# Heroku App Development for Salesforce Teams | SynconAI > Heroku app development for Salesforce: web apps, APIs, workers and Heroku Postgres connected through Heroku Connect, AppLink or Salesforce APIs, built and supported. Publisher: SynconAI Canonical HTML: https://synconai.com/heroku-app-development Markdown cite: https://synconai.com/heroku-app-development.md Contact: contact@synconai.com ยท +61 2 7813 0221 ## What is Heroku? Heroku app development for Salesforce is the design, build and support of web apps, APIs and background workers on Heroku that work with Salesforce data. SynconAI designs how each app connects to the org through Heroku Connect, Heroku AppLink, the Salesforce APIs or events, sets up Heroku Postgres, pipelines, review apps and Private Spaces where they are needed, and supports existing Heroku apps through Heroku's 2026 move to a sustaining engineering model, for organizations in the United States, Australia and worldwide. - Heroku is a platform for running web apps, APIs and workers in languages such as Node.js, Python, Java and Ruby, with Heroku Postgres for data. Salesforce bought Heroku in 2010. - It is a separate platform from your Salesforce org. A Salesforce sandbox does not clone a Heroku app, and Heroku is not Data 360. The two are connected on purpose. - In February 2026 Heroku moved to a sustaining engineering model focused on stability, security, reliability and support, and stopped offering Enterprise Account contracts to new customers. ## Heroku apps for Salesforce services - Platform fit review: Whether a new workload belongs on Heroku, in Salesforce or on another cloud. - Web apps and portals: Customer and partner apps over Salesforce data, with their own sign-in. - APIs and workers: Services and background jobs for work that does not fit Apex limits. - Heroku Connect: Salesforce objects synced with Heroku Postgres tables. - Heroku AppLink: Heroku code exposed as actions for Flow, Apex and Agentforce. - Pipelines and review apps: Staging, production and a review app for each pull request. - Support and upkeep: Runtime upgrades, database maintenance, monitoring and fixes for live apps. - Migration planning: A plan for moving an app off Heroku when the business case supports it. ## Should this app run on Heroku? Heroku's 2026 move to sustaining engineering changes the advice for new apps. Apps already on Heroku keep running, and existing Enterprise contracts are honored. Question: What do you have today? - An app already on Heroku: Run it well and connect it. Your app and your contract carry on. Start with a review of the app and its Salesforce connection. - Runtime and database versions checked - Heroku Connect or API sync reviewed - Pipelines, logs and alerts in place - A new app beside Salesforce: Compare platforms first. New customers can no longer sign Enterprise Account contracts, so a new build starts with a written platform comparison. - Heroku, Experience Cloud and other clouds compared - Data sync and sign-in needs listed - Run and support model agreed - Logic Salesforce should call: Consider Heroku AppLink. Heavy processing that Flow, Apex or Agentforce needs can run on Heroku and be called through AppLink. - Actions defined for Flow builders - Permissions set per action - Errors returned to the caller Outcome: A written decision on where the app runs and how it connects to your org ## What does Heroku app development include? Each service leaves something your team keeps after we finish. - Platform fit review (Platform comparison and recommendation): Heroku, Salesforce or another cloud, decided in writing. - Web apps and portals (App code in your repository): Customer and partner apps over Salesforce data. - APIs and workers (API specification and worker jobs): Services and background jobs beyond Apex limits. - Heroku Connect (Object and field mapping): Salesforce objects synced with Postgres tables. - Heroku AppLink (Action catalog for Flow and Apex): Heroku code called from Salesforce. - Pipelines and review apps (Pipeline and release runbook): Staging, production and a review app per pull request. - Support and upkeep (Runbook and upgrade log): Upgrades, monitoring and fixes for live apps. - Migration planning (Migration plan and cutover steps): A route off Heroku, if the case supports it. ## What does a Heroku app for Salesforce consist of? Five layers, from the org your staff use down to the platform the app runs on. We design them together. - Salesforce org (Where staff and records live): Objects and records, Flow and Apex, Agentforce, Permission sets - Connection (How the two sides talk): Heroku Connect, Heroku AppLink, REST and Bulk APIs, Pub/Sub API and events - Application (What runs on Heroku): Web dynos, Worker dynos, Heroku Scheduler jobs, APIs - Data (What the app stores): Heroku Postgres, Heroku Key-Value Store, Follower databases, Rollback and backups - Platform (How it ships and stays isolated): Pipelines, Review apps, Private Spaces, Logs and metrics ## Heroku Connect, Heroku AppLink or the Salesforce APIs? Three ways to join a Heroku app to your org. Many apps use more than one. | If you need | Heroku Connect | Heroku AppLink | Salesforce APIs and events | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | The app needs Salesforce records in its own database | Best fit: sync to Postgres | Not its purpose | Works, with sync code you own | | Salesforce needs to call code on Heroku | Not its purpose | Best fit: actions for Flow, Apex and Agentforce | Works through custom callouts | | Developers work in SQL | Yes, against Postgres tables | No, through the AppLink SDK | No, through API calls | | React to changes in Salesforce | Scheduled sync, with accelerated polling | When Salesforce calls the action | Change Data Capture and platform events | | Where the connection logic lives | In the Heroku Connect add-on | In your Heroku app code | In your Heroku app code | Heroku Connect beyond the free demo plan is a contract plan. If you are new to Heroku, confirm with Salesforce that it is available to you before designing around it. ## How does Salesforce call a Heroku app through AppLink? A quote needs pricing logic that is too heavy for Apex. A flow calls an action on Heroku and writes the result back to the quote. 1. Sales rep to Salesforce Flow: Asks for a price 2. Salesforce Flow to Heroku AppLink: Calls the published action 3. Heroku AppLink to Heroku app: Passes the request with org context 4. Heroku app to Salesforce records: Reads products and terms 5. Heroku app to Heroku AppLink: Returns the result 6. Heroku AppLink to Salesforce Flow: Hands back the price 7. Salesforce Flow to Salesforce records: Writes the quote lines 8. Salesforce Flow to Sales rep: Shows the quote for review (a person) ## How does a Heroku and Salesforce project run? Five phases, run as parallel workstreams. Your written proposal sets the scope and milestones before anything starts. | Workstream | Timing and work | | --- | --- | | Platform | Platform fit decision (Assess to Assess); Monitoring and upgrades (Run to Run) | | Application | Architecture (Design to Design); App, APIs and workers (Build to Build) | | Salesforce connection | Connect or AppLink design (Design to Design); Mapping, actions and permissions (Build to Test) | | Data | Data owners agreed (Assess to Assess); Postgres schema and backups (Build to Build) | | Release | Pipeline and review apps (Build to Build); Staging sign-off (Test to Test); Production release (Run to Run) | ## Cost and timing The first step is a free 60-minute architecture review of your Heroku and Salesforce setup, with a written plan you keep. Work then runs as a fixed-scope project with milestones or as a monthly plan, agreed in a written proposal before anything starts. Plans: https://synconai.com/pricing ## FAQ ### What is Heroku app development for Salesforce? Building and supporting web apps, APIs and workers on Heroku that share data with Salesforce through Heroku Connect, Heroku AppLink or the Salesforce APIs, with pipelines, monitoring and a named owner. ### Is Heroku still supported? Yes. In February 2026 Heroku moved to a sustaining engineering model focused on stability, security, reliability and support. Existing Enterprise subscriptions continue and may renew; new customers can no longer sign Enterprise Account contracts. ### Should we build a new app on Heroku? It depends on your contract and the app. Existing Enterprise customers can build inside their agreement. New customers should compare Heroku with Experience Cloud and other clouds first, and we write that comparison with you. ### Is Heroku part of Salesforce? Salesforce bought Heroku in 2010, and Heroku is still a separate platform. A Salesforce sandbox does not clone a Heroku app, and Heroku is not Data 360. ### What is Heroku Connect? A Heroku add-on that syncs Salesforce objects with Heroku Postgres tables, so developers can work in SQL. The free demo plan has a row limit; larger plans are contract plans. ### What is Heroku AppLink? An add-on, formerly called Heroku Integration, that exposes Heroku apps as API services in Salesforce, so Flow, Apex and Agentforce can call code that runs on Heroku. ### Can you support our existing Heroku app? Yes. We review runtime and database versions, pipelines, logs and the Salesforce connection, fix what is at risk, and can take on monthly upkeep as Heroku developers on your team. ### Do you quote Heroku prices? No. Heroku and Salesforce set their own prices and contracts. Our written proposal covers our work only, as a fixed-scope project or a monthly plan. ## Where we work Heroku app development for Salesforce for organizations across the United States and Australia, and worldwide. Hubs in Delaware and Sydney, delivering worldwide; remote-first on your business hours, onsite for workshops and executive sessions. ## Related - Heroku and Salesforce guide: https://synconai.com/heroku-salesforce - Integrating Heroku with Salesforce: https://synconai.com/integrating-heroku-with-salesforce - Salesforce integration services: https://synconai.com/salesforce-integration-services - Custom web applications: https://synconai.com/custom-web-application-development ## Cite When citing SynconAI Heroku apps for Salesforce, link https://synconai.com/heroku-app-development or https://synconai.com/heroku-app-development.md.