Detect unsafe contexts, queries in loops, hardcoded IDs, and more to optimize Salesforce Flows

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Table of contens

• Distributions
• Default Rules
• Configuration
  • Defining Severity Levels
  • Configuring Expressions
  • Specifying Exceptions
  • Report Detail Level
  • Include Beta Rules
• Installation
  • Salesforce CLI Plugin
  • Core Module
  • CICD Templates
• Quick Start
• Development

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Distributions

Distribution	Best for	Repository	Install / Use
Salesforce CLI Plugin	Local development, scratch orgs, CI/CD	Flow-Scanner/lightning-flow-scanner	sf plugins install lightning-flow-scanner
VS Code Extension	Real-time scanning inside VS Code	Flow-Scanner/lightning-flow-scanner-vsx	code --install-extension ForceConfigControl.lightning-flow-scanner-vsx
Salesforce App	Run scans directly inside any Salesforce org	Flow-Scanner/lightning-flow-scanner-app
GitHub Action	Native PR checks	Flow-Scanner/lightning-flow-scanner-action	GitHub Marketplace
Copado Plugin	Copado CI/CD pipelines	Flow-Scanner/lightning-flow-scanner-copado	Copado Marketplace
Core Library (Node.js + Browser)	Custom tools, scripts, extensions, web apps	Flow-Scanner/lightning-flow-scanner	npm install @flow-scanner/lightning-flow-scanner-core

Privacy: Zero user data collected. All processing is client-side. → See our Security Policy.

Default Rules

📌Tip: To link directly to a specific rule, use the full GitHub anchor link format. Example:

https://github.com/Flow-Scanner/lightning-flow-scanner#unsafe-running-context

Want to code a new rule? → See How to Write a Rule

Action Calls In Loop

ActionCallsInLoop - To prevent exceeding Apex governor limits, it is advisable to consolidate and bulkify your apex calls, utilizing a single action call containing a collection variable at the end of the loop.

Outdated API Version

APIVersion - Introducing newer API components may lead to unexpected issues with older versions of Flows, as they might not align with the underlying mechanics. Starting from API version 50.0, the Api Version attribute has been readily available on the Flow Object. To ensure smooth operation and reduce discrepancies between API versions, it is strongly advised to regularly update and maintain them.

Auto Layout

AutoLayout - With Canvas Mode set to Auto‑Layout, elements are spaced, connected, and aligned automatically, keeping your Flow neatly organized—saving you time.

Copy API Name

CopyAPIName - Maintaining multiple elements with a similar name, like Copy_X_Of_Element, can diminish the overall readability of your Flow. When copying and pasting these elements, remember to update the API name of the newly created copy.

Cyclomatic Complexity

CyclomaticComplexity - The number of loops and decision rules, plus the number of decisions. Use a combination of 1) subflows and 2) breaking flows into multiple concise trigger‑ordered flows to reduce cyclomatic complexity within a single flow, ensuring maintainability and simplicity.

DML Statement In A Loop

DMLStatementInLoop - To prevent exceeding Apex governor limits, consolidate all your database operations—record creation, updates, or deletions—at the conclusion of the flow.

Duplicate DML Operation

DuplicateDMLOperation - When a flow executes database changes or actions between two screens, prevent users from navigating backward between screens; otherwise, duplicate database operations may be performed.

Flow Naming Convention

FlowName - The readability of a flow is paramount. Establishing a naming convention significantly enhances findability, searchability, and overall consistency. Include at least a domain and a brief description of the flow’s actions, for example Service_OrderFulfillment.

Get Record All Fields

GetRecordAllFields - Following the principle of least privilege (PoLP), avoid using Get Records with “Automatically store all fields” unless necessary.

Hardcoded Id

HardcodedId - Avoid hard‑coding IDs because they are org specific. Instead, pass them into variables at the start of the flow—via merge‑field URL parameters or a Get Records element.

Hardcoded Url

HardcodedUrl - Avoid hard‑coding URLs because they are environment specific. Use an $API formula (preferred) or environment‑specific sources like custom labels, metadata, or settings.

Inactive Flow

InactiveFlow - Like cleaning out your closet: deleting unused flows is essential. Inactive flows can still cause trouble—such as accidentally deleting records during testing, or being activated as subflows.

Missing Fault Path

MissingFaultPath - A flow may fail to execute an operation as intended. By default, the flow displays an error to the user and emails the creator. Customize this behavior by incorporating a Fault Path.

Missing Flow Description

FlowDescription - Descriptions play a vital role in documentation. We highly recommend including details about where flows are used and their intended purpose.

Missing Metadata Description

MissingMetadataDescription – Flags Flow elements (Get Records, Assignments, Decisions, Actions, etc.) and metadata components (Variables, Formulas, Constants, Text Templates) that lack a description. Adding concise descriptions greatly improves readability, maintainability, and helps AI tools understand your automation intent.

Missing Null Handler

MissingNullHandler - When a Get Records operation finds no data, it returns null. Validate data by using a Decision element to check for a non‑null result.

Process Builder

ProcessBuilder - Salesforce is transitioning away from Workflow Rules and Process Builder in favor of Flow. Begin migrating your organization’s automation to Flow.

Recursive After Update

RecursiveAfterUpdate - After‑update flows are meant for modifying other records. Using them on the same record can cause recursion. Consider before‑save flows for same‑record updates.

Same Record Field Updates

SameRecordFieldUpdates - Similar to triggers, before‑save contexts can update the same record via $Record without invoking DML.

SOQL Query In A Loop

SOQLQueryInLoop - To prevent exceeding Apex governor limits, consolidate all SOQL queries at the end of the flow.

Trigger Order

TriggerOrder - Guarantee your flow execution order with the Trigger Order property introduced in Spring ’22.

