Definition
A Community Application in Salesforce refers to a Salesforce app that is published and made available within an Experience Cloud site (community). It allows external users to interact with specific Salesforce data and functionality through a branded portal, such as a customer support portal with case management or a partner portal with deal registration.
Real-World Example
At their company, the IT director at Vertex Global leverages Community Application to scale their operations using the Salesforce platform. Community Application gives them the infrastructure and tools needed to support new business requirements, handle increased data volumes, and serve a growing user base without compromising performance.
Why Community Application Matters
A Community Application refers to a Salesforce app surfaced within an Experience Cloud site (the artist formerly known as a Community). External users who log in to the Experience Cloud site interact with the application's pages, components, and data within the branded portal context. Common examples include a customer support application inside a customer community (case management, Knowledge browsing), a partner application inside a partner portal (deal registration, lead distribution, co-marketing materials), or a custom employee application inside an internal community.
The application is configured with the External User license type, which is what controls how external users see and interact with Salesforce data. Apps inside Experience Cloud sites can use a mix of standard Lightning components, custom Lightning Web Components, and Visualforce pages, all wrapped in the site's branding and navigation structure. The combination of internal Salesforce data and external-facing presentation is what makes Experience Cloud sites valuable: customers see their data through a customer portal, partners see deals through a partner portal, all backed by the same internal Salesforce org.
How Organizations Use Community Application
- •Vertex Global — Built a Partner Application inside their Experience Cloud partner portal that lets channel partners register deals, view product training, and download co-marketing assets. The application is the partners' main interface with Vertex outside of email and meetings.
- •Skyline Consulting — Delivered a customer support Application inside a client's Experience Cloud site. The app surfaces case management, Knowledge browsing, and a custom contract viewer all in one branded customer experience.
- •NovaScale — Built a custom employee Application inside an internal Experience Cloud site where employees can submit time-off requests, view HR documents, and access company news. The app replaced three separate internal tools.