transition can be challenging and complex, requiring the support of a skilled Salesforce developer. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and unsure about how to find experienced developers for your transition, reach out to our pre-vetted experts Salesforce developers at Smart IT Staff.
Salesforce Classic is available for existing users. However, Salesforce is prioritizing new features, updates, and support for Lightning Experience. Classic receives only critical fixes and security patches.
The Classic to Lightning Salesforce migration timelines depend on data volume, customizations, and user adoption needs. Most projects range from a few weeks for standard orgs to several months for complex environments with heavy customization.
Yes, you can run both interfaces in parallel. Users can switch between Classic and Lightning during phased migrations or training periods, but in the long term, Lightning is recommended for full feature access.
The migration costs widely vary based on the Salesforce org’s complexity and required custom development. Small migrations may cost a few thousand dollars, while large, complex orgs could require $15,000–$50,000 or more. Another factor to it could be the Salesforce developer’s cost for facilitating migration.
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