The DatabaseLayer Class

The DatabaseLayer class serves as a centralized access point for all DML and SOQL operations within the application. It simplifies and standardizes how database interactions are performed and tested.

It abstracts direct access to the Salesforce database by exposing the static properties DatabaseLayer.Dml, DatabaseLayer.Soql, and DatabaseLayer.Cmdt. Callers can use these properties to perform operations without tightly coupling their logic to platform-specific implementations.

Acting as a pseudo-namespace, the class organizes all database-related logic under a single, consistent API, promoting separation of concerns and reducing duplication across the codebase.

Developers can easily switch between real and mock implementations of database logic with a single line of code: DatabaseLayer.useMocks(). The framework internally tracks whether real or mock logic should be used and automatically provisions the appropriate instance, allowing for a seamless testing experience.

// Perform real database operations!
List<Account> accounts = (List<Account>) DatabaseLayer.Soql.newQuery(Account.SObjectType)
  ?.addSelect(Account.OwnerId)
  ?.addOrderBy(Account.CreatedDate, Soql.SortDirection.DESCENDING)
  ?.setRowLimit(1)
  ?.toSoql()
  ?.query();
Account firstAccount = accounts?.get(0);
firstAccount.OwnerId = UserInfo.getUserId();
DatabaseLayer.Dml.doUpdate(firstAccount);

// Perform mock database operations
DatabaseLayer.useMocks();
Account mockAccount = (Account) new MockRecord(Account.SObjectType)?.withId()?.toSObject();
// Query Mocking:
MockSoql.setGlobalMock().withResults(new List<Account>{ mockAccount });
List<Account> accounts = (List<Account>) DatabaseLayer.Soql.newQuery(Account.SObjectType)?.query();
Assert.areEqual(0, Limits.getQueries(), 'Used real SOQL');
Assert.areEqual(1, accounts?.size(), 'Wrong # of Accounts returned');
// DML Mocking:
Account firstAccount = accounts?.get(0);
firstAccount.OwnerId = UserInfo.getUserId();
DatabaseLayer.Dml.doUpdate(firstAccount);
Assert.isTrue(MockDml.UPDATED.wasProcessed(firstAccount), 'Was not updated');
Assert.areEqual(0, Limits.getDmlStatements(), 'Used real DML');

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Properties

Property	Data Type	Details
Dml	Dml	Getter returns the current Dml instance. For normal database operations, this is a Dml object. For mock database operations, this is a MockDml object.
Soql	Soql	Provisions a new Soql object of the correct type. For normal database operations, this is a Soql object. For mock database operations, this is a MockSoql object.
Cmdt	Cmdt	Provides access to Custom Metadata Type records through repository-based access. Returns a Cmdt object that can be used to retrieve CMDT records with intelligent caching and mock support.

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Methods

useMocks

Configures the framework to use Mock DML and Mock SOQL operations, instead of interacting with the actual Salesforce database. Once this is called, DatabaseLayer.Dml will return a MockDml object; Database.Soql.newQuery will return a MockSoql object. This static method is only visible in the @IsTest context.

• static void useMocks()

useMockDml

Configures the framework to use Mock DML operations, instead of interacting with the actual Salesforce database. Once this is called, DatabaseLayer.Dml will return a MockDml object. This static method is only visible in the @IsTest context.

• static void useMockDml()

useMockSoql

Configures the framework to use Mock SOQL operations, instead of interacting with the actual Salesforce database. Once this is called, Database.Soql.newQuery will return a MockSoql object.

This static method is only visible in the @IsTest context.

• static void useMocks()

useRealData

Configures the framework to use real DML & SOQL operations that interact with the actual Salesforce database, instead of mocks. This is the default state of the application; there is no need to call it unless some variation of DatabaseLayer.useMocks() was called earlier in the transaction. Once this is called, DatabaseLayer.Dml will return a Dml object; Database.Soql.newQuery will return a Soql object.

This static method is only visible in the @IsTest context.

• static void useRealData()

useRealDml

Configures the framework to use real DML operations that interact with the actual Salesforce database, instead of mocks. This is the default state of the application; there is no need to call it unless DatabaseLayer.useMocks() or DatabaseLayer.useMockDml() was called earlier in the transaction. Once this is called, DatabaseLayer.Dml will return a Dml object.

This static method is only visible in the @IsTest context.

• static void useRealDml()

useRealSoql

Configures the framework to use real SOQL operations that interact with the actual Salesforce database, instead of mocks. This is the default state of the application; there is no need to call it unless DatabaseLayer.useMocks() or DatabaseLayer.useMockSoql() was called earlier in the transaction. Once this is called, Database.Soql.newQuery will return a Soql object.

This static method is only visible in the @IsTest context.

• static void useRealSoql()