sf-metadata

sf-metadata: Salesforce Metadata Generation and Org Querying

Use this skill when the user needs metadata definition or org metadata discovery: custom objects, fields, validation rules, record types, page layouts, permission sets, or schema inspection with sf CLI.

When This Skill Owns the Task

Use sf-metadata when the work involves:

• object, field, validation rule, record type, layout, profile, or permission-set metadata
• .object-meta.xml, .field-meta.xml, .profile-meta.xml, and related metadata files
• describing schema before coding or Flow work
• generating metadata XML from requirements

Delegate elsewhere when the user is:

• analyzing permission access rather than defining metadata → sf-permissions
• deploying metadata → sf-deploy
• editing Flow XML → sf-flow

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Required Context to Gather First

Ask for or infer:

• whether the user wants generation or querying
• metadata type(s) involved
• target object / field / package directory
• target org alias if querying is required
• whether new custom objects or fields should also include permission-set / FLS generation

Unless the user explicitly opts out, assume new custom objects or fields need permission-set follow-up.

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Recommended Workflow

1. Choose the mode

2. Start from templates or CLI describe data

For generation, use the assets under:

• assets/objects/
• assets/fields/
• assets/permission-sets/
• assets/profiles/
• assets/record-types/
• assets/validation-rules/
• assets/layouts/

For querying, prefer sf metadata and sobject describe commands.

Recent SDR/CLI support worth knowing when reading older examples: CnfgItemSourceDefinition, ExtlClntAppOauthSecuritySettings, and UIBundle are now source-supported under their current names. See references/metadata-types-reference.md.

3. Validate metadata quality

Check:

• naming conventions
• structural correctness
• field-type fit
• security / FLS implications
• downstream deployment dependencies

4. Plan permission impact by default

When new custom fields or objects are created:

• default to generating or updating a Permission Set unless the user opts out
• include fieldPermissions for eligible custom fields
• note any metadata categories that are excluded because Salesforce treats them as system-managed or always-available
• remember that object CRUD alone does not make custom fields visible

5. Hand off deployment

Use sf-deploy when the user needs the metadata rolled out.

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High-Signal Rules

• field-level security is often the hidden blocker after deployment
• object permissions ≠ field permissions
• prefer permission sets over profile-centric access patterns
• generate Permission Set follow-up by default for new custom objects and fields
• include fieldPermissions for eligible custom fields instead of leaving FLS as a manual afterthought
• avoid hardcoded IDs in formulas or metadata logic
• validation rules should have intentional bypass strategy when operationally necessary
• create metadata before attempting Flow or data tasks that depend on it

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Output Format

When finishing, report in this order:

1. Metadata created or queried
2. Files created or updated
3. Key schema/security decisions
4. Permission / layout follow-ups
5. Deploy next step

Suggested shape:

Metadata task: <generate / query>
Items: <objects, fields, rules, layouts, permsets>
Files: <paths>
Notes: <naming, field types, security, dependencies>
Next step: <deploy, assign permset, or verify in Setup>

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Cross-Skill Integration

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Reference Map

Start here

• references/field-and-cli-reference.md
• references/metadata-types-reference.md
• references/naming-conventions.md
• references/orchestration.md

Security / scoring / examples

• references/fls-best-practices.md
• references/permset-auto-generation.md
• references/best-practices-scoring.md
• references/field-types-guide.md
• references/field-types-example.md
• references/custom-object-example.md
• references/permission-set-example.md
• references/profile-permission-guide.md
• references/sf-cli-commands.md
• assets/

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Score Guide