Apps, and especially mobile apps, have become the primary path to innovation for most of the companies in the world. Businesses need apps for their employees that solve real problems, and they need apps to help them better connect to their customers and partners. These new apps are being created and are evolving at an amazing pace, and cloud platforms such as Force.com are making this possible.

However, when a modern-day developer sets out to build an app, they have a mind-boggling set of languages and services to choose from. So, it's important for them to understand when and how to use Force.com. We designed Force.com with the guiding principle that there is simply no faster way to build an enterprise application, and once you've built an app on Force.com, it is instantly ready for hundreds of thousands, even millions, of users. It will always be available, mobile, and secure. However, the critical thing to understand is that when we release new features three times a year, your app automatically gets them. It's like having 500 extra developers supporting you, who are working relentlessly to make your apps better, release after release and year after year.

If there's one piece of advice I would offer before you embark on your journey through this book, it's to be sure that you understand this foundational philosophy and why it makes Force.com special. It's a unique platform that can radically change how you think about application development.

Mike Rosenbaum

Executive Vice President,

Salesforce Platform