Git vs Change Sets: A Salesforce Deployment Guide

If you’ve ever manually clicked your way through a Salesforce change set, you probably know the frustration of forgotten metadata, clunky UIs, and time-consuming deployments. While change sets are built-in and easy to start with, they quickly become inefficient and error-prone as your org scales or your team grows.

In this guide, we’ll break down the pros and cons of Salesforce Change Sets vs Git-based deployments and help you decide when it’s time to make the switch.

What Are Change Sets?

Change Sets are Salesforce’s native method of deploying customizations between orgs (e.g., from Sandbox to Production). You select components manually in the UI, upload them, and then deploy in the destination org.

Pros:

• No extra tools required
• Familiar UI for admins
• Works natively across Salesforce environments

Cons:

• Manual selection prone to human error
• No version control or rollback
• Slow and tedious for large releases
• Hard to track who deployed what and when

What Is Git-Based Deployment?

Git-based deployment uses source control (usually Git) to manage, version, and deploy Salesforce metadata. Tools like Blue Canvas, Gearset, or Copado enable this approach, often automating CI/CD pipelines.

Pros:

• Full version history and rollback support
• Better collaboration across teams
• Automation through CI/CD pipelines
• Easier auditing and traceability
• Can be admin-friendly with the right tool (e.g., no CLI required)

Cons:

• Initial setup takes time
• Learning curve for those unfamiliar with Git
• Some tools require DevOps experience or licenses

When to Use Change Sets

Change sets might still make sense for:

• Small teams or solo admins
• Infrequent deployments
• No Git experience or DevOps resources
• Quick fixes in low-risk environments

But even in these cases, the risks of errors or regressions grow over time. And as compliance requirements or development velocity increase, change sets quickly hit their limit.

When to Use Git-Based Deployments

You’re ready for Git when:

• You need to track and rollback changes
• Multiple devs are working in parallel
• You want automated tests before production
• Your team needs traceability for audits or compliance
• You’ve been burned by a broken deployment or missed dependency

Git-based tools like Blue Canvas stand out by offering Git-powered deployment without requiring heavy CLI usage. That means even admins can safely version and deploy changes while staying inside a visual UI.

Making the Switch

Moving to Git doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. Many teams start by using Git alongside change sets and migrate gradually. Start by:

• Storing metadata in a Git repo
• Training your team on Git basics
• Using a tool that abstracts complexity (like Blue Canvas or Gearset)

Over time, you’ll reduce failed deploys, improve visibility, and speed up your release cycles.

Change Sets are great for learning the ropes, but Git is where Salesforce teams go to scale. Whether you’re a solo admin or a growing DevOps team, Git-based deployments bring traceability, automation, and peace of mind.

Already made the switch? Still clinging to change sets? Drop your thoughts below and let’s compare notes.