🏛️ Salesforce Architect Certifications
Design secure, scalable, enterprise-grade Salesforce solutions. This page covers all key Salesforce Architect credentials, from domain architects (Data, Identity, Integration, Sharing) to multi-cloud Solution Architects and the elite Technical Architect (CTA).
Why Pursue Salesforce Architect Certifications?
Salesforce Architects own the end-to-end technical vision. They translate business strategy into secure, scalable architectures across data, security, integrations, DevOps and multi-cloud experiences. Architect credentials are grouped into:
- Domain Architect certs – Data, Identity, Integration, Sharing & Visibility, Development Lifecycle & Deployment.
- Composite credentials – Application Architect and System Architect earned by combining domain certs.
- Multi-cloud / solution certs – B2B, B2C Solution Architect and B2C Commerce Architect.
- Platform speciality – Heroku Architect and the capstone Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA).
Use this page as your Architect roadmap. Start with domain exams, then earn Application/System Architect, and finally work towards Solution Architect and CTA if that matches your long-term goal.
Core Platform Architect Credentials
Salesforce Certified Platform Data Architect
Domain | Data Architecture & Management
The Platform Data Architect credential validates your ability to design data models, master data strategies, data governance, and performance patterns on Salesforce and connected systems. You’ll design canonical models, archiving strategies, and large-data architectures for enterprise customers.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 105 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored multiple-choice/multiple-select (+ up to 5 unscored) |
| Passing Score | 58% (check latest exam guide before scheduling) |
| Exam Fee | $400 USD (Retake: $200 USD) |
| Prerequisites | None (Admin + app builder + data design experience strongly recommended) |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage (High-level)
- Data modeling, PK/FK choices & large object design.
- Data governance, master data, and data quality strategy.
- Large data volumes, indexing & performance tuning.
- Data migration, archiving & backup strategy.
- Multi-org, multi-cloud and external data patterns.
Exact topic percentages change over releases; always review the latest Salesforce exam guide.
- More scenarios involving Data Cloud and unified profiles.
- Focus on data residency, retention and compliance requirements.
- Emphasis on performance patterns for very large data volumes (LDV).
Salesforce Certified Platform Identity & Access Management Architect
Domain | SSO, Auth & Identity Strategy
The Identity & Access Management Architect exam focuses on SSO, auth flows, identity providers, user provisioning, and access patterns across Salesforce orgs and external systems.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 105–120 minutes (check latest guide; typically ~105 mins) |
| Questions | 60 scored multiple-choice/multiple-select (+ possible unscored) |
| Passing Score | Around 67% (verify current value on exam guide) |
| Exam Fee | $400 USD (Retake: $200 USD) |
| Prerequisites | None required (Admin + security & SSO project experience highly recommended) |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage (High-level)
- Identity concepts (SAML/OAuth/OpenID Connect, IdP/SP patterns).
- SSO architecture for internal and external users.
- User provisioning & lifecycle (SCIM, Just-in-time, etc.).
- Session security, MFA, login flows and device trust.
- Enterprise identity strategy across multiple orgs and systems.
- More emphasis on MFA-by-default and security baseline requirements.
- Scenarios combining SSO, external identity providers, and multiple Salesforce orgs.
- Questions around session security, device policies, and login flows.
Salesforce Certified Platform Integration Architect
Domain | APIs, Events & Integration Patterns
The Platform Integration Architect exam validates your ability to design robust integrations using APIs, events, middleware (e.g. MuleSoft), and security best practices across multiple systems.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 105–120 minutes (typically ~105 minutes) |
| Questions | 60 scored multiple-choice/multiple-select (+ unscored) |
| Passing Score | Around 67% (always confirm latest Salesforce value) |
| Exam Fee | $400 USD (Retake: $200 USD) |
| Prerequisites | None formally (strong API, integration & middleware background recommended) |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage (High-level)
- Integration patterns (request/response, batch, event-driven, pub/sub).
- API strategy (REST/SOAP/Bulk, limits, versioning).
- Security & auth for integrations.
- Error handling, resiliency, and monitoring.
- Choosing the right integration tool (direct API, MuleSoft, events, external objects).
- More scenarios using event-driven architectures and real-time integrations.
- Integration designs that include Data Cloud, MuleSoft and external data lakes.
- Emphasis on governance, reuse and API-led connectivity.
