Salesforce Org Types: Guide to Understanding Which One to Choose and When

Salesforce is a powerful platform for driving customer engagement, streamlining operations, and scaling businesses. However, its potential is only unlocked when aligned with the right organizational environment or the “Org type.” A mismatch here isn’t just an IT issue but can lead to data breaches, high-cost occurrences, or operational hindrances at critical moments.

Choosing the right Org type helps developers work efficiently in an isolated environment and allows accurate testing. It ensures compliance and security through relevant access controls and end-user reliability by maintaining consistent performance and stable deployments. Therefore, to help you make the right choice, this blog will introduce you to the types of Orgs and when to choose which.  

Let’s get started! 

What is Salesforce Org?

Going by the literal definition provided by Salesforce, “An ‘Organizational Environment’ referred to as ‘Org’ is a virtual space provided to an individual customer of Salesforce. It includes all customer data, applications, and customizations. It is composed of systems of record that store customer data and metadata such as: 

• Relational Database (DB)
• NoSQL Database (HBase)
• FileForce (Keystone)”

Simply put, Salesforce Org is your business’s dedicated workspace within Salesforce. It is a customizable digital environment where your business teams manage customer relationships and automated workflows while securely storing business data and service records. Each Org is separate from other companies’ Salesforce environments. 

Types of Salesforce Org 

We have listed the various types of Salesforce environments in an ordered manner of how the Salesforce developer proceeds by using them. 

Scratch Org 

These are fully customizable and configurable Salesforce environments that are used for the development and testing of new features, customizations, and applications. Think of it as a blank canvas that developers use to build, test, and refine new features and processes without impacting the live Salesforce system or customer data. They use it to experiment with new ideas and discard what does not work, or when they are done, all in an isolated and safe space. 

These Orgs support version control, which lets you revert to earlier versions and track changes as they happen. They use source code and metadata to enable this source-driven development.

Scratch Orgs can be created within minutes using Salesforce Command Line Interface, extensions for Visual Studio, and code builder, while their expiration period ranges from 7 to 30 days. 

When to Choose?

Scratch Orgs are ideal when: 

• You want to experiment with new ideas and create prototypes that need no long-term maintenance. 
• Your project or application requires continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD). Scratch Orgs can be spun up/down automatically for faster releases. 
• You want to educate your teams about Salesforce development and provide hands-on experience, as these Orgs can be quickly created and destroyed. 

Sandbox Org

Similar to Scratch Org, Salesforce Sandbox Orgs offer an environment to create new features and applications before deploying the code to production. However, they are a copy of your production Org, including the licensing, features, and limits. They also entail the metadata and Salesforce data in it for quick working. 

There are different types of Salesforce Sandbox Orgs: 

Developer Sandbox

It is designed for coding and testing purposes and allows a small amount of data storage. Therefore, it is ideal for individual developers and small teams. 

When you clone a Developer Sandbox, no data is copied, which makes it efficient to have standalone Sandboxes for every developer. 

Developer Pro Sandboxes 

These Sandboxes are similar to Developer Sandboxes but offer more storage and data limits. It makes them ideal for larger or more complex development projects and teams. They support testing with realistic data sets that are a mirrored version of data in Production. Therefore, it makes testing accurate and allows swift processing of data-heavy processes such as bulk data imports, advanced reporting, and more. 

Partial Copy

This Org is a subset of Production data, including all your metadata, such as configurations, apps, and workflows. It facilitates urgent testing by eliminating the need to load test data manually. Salesforce Admins use pre-configured templates and certain rules that auto-fill the Org with relevant data while limiting its exposure to irrelevant users. Therefore, by loading needful and smaller data size, this Org ensures quick deployment of your solution. 

Full Copy

Full Copy Org exactly mirrors your Production Org data, including the metadata and configurations. It is used for testing, user training, and staging deployments, imitating real-world scenarios without making changes to the original data. 

When to Choose Sandbox Org? 