Unconnected Element

UnconnectedElement - Avoid unconnected elements that are not used by the flow to keep flows efficient and maintainable.

Unsafe Running Context

UnsafeRunningContext - This flow is configured to run in System Mode without Sharing, granting all users permission to view and edit all data. This can lead to unsafe data access.

Unused Variable

UnusedVariable - To maintain efficiency and manageability, avoid including variables that are never referenced.

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Configuration

It is recommend to configure and define:

• The rules to be executed.
• The severity of violating any specific rule.
• Rule properties such as REGEX expressions.
• Any known exceptions that should be ignored during scanning.

{
  "rules": {
    // Your rules here
  },
  "exceptions": {
    // Your exceptions here
  }
}

Most Lightning Flow Scanner distributions automatically resolve configurations from .flow-scanner.yml, .flow-scanner.json, or package.json → flowScanner.

Using the rules section of your configurations, you can specify the list of rules to be run. Furthermore, you can define the severity and configure expressions of rules. Below is a breakdown of the available attributes of rule configuration:

{
  "rules": {
    "<RuleName>": {
      "severity": "<Severity>",
      "expression": "<Expression>"
    }
  }
}

Defining Severity Levels

When the severity is not provided it will be warning by default. Other available values for severity are error and note. Define the severity per rule as shown below:

{
  "rules": {
    "FlowDescription": {
      "severity": "error"
    },
    "UnusedVariable": {
      "severity": "note"
    }
  }
}

Configuring Expressions

Some rules have additional attributes to configure, such as the expression, that will overwrite default values. These can be configured in the same way as severity as shown in the following example.

{
  "rules": {
    "APIVersion": {
      "severity": "error",
      "expression": "===58" // comparison operator
    },
    "FlowName": {
      "severity": "note",
      "expression": "[A-Za-z0-9]" // regular expression
    }
  }
}

Specifying Exceptions

Specifying exceptions allows you to exclude specific scenarios from rule enforcement. Exceptions can be specified at the flow, rule, or result level to provide fine-grained control. Below is a breakdown of the available attributes of exception configuration:

{
  "exceptions": {
    "<FlowName>": {
      "<RuleName>": [
        // Suppress a specific result:
        "<ResultName>",
        // Suppress ALL results of rule:
        "*",
        ...
      ]
    },
    ...
  }
}

Example

{
  "exceptions": {
    "MyFlow": {
      "MissingNullHandler": ["*"],
      "HardcodedId": ["Old_Lookup_1"]
    }
  }
}

Report Detail Level

Control the verbosity of violation reports via detailLevel. By default (enriched), outputs include element or flow-level details like variable data types, node connectors/locations, or attribute expressions for comprehensive reports. Set to simple for lighter output with only line and column numbers.

{
  "rules": {
    ...
  },
  "exceptions": {
    ...
  },
  "detailLevel": "simple"
}

Include Beta Rules

New rules are introduced in Beta mode before being added to the default ruleset. To include current Beta rules, enable the optional betamode parameter in your configuration:

{
  "rules": {
    ...
  },
  "exceptions": {
    ...
  },
  "betaMode": true
}

Installation

Salesforce CLI Plugin

sf plugins install lightning-flow-scanner

OR

npm install -g lightning-flow-scanner

Core Module

npm install -g @flow-scanner/lightning-flow-scanner-core

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CICD Templates

Ready-to-use CI/CD templates and a native GitHub Action.
All examples: docs/examples/.

Platform	Template Type	Link
Azure DevOps	Full Project Scan	azure-pipelines-flow-FullScan.yml
Azure DevOps	Change-Based Scan	azure-pipelines-flow-changedFiles.yml
Copado DevOps	Full & Change-Based Scans	CI/CD Plugin
GitHub	Full & Change-Based Scans	scan-flows.yml

Quick Start

Lightning Flow Scanner is plug-and-play by default

Salesforce CLI Plugin

Use lightning-flow-scanner in the Salesforce CLI:

sf flow:scan 
sf flow:fix -d src/force-app
sf flow:scan --sarif > report.sarif

Core Module

Use lightning-flow-scanner-core as a Node.js/browser dependency:

// Basic
import { parse, scan } from "@flow-scanner/lightning-flow-scanner-core";
parse("flows/*.xml").then(scan);

// Get SARIF output
import { parse, scan, exportSarif } from "@flow-scanner/lightning-flow-scanner-core";
parse("flows/*.xml").then(scan).then(exportSarif);

Development

This project optionally uses Volta to manage Node.js and PNPM versions. Install Volta with:

curl https://get.volta.sh | bash

Volta will automatically use the Node.js version defined in package.json.

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/Flow-Scanner/lightning-flow-scanner.git

2. Install dependencies:

   pnpm install

3. Compile:

   pnpm run build

   To compile just the core package::

   pnpm build:core 

4. Run tests:

   pnpm test 

Or to test a new version of the core:

pnpm test:core 

5. Linking the core module locally(Optional):

   To link the module, run:

   pnpm link --global @flow-scanner/lightning-flow-scanner-core

   You can now do Ad-Hoc Testing with node:

   node -i -e "import('@flow-scanner/lightning-flow-scanner-core').then(m => { Object.assign(global, m.default ? m.default : m); console.log('✅ Core loaded! Try: await parse(...), scan(...), etc.'); })"

   Or test in a dependent project:

   npm link @flow-scanner/lightning-flow-scanner-core

6. Deploy Demo Flows (Optional):

   cd assets/example-flows && sf project deploy start

   Navigate to the Demo Readme for full details

7. Create a standalone UMD Module(Optional):

     pnpm dist // creates UMD at`dist/lightning-flow-scanner-core.umd.js`.

Want to help improve Lightning Flow Scanner? See our Contributing Guidelines