Salesforce Certified Platform Sharing & Visibility Architect
Domain | Security Model & Data Access
The Sharing & Visibility Architect credential covers org-wide defaults, role hierarchy, sharing rules, teams, territory management, and programmatic sharing for complex security scenarios.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored multiple-choice/multiple-select (+ unscored) |
| Passing Score | 67% (check latest guide for any change) |
| Exam Fee | $400 USD (Retake: $200 USD) |
| Prerequisites | None (Admin + security configuration experience recommended) |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage (High-level)
- Sharing model: OWDs, role hierarchy, teams, territories.
- Programmatic access (Apex managed sharing, sharing calculation)
- Performance and scalability of sharing solutions.
- Secure architecture across multiple orgs.
- Audit, monitoring, and compliance considerations.
- More scenarios mixing sharing, territories and account hierarchies.
- Questions on scalability and recalculation strategies.
- Increased focus on regulatory & compliance-driven security.
Salesforce Certified Platform Development Lifecycle & Deployment Architect
Domain | DevOps, ALM & Release Strategy
The Development Lifecycle & Deployment Architect exam focuses on DevOps, governance, environments, testing and release management for Salesforce programs.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 105 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored multiple-choice/multiple-select |
| Passing Score | Around 65% (confirm with latest Salesforce exam guide) |
| Exam Fee | $400 USD (Retake: $200 USD) |
| Prerequisites | None formally (DevOps tooling & multi-team program experience recommended) |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage (High-level)
- Environment strategy (sandboxes, scratch orgs, packaging).
- Release management & governance models.
- Testing strategy, quality gates and automation.
- Source control, CI/CD and deployment tooling.
- Center of Excellence (CoE) and program governance.
- More content around source-driven development and modern DevOps tooling.
- Scenarios involving package-based architectures and large programs.
- Increased emphasis on governance and multi-team coordination.
Multi-Cloud & Solution Architect Credentials
Salesforce Certified B2B Solution Architect
Solution | Multi-Cloud B2B Architectures
The B2B Solution Architect exam focuses on designing end-to-end B2B solutions using multiple Salesforce clouds (Sales Cloud, Service, Revenue, Experience Cloud, etc.) plus integrations and governance.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored multiple-choice/multiple-select (+ a few unscored) |
| Passing Score | 58% (verify in latest Salesforce exam guide) |
| Exam Fee | $400 USD (Retake: $200 USD) |
| Prerequisites | No mandatory cert, but multiple consultant & architect certs are strongly recommended. |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage (High-level)
- Discovery, stakeholder alignment and success metrics.
- Multi-cloud B2B architecture (Sales, Service, CPQ, Experience).
- Data & integration strategy across B2B systems.
- Governance, security and solution lifecycle.
- Change management and adoption planning.
- More cross-cloud scenarios including Revenue Cloud and Slack for collaboration.
- Architectures that incorporate Data Cloud for unified buying groups and accounts.
- Greater emphasis on governance and program-level decision making.
Salesforce Certified B2C Solution Architect
Solution | Multi-Cloud B2C Experiences
The B2C Solution Architect credential validates your ability to design seamless B2C journeys across B2C Commerce, Marketing Cloud, Service and other Salesforce products.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored multiple-choice/multiple-select (+ a few unscored) |
| Passing Score | 63% (verify latest Salesforce value before sitting) |
| Exam Fee | $400 USD (Retake: $200 USD) |
| Prerequisites | No strict prereq; a mix of B2C Commerce, Marketing, and Architect certs is recommended. |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage (High-level)
- Discovery & customer success.
- Multi-cloud B2C architecture and data integration.
- Personalization, consent and privacy considerations.
- Scalability and performance across channels.
- Operations, monitoring and ongoing optimization.
- More Data Cloud and real-time personalization scenarios.
- Stronger coverage of privacy, consent and first-party data strategies.
- Tighter alignment with omnichannel service and commerce flows.
Salesforce Certified B2C Commerce Architect
Solution | B2C Commerce Cloud Architecture
The B2C Commerce Architect credential is for experts designing global B2C Commerce Cloud solutions using standard patterns, multi-site architectures, and integrations into the wider Salesforce stack.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 105 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored multiple-choice/multiple-select (+ unscored) |
| Passing Score | 65% (confirm current value on the exam guide) |
| Exam Fee | $400 USD (Retake: $200 USD) |
| Prerequisites | Solid B2C Commerce Cloud implementation experience (developer or lead architect). |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage (High-level)
- Multi-site architecture and design patterns.
- Integrations with Salesforce core and external systems.
- Performance, caching and scalability.
- Security, compliance and operations.
- Deployment, testing and monitoring strategies.
- Modern architectures including headless commerce and composable storefronts.