• Choose Developer and Developer Pro Sandboxes in case of source-driven development. 
• Choose Partial Copy and Full Copy Sandboxes in case of automated data loading. 
• Choose Sandboxes Org when you have a project with a longer timeline, as it saves your work for more than a month.   

Quick-view table:

Sandbox Type	Purpose	Data Storage	Data Copied	Ideal For	Key Features
Developer	Coding, testing, and isolated development	Small	No data	Individual or small teams	Standalone environments for each developer Lightweight and fast setup.
Developer Pro	For larger/complex projects, realistic data testing	Higher limits	A mirrored subset of production data	Teams	Supports bulk data imports and advanced reporting. Balances storage and performance.
Partial Copy	A mirrored subset of production data	Subset (pre-configured)	Subset of production data (via templates)	Admins/Testers	Auto-populates relevant data using rules. Avoids manual test data loading.
Full Copy	Real-world testing, training, and staging deployments	Exactly matches production	Full production data + metadata	Entire teams and end-users	Mirrors production exactly. Safe environment for training and final validation.

Production Org 

Production Org in Salesforce is the main, live environment where all your daily business operations, such as sales, service, and others, take place. It stores all your customer data, runs workflows, allows your users to interact with the system, and generates live reports and dashboards for data-driven decision-making. 

Any minor changes made in this live environment, such as editing fields or adding code, can directly impact the users, data, and business processes. It can cause system issues that might disrupt your overall ongoing operations. 

To avoid disruption, you can make changes in the Scratch and Sandbox Orgs without affecting the live environment. You can limit ‘customize application’ access, allowing only the relevant users to make changes. 

When to Choose? 

• Select a Production Org for effective real-time data management and customer engagement.
• Ideal for managing active workflows and ensuring a secure, permanent environment for your business processes.

Other Orgs

Developer Edition (DE) Orgs 

The Developer Edition (DE) Org is designed for developers for developing, testing, and learning purposes. It allows access to advanced Salesforce features like Apex, Visualforce, Lightning Components, and APIs, facilitating seamless solution building. 

You get an isolated environment to experiment, build apps, and customize Salesforce without affecting live data or business operations. 

When to Choose?

• If your business needs tailored Salesforce features beyond out-of-the-box options.
• When you want to safely connect with external systems such as ERP, payment gateways during development.
• To onboard new developers or upskill teams on Salesforce tech (Apex, Lightning).
• When building an app for the AppExchange, a Developer Edition Org is mandatory for certification.
• If your Salesforce edition doesn’t include sandboxes, this serves as an alternative.

Pre-release (Preview) DE Orgs

As the name suggests, this Org allows early access to new features that might come in an upcoming release. You can test the compatibility of upcoming features in your business, prepare your teams for changes, plan upgrades in advance, and accordingly provide feedback to Salesforce. 

When to Choose?

• When your business wants to test beta features and plan upgrades in advance. 
• Your admins/developers need to adapt workflows before the release. 

Limited-time DE Orgs

This Org offers short-term access to new Salesforce tools, allowing you to validate and experiment without a long-term commitment. It is useful for quick proof-of-concept (PoC) projects or sales demos. 

When to Choose? 

• When you are piloting a specific feature, for example, AI-driven insights for a project.
• When your teams need a risk-free way to explore innovations. 
• Suitable for hackathons, workshops, and temporary team projects. 

Trailhead Playgrounds

It is a training platform that helps you learn Salesforce using Trailhead’s guided modules. You can perform configurations and coding practices to gain hands-on experience while not affecting your real business data. 

When to Choose? 

• Suitable for training new employees or upskilling existing employees regarding Salesforce. 
• When you want to test Trailhead modules and prepare for certifications.  

Trial Edition Orgs

These Orgs let you test Salesforce products like Sales Cloud and Marketing Cloud before you buy them for a short time, usually between 7 and 30 days. It offers a live demonstration of the product for a better understanding of stakeholders. Therefore, it helps you determine ROI and user experience and supports investment justification. 

When to Choose?

