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ApexArchitect (Hardest)herokuoffloadscale

Architect Apex offload to Heroku or external compute

Real World Scenario

PDF generation and complex pricing matrix exceed Salesforce CPU limits for real-time quote UI.

Expected Answer

• Identify bounded context suitable for external compute: heavy math, PDF, ML • Salesforce remains system of record—external returns results via API • Async pattern for non-blocking UI with polling or Platform Event completion • Authentication via JWT or connected app between Heroku and Salesforce • Fallback when external service down—queue for retry • Cost compare Heroku dynos vs Salesforce batch capacity • Data minimization sending only required fields externally

Follow-Up Questions & Answers

Click to expand — each follow-up includes a direct, interview-ready answer

Main difference: use case and scale. Identify bounded context suitable for external compute: heavy math, PDF, ML. Salesforce remains system of record—external returns results via API. Pick based on your integration pattern and team capability. Offload is scaling strategy—not default. Document the decision in an ADR and align with enterprise standards.

Architect Perspective

Offload is scaling strategy—not default. Prove governor limit breach before adding operational complexity.