Declarative Commerce app capabilities versus custom development
Key Takeaway
Most B2B store work is done with clicks. Use the Website Design workspace for basic branding, Experience Builder for components, pages and navigation, and Commerce workspaces for data and promotions. Developers write code for what the standard tools don't cover, such as custom components, custom headers and footers, and API integrations.
The Salesforce B2B Commerce app lets admins and merchandisers build and run a B2B store mostly with clicks. They use store templates, standard components, guided setup, workspaces and CSV import. Developers step in for what the standard tools don't cover, such as custom components, custom headers and footers, and integrations through APIs. Knowing where configuration ends and code begins lets you pick the right tool for each requirement.
Who builds what
The Commerce platform has minimal configuration requirements and a declarative programming layer. Because of that, admins and merchandisers can complete store setup and store development tasks themselves. The development team is then free to focus on integrations and on extending platform capabilities.
Different personas do different parts of the work:
- Commerce administrator: creates stores and assigns members to them.
- Merchandiser: imports products and configures search.
- Developer: customizes the storefront and implements advanced features. For example, a developer uses APIs to integrate a third-party application or writes code to build a custom component.