• When your business is considering Salesforce adoption or wants to try out a new product rolled out. 
• When you want to explore upgrades across different Salesforce editions. 

Quick view table: 

Org Type	Purpose	Access Duration	Key Benefits	Ideal For
Developer Edition (DE)	Develop, test, and customize solutions	If not logged in for 180 days, it is marked inactive and queued for deletion	Access to core development features and tools	Developing, testing, and customizing Salesforce solutions
Pre-release DE	Test upcoming features	Until release	Early testing, feedback to Salesforce	Beta testing, upgrade planning
Limited time DE	Experiment with new tools	Short-term (days/weeks)	Risk-free innovation testing	Piloting AI/analytics tools
Trailhead playground	Learn Salesforce	Permanent	Free, no data risk	Employee training, certification prep
Trial Edition	Evaluate Salesforce products	7–30 days	Test product fit before buying	Salesforce adoption/upgrade decisions

Partner Orgs: 

Partner Business Org (PBO) 

It is a centralized environment for Salesforce partners to manage their client relationships, track leads, collaborate, and streamline operations across every Salesforce product. 

For instance, it streamlines your sales pipelines by consolidating key partnership opportunities and resources into one place. This makes it easy for partners to onboard new clients and access essential support tools. 

When to Choose?

It is an ideal solution when you have to manage multiple client engagements or track diverse partnership opportunities, ensuring that every interaction is handled efficiently and strategically.

Scratch Org for ISVs 

This is a temporary, customizable environment designed specifically for Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) who build and test applications using Salesforce Digital Experience (DX). This agile development platform allows for fast prototyping and isolated testing while reducing risks to production data. 

When to Choose? 

Consider Scratch Org during the development or update phases of an AppExchange app, when continuous integration and iterative testing are important for success.

Environment Hub 

It is a centralized Org that allows comprehensive oversight and management of multiple Salesforce environments, including production, sandboxes, and other specialized Orgs. 

Environment Hub simplifies your administrative tasks by providing a single interface to manage user access, monitor performance, and maintain consistent configurations across all environments. 

When to Choose? 

This centralized control is particularly valuable for enterprises or partners who operate five or more Salesforce Orgs, ensuring efficient governance and smooth operational continuity.

Partner Developer Edition Orgs (PDEs) 

Partner Developer Edition Orgs are free, persistent environments for Salesforce partners to develop and test apps in the long term. These Orgs come with extended resource limits, enabling partners to build, integrate, and refine their applications without temporary setups. 

When to Choose? 

• Choose this stable environment for ongoing development, pre-release testing, and continuous integration with Salesforce APIs. 
• Select this Org when partners need a reliable and persistent testing ground for their AppExchange apps.

Test/Demo Orgs 

These are non-production environments that offer a secure space for experimenting with new functionalities, training end-users, or delivering client demonstrations. It isolates trial changes from production systems, ensuring that businesses can innovate and educate confidently, making them ideal for both internal testing and external presentations to prospects.

When to Choose? 

• When you want to stimulate real-world scenarios or problems, test apps and demonstrate solutions. 

Trialforce Org 

A Trialforce Org is tailored for ISVs who wish to offer free, time-limited trials of their AppExchange products. Equipped with preconfigured data and settings, this type of Org allows potential customers to experience the product in a realistic, hands-on environment. 

When to Choose? 

• When you want to generate leads and convert prospects into customers. As these Orgs offer guided and interactive trial experiences. 
• Consider it when ISV partners want to showcase the practical benefits of their solutions to their customers. 

Summing Up 

Now that you’ve explored different types of Salesforce Orgs and learned when to leverage each one, it’s time to take the next step. You need to hire a Salesforce developer to handle all the technical intricacies of the Org. 

When hiring a developer, you are not just adding another team member, but you’re partnering with an expert who can navigate the complex technical landscape of Salesforce and tailor solutions that drive your business forward.

At Smart IT Staff, our staff augmentation services specialize in connecting you with top-tier Salesforce developers who bring versatile knowledge and a proven track record in optimizing Salesforce environments.