Salesforce Lightning vs Classic

Salesforce Classic: A Time-Tested Interface

Salesforce Classic is the original user interface that has been a stalwart in the CRM landscape for many years. While it may lack some of the modern aesthetics and functionalities of Lightning, it remains a robust and fully functional interface. Here are some key features of Salesforce Classic:

1. Familiarity: Classic offers a familiar and well-established user interface that many users have been using for years. For those accustomed to Classic, the transition to Lightning may initially feel like a significant change.
2. Matured Ecosystem: Classic has a mature ecosystem with a vast array of third-party apps, integrations, and customizations developed over the years.
3. Fully Functional: Classic provides all the core features and functionalities required for managing customer relationships, sales, and business processes. It's a reliable choice for users who prefer a straightforward and proven interface.

Salesforce Lightning: A Modern, Dynamic Experience

Salesforce Lightning is the newer, modern interface designed to provide a more visually appealing, responsive, and efficient user experience. It introduces several enhancements and features that cater to the evolving needs of users. Here are some key features of Salesforce Lightning:

1. Modern User Interface: Lightning introduces a modern and visually appealing user interface that is designed to be more intuitive and user-friendly.
2. Responsive Design: Lightning is built with a responsive design, ensuring a consistent and optimal experience across different devices, including desktops, tablets, and mobile phones.
3. Dynamic Dashboards: Lightning brings dynamic dashboards that offer interactive components, real-time data updates, and a more engaging way to visualize information.
4. Kanban Views: Lightning includes Kanban views, providing a card-based visualization of records that makes it easy to track progress and move through different stages.
5. Sales Path and Guidance: Lightning introduces the concept of Sales Path, guiding users through predefined stages of a sales process and providing contextual guidance at each step.
6. App Builder and Components: Lightning App Builder empowers users to create custom pages with a drag-and-drop interface. Lightning Components, modular units of functionality, enhance customization and extensibility.

Comparing Salesforce Lightning and Classic

1. User Interface and Experience:
● Classic: Offers a familiar, tab-based interface with a more traditional look.
● Lightning: Presents a modern, visually appealing interface with dynamic features and interactive dashboards.

2. Responsive Design:
● Classic: Not inherently designed for responsiveness.
● Lightning: Built with a responsive design, ensuring optimal user experiences across devices.

3. Dynamic Dashboards and Kanban Views:
● Classic: Dashboards are static and lack the interactive components of Lightning.
● Lightning: Introduces dynamic dashboards and Kanban views for a more interactive and engaging experience.

4. Sales Path and Guidance:
● Classic: Lacks the Sales Path feature for guided selling.
● Lightning: Offers Sales Path for guided selling with contextual guidance at each stage.

5. Customization and Extensibility:
● Classic: Customization is available but may require more effort.
● Lightning: Empowers users with Lightning App Builder and Components for easier and more flexible customization.

6. Third-Party Apps and Ecosystem:
● Classic: Has a mature ecosystem with a wide range of third-party apps and integrations.
● Lightning: Growing ecosystem with increasing support for Lightning components and features.

The choice between Salesforce Lightning and Classic ultimately depends on your organization's needs, user preferences, and the specific features required. Classic remains a reliable choice for those who appreciate its familiarity and mature ecosystem. On the other hand, Lightning offers a more modern, dynamic, and responsive experience with enhanced customization capabilities.

Salesforce recognizes the diversity of user preferences and provides a seamless transition path between the two interfaces. As the platform continues to evolve, users can expect more features and enhancements in both Salesforce Lightning and Classic. Whether you choose the established reliability of Classic or embrace the modern capabilities of Lightning, Salesforce continues to be at the forefront of empowering organizations in their customer relationship management journey.