How to download all Apex classes from Prod using VS code

Question

Now that Force.com IDE plugin for eclipse is unsupportive, is there any way to connect to Prod org using VS code and download all Apex classes. I can see all extensions for SFDX but I do not know how to connect it for traditional Production Org. Please advise.

Answer 1

To make a connection to production org, follow below steps:-

Open command palette, search for sfdx: Authorize an Org and select it

Now, You will get few options to authorise. You can select Production Org to authorise to a production org:-

Then, VS Code will ask you for an alias name and once you press enter, it will open a browser window to authorise in your production org.

How to retrieve all the apex class from Production?

In your package.xml file, Copy below code:-

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <types>
        <members>*</members>
        <name>ApexClass</name>
    </types>
    <version>47.0</version>
</Package>

and right click on the package.xml file and select sfdx: retrieve source in Manifest from org

Read more here:-

1. https://salesforcediaries.com/2019/02/21/setup-your-developer-environment-for-lightning-web-comp/
2. https://salesforcediaries.com/2019/09/09/xml-package-to-retrieve-metadata-from-org/

Answer 2

We can also use these commands from the terminal:

Retrieve All Apex classes

sfdx force:source:retrieve -m ApexClass

Deploy All Apex classes (Never do, a very bad habit)

sfdx force:source:deploy -m ApexClass