Use SFDX to retrieve Salesforce metadata: main commands!

When you come to metadata deployment model, usually, you’ll be working following this process:

Implement your feature on the DEV org
Retrieve the corresponding metadatas
Store the metadatas in GIT
Deploy the metadata in UAT, PREPROD, PROD…

Easy. But when it comes to retrieve metadatas by command lines, it sometimes becomes a nightmare because you don’t know exactly what to retrieve or with which exact command…

I propose here to give you the command lines and tips I use!
Don’t hesitate to bookmark the page, I’ll add other commands in the future since I use them very often.

Retrieve Metadatas using SFDX

Retrieve everything from org according to Manifest

This command is usefull to retrieve everything that is declared in your manifest file. It can take some time to run 😉

sfdx force:source:retrieve -x manifest/package.xml --verbose

Retrieve object definition

Retrieve an Object (custom or not) definition. Note that everything comes: field, object definition, actions…

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m CustomObject:OBJECT_API_NAME__c

Retrieve field definition

This is more precise than the previous command and will retrieve you only the mentioned field

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m CustomField:Object.Field

Retrieve layout

Retrieve of a page layout

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m "Layout:NAME_OF_OBJECT-NAME_OF_LAYOUT"

Retrieve Label

Note that the labels are all stored in the same file.

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m CustomLabels:CUSTOM_LABEL_NAME

Retrieve Flow

Retrieve a Flow with its identifier. Please note that retrieving a process builder works with the same command.

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m Flow:FLOW_IDENTIFIER

Retrieve VisualForce

Retrieve a VF Page

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m ApexPage:PAGE_NAME

Retrieve Email template

To retrieve an Email template, do not forget to precise the Folder Name

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m "EmailTemplate:FOLDER/Template_unique_name"

Retrieve list of files

If you already an SFDX project and you want to update your local files with the corresponding metadata on the org, this command is for you:

sfdx force:source:retrieve -p "path/to/file1,path/to/file2,path/to/file3”

Retrieve Global Value set (global picklist)

Retrieve the Global Value (picklists shared values).

Note that when created with a value Set, it’s not possible to move a picklist from a global value set to another.

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m GlobalValueSet:NAME_OF_GLOBAL_SET

Retrieve Tab (belonging to object)

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m CustomTab:MY_OBJECT__c

Retrieve Validation rules

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m ValidationRule:OBJECT__c.MY_SUPER_VALIDATION_RULE

Retrieve Action (New/Edit Button override)

If you need to retrieve Standard action override, you need to retrieve the Object definition file

Retrieve Lightning page

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m FlexiPage:NAME_OF_PAGE

Retrieve Email alert

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m WorkflowAlert:Object__c.Email_Alert_Name

Retrieve Lightning App

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m "CustomApplication:My_Super_App_API_NAME"

Retrieve Image of the application

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m "ContentAsset:the_id_of_logo_to_find_in_app_XML"

Retrieve Custom Metadata values

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m CustomMetadata:MetadataTypeAPIName.MetadataRecordAPIName

Retrieve Weblink

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m "Weblink:Object__c.Name"

Retrieve Commerce Cloud Settings : enabled

This command, trust me, is quite hard to find. It allows to enable the Commerce Cloud, which is very usefull if it’s not already activated in the target org you’re deploying in (otherwise, you’ll hit some errors of unknow objects for example)

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m Settings:Commerce

Retrieve the metadata from VS Code

It’s far, far easier that retrieving from command lines.

In VS Code, in the left toolbar, click on the cloud

And… tada! You can see that you can retrieve nearly everything you want: Apex Triggers, Apex Classes…

Open the metadatas categories and click to download the metadata you need