Sandbox types and what they copy from production
Key Takeaway
Every sandbox type copies production's metadata, but the types differ in record data. Developer and Developer Pro copy no record data. Partial Copy copies a sample of records and can be refreshed every 5 days. Full copies all data but can be refreshed every 29 days.
A sandbox is a separate copy of your production org that you use for development, testing, and training without affecting production. Salesforce offers four sandbox types: Developer, Developer Pro, Partial Copy, and Full. They all copy production's metadata, but they differ in how much record data they copy, how much storage they have, and how often you can refresh them. Those differences decide which type fits the job in front of you.
What a sandbox is for
A sandbox is isolated from the production org, so nothing you do in a sandbox affects production. Common uses include:
- Keeping development work away from production until it's ready to deploy
- Testing against copies of production data and users
- Providing a training environment
- Combining individual changes into one deployment to production
Salesforce copies production when you create or refresh a sandbox, so customizations and data changes you make in production afterward aren't reflected in the sandbox.