- Deeper integration with Service, Marketing and Data Cloud.
- Focus on performance and resiliency for large global sites.
Salesforce Certified Heroku Architect
Platform | Heroku Apps & Data Services
The Heroku Architect credential validates your ability to design and run scalable apps on Heroku, integrate them with Salesforce, and manage teams, pipelines and data services.
📊 Exam At a Glance
| Duration | 105 minutes |
| Questions | 60 scored multiple-choice/multiple-select |
| Passing Score | Around 72% (confirm latest value on Salesforce exam guide) |
| Exam Fee | $400 USD (Retake: $200 USD) |
| Prerequisites | Heroku apps, pipelines and integration experience required. |
🔍 View Exam Topics & Weightage (High-level)
- Heroku architecture, dynos & add-ons.
- Data services, Connect, and data integration patterns.
- Pipelines, CI/CD, and team management.
- Security, compliance, and governance on Heroku.
- Operations, monitoring and scaling patterns.
- Better alignment with modern Heroku features and Salesforce integrations.
- More content on observability and resilient architectures.
- Scenarios mixing Heroku with Data Cloud, APIs, and events.
Composite & Capstone Architect Credentials
Salesforce Certified Application Architect
Composite Credential | App-centric Architecture
Application Architect is a credential you earn by completing a specific set of domain architect exams. It demonstrates deep expertise in data, sharing, and app-centric architecture on Salesforce.
🏗️ How to Earn Application Architect
Typically, you must hold the following domain credentials (check Salesforce Architect Journey for the latest list):
- Platform Data Architect
- Platform Sharing & Visibility Architect
- Platform Identity & Access Management Architect
- Platform Development Lifecycle & Deployment Architect (or equivalent set defined by Salesforce)
There is no separate multiple-choice exam for Application Architect — it’s awarded when required domain certifications are completed.
Salesforce Certified System Architect
Composite Credential | System-level Architecture
System Architect is also an earned credential that recognizes your expertise in integrations, identity, and large-scale system design on Salesforce.
🏗️ How to Earn System Architect
You typically need a combination of the following (confirm list on Salesforce Architect Journey):
- Platform Integration Architect
- Platform Identity & Access Management Architect
- Platform Development Lifecycle & Deployment Architect
- Platform Sharing & Visibility Architect (or equivalent, per current rules)
Like Application Architect, there is no separate exam – the credential is awarded when you hold the required domain architect certifications.
Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA)
Capstone | Review Board-based Credential
The CTA is the highest Salesforce credential. Candidates present an architecture solution to a live review board, defend it, and demonstrate deep expertise across all domains (data, security, integration, DevOps, governance, multi-cloud, and more).
🎯 CTA Overview
- Path: Typically complete Application Architect + System Architect plus extensive experience.
- Format: Review board exam (scenario, solution design, presentation & Q&A).
- Scoring: Holistic board evaluation (no numeric “passing score” shown to candidates).
- Preparation: Multiple mock boards, deep project experience, and mentoring recommended.
Fees, format and requirements for CTA change over time — always refer to the official CTA program guide.
Study Tips for Architect-Track Success
Think in Architect Scenarios
Architect exams are scenario-heavy. Practice reading long questions, identifying constraints, and picking the best design — not just what “works”.
Map Your Credential Path
Plan which domain exams to take first, then aim for Application/System Architect. Use those as milestones towards B2B/B2C Solution Architect or CTA.
Use Release Notes & Maintenance
Combine exam guides with release notes and official maintenance modules so your knowledge matches the latest platform capabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions – Architect Track
Do I need to be a developer to become a Salesforce Architect?
Not always. Many architects have a strong admin/consultant background and later add integration or development skills. For CTA and advanced domain exams, a solid understanding of Apex, integrations and DevOps is very helpful, but you can build this over time.
In what order should I take Architect certifications?
A common path is: Admin → App Builder → Domain Architect exams (Data, Sharing, Identity, Integration, Dev Lifecycle) → Application/System Architect → B2B/B2C Solution Architect → CTA (for those who want to go all the way).
How long does it take to become an Architect?
It varies by experience, but many professionals take 1–3+ years to progress from their first architect exam to Application/System Architect, and longer if they pursue Solution Architect or CTA. The key is continuous project experience plus steady exam preparation.
Are Architect exams harder than Administrator or Consultant exams?
Yes. Architect exams assume real project experience, strong understanding of trade-offs, and the ability to design for scale, security, and long-term maintainability. Expect deeper and more complex scenario questions.