sf-metaexplorer

sf-metaexplorer is a Salesforce CLI plugin with an interactive terminal UI to inspect metadata, compare local vs org state, and execute retrieve/deploy actions without manually composing long commands.

Why use it

• Navigate metadata in a two-panel interface (types and components)
• See component status at a glance (local-only, remote-only, synced)
• Select multiple components and run retrieve/deploy in bulk
• Switch orgs from inside the UI
• Filter quickly with search and view only selected items
• Preload selection from one or more git commits

Screenshot

Requirements

• Node.js >=18
• Salesforce CLI (sf) installed and authenticated
• A Salesforce DX project (recommended for local metadata comparison)

Installation

From npm:

sf plugins install sf-metaexplorer

From source:

npm install
sf plugins link .

Usage

Start the UI:

sf metadata explorer

Short alias:

sf explorer

Use a specific org:

sf metadata explorer --target-org myAlias

Preload components changed in commits:

sf metadata explorer -p a1b2c3d -p d4e5f6a

Keyboard shortcuts

| Key | Action | | ----------- | ---------------------------------- | | Tab / h / l | Switch active panel | | j / k | Move cursor | | Space | Toggle current selection | | a | Toggle all in current list | | n | Clear selection | | / | Search components | | v | Toggle selected-only view | | t | Manage subscribed metadata types | | g | Toggle object grouping | | o | Open org selector | | r | Retrieve selected components | | d | Deploy selected components | | s | Sync metadata | | c / Esc | Cancel in-progress retrieve/deploy | | ? | Open help modal | | q | Quit |

Supported metadata types (current)

• ApexClass, ApexTrigger, ApexComponent, ApexPage
• LightningComponentBundle, AuraDefinitionBundle
• CustomObject and object-related metadata (fields, validation rules, record types, layouts, and more)
• Flow, Profile, PermissionSet
• CustomLabels, EmailTemplate, StaticResource

Local state

The plugin stores local cache and UI preferences in:

.sf-metaexplorer/state.json

This file is local workspace state and should not be committed.

Development

npm install
npm run compile
npm run lint
npm test

Run the command from source:

node --loader ts-node/esm ./bin/dev.js metadata:explorer

Versioning

This project currently follows an early-stage 0.x release cycle:

• 0.1.x for fixes and small improvements
• 0.2.0+ for new features or notable UX/behavior changes
• 1.0.0 when behavior is considered stable for wider adoption

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md.

License

Apache-2.0