Salesforce has quietly rolled out one of its most useful non-AI tools in years: Web Console, a lightweight, browser-based IDE built directly into the platform. If you've ever wished you could debug, query, or build metadata without leaving Salesforce or installing a heavy desktop tool, Web Console is worth your attention.
This guide walks through what Web Console is, how to turn it on, and how to actually use it day to day.
What Is Web Console, and Why Does It Matter?
For years, Developer Console has been the go-to tool for quick Apex debugging and metadata edits inside the browser, but it hasn't kept pace with modern development workflows or design standards. Meanwhile, tools like Workbench and the newer Agentforce Vibes (formerly Code Builder) have filled some gaps, but neither quite replaces the "quick and lightweight" niche Developer Console used to own.
Web Console is Salesforce's answer to that gap. It's a browser-based IDE that sits between Developer Console/Workbench on one side and the much heavier Agentforce Vibes IDE on the other. The goal is simple: let developers and admins do fast, in-context work — debugging, querying, editing metadata — without ever leaving the org.
Importantly, Web Console isn't a replacement for Developer Console or Agentforce Vibes. It's a distinct, self-contained tool aimed at agile, everyday tasks.
Enabling Web Console
Web Console is currently in beta and disabled by default, so an admin needs to turn it on first:
- Go to Setup and search for Web Console (Beta).
- Toggle it on.
- Refresh the page.
Once enabled, Web Console appears as an option in the Setup menu. As with Developer Console, you can Ctrl-click (or Cmd-click on Mac) to open it in its own browser tab instead of a pop-up. The interface loads quickly and will feel immediately familiar if you've used code editors like VS Code before.
What You Can Do With Web Console
1. Debug With Logs
To capture debug logs, Web Console uses a traceLogs.json configuration file. Hover over the No Tracing indicator in the bottom-left corner and select Create trace flag for current user to start a debug session in a couple of clicks.
From there, you can edit the debugLevels section of the file to control exactly what gets logged and for whom, and remove sections you don't need. Once you save the file, the status bar will confirm your session is active (something like "Tracing until XX:XX").
As your logs are generated, they land in a .sfdx/tools/debug/logs folder within the project, where you can open them to review execution details. Logs refresh automatically every 30 seconds by default, though you can trigger a manual refresh or adjust the refresh interval in the Web Console settings.
2. Browse and Retrieve Metadata With Org Browser
Because Web Console runs inside a specific org, its built-in Org Browser is automatically connected — no separate authentication step needed. Open it from the sidebar icon to see all metadata you have access to, and use the retrieve icon next to any item to pull it into your working project.
3. Query Records With the Query Builder
Web Console includes a visual SOQL Query Builder, handy for testing queries or checking whether specific data exists.
To open it:
- Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows, Cmd+Shift+P on Mac).
- Run SFDX: Create Query in SOQL Builder.
- Name your query file and choose a folder location.
The builder lets you pick your object, fields, filters, sort order, and row limit through a UI, while generating the SOQL query live as you go — with some built-in validation to help you avoid invalid filter values. Hit Run Query to see results in a new tab, and export them as CSV or JSON if needed. You can also generate a Query Plan, viewable in the Terminal.
Prefer to write SOQL by hand? Select your query text and run SFDX: Execute SOQL Query with Currently Selected Text instead.
4. Run Anonymous Apex
Just like Developer Console, Web Console supports anonymous Apex execution:
- Open the Command Palette and run SFDX: Create Anonymous Apex Script.
- Edit the sample script with your code.
- Run SFDX: Execute Anonymous Apex with Editor's Selected Text to execute it.
5. Create and Manage Metadata
This is arguably the biggest upgrade over Developer Console: Web Console lets you create new metadata, not just edit existing components. Type SFDX: Create into the Command Palette to see your options, including:
- SFDX: Create Apex Class
- SFDX: Create Apex Trigger
- SFDX: Create Lightning Web Component
Once generated, you can build and test the new component right there in the browser — a capability previously limited to tools like Agentforce Vibes.
Things to Keep in Mind
A few important limitations to know before you rely on Web Console:
- No source control. There's currently no GitHub integration or version control support — that's reserved for Agentforce Vibes.
- Limited org availability during beta. It's currently available for Standard US editions (Developer, Professional, Enterprise, Unlimited, Performance), Government Cloud partner editions, and China Cloud editions.
- Production guardrails still apply. You cannot directly modify Apex or other protected metadata types in Production orgs through Web Console — the platform's usual safety rails remain intact.
- No Salesforce CLI support. Commands in Web Console use the older SFDX namespace rather than the newer SF CLI, since the tool doesn't support the full Salesforce CLI the way Agentforce Vibes does.
Web Console vs. Agentforce Vibes: What's the Difference?
It's a fair question — why would Salesforce release two browser-based IDEs so close together? The short answer: they're built for different jobs.
| Web Console | Agentforce Vibes (IDE) | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Fast, lightweight, in-context troubleshooting | Full-scale development environment |
| Availability | All editions, including Free and Starter | Professional, Enterprise, Unlimited, Developer |
| AI tooling | None — fully manual development | Includes Agentforce Vibes AI coding assistance |
| Source control | Not supported | GitHub and other source control supported |
| CLI namespace | SFDX only | Full Salesforce CLI (SF) |
In short: reach for Web Console when you need to quickly check a log, run a query, or spin up a small component without leaving your org. Reach for Agentforce Vibes when you're doing serious, larger-scale development work that benefits from AI assistance and version control.
Final Thoughts
Web Console fills a gap that's existed since Developer Console started showing its age. It won't replace your full IDE setup for serious projects, but for the quick, everyday tasks — checking a debug log, testing a SOQL query, spinning up a new Apex class — it's a genuinely useful addition to the Salesforce toolkit, and it's free for everyone to try.
If your org has beta features enabled, it's worth flipping the toggle and taking Web Console for a test drive.
Reference: Salesforce Ben – The Ultimate Guide to Salesforce Web Console
