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Now that Summer '14 preview is in our sandboxes, why is Winter '14 the latest version of the Force.com IDE? This means that the Force.com IDE / API versions is two releases behind.

[Digressing from the topic, this is just to let people know that according to Salesforce, Winter '14 is the start of 2014 and not the end of 2014.]

Back to the discussion, I would expect to upgrade my project/package.xml to a new API version after every release, but it looks like the API version does not upgrade after every release. Are there any scheduled release timelines for Force.com IDE / API versions?

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    Hopefully someone else will provide more/better info, but I know Salesforce unfortunately wants to push everyone to do development in the Developer console. They only plan on providing limited support for Eclipse. I don't have enough info/links in order to post as an answer though.
    – dphil
    Jun 9, 2014 at 15:38

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I don't believe the intention is for the Developer Console to take over for the Force.com IDE. I had asked a similar question awhile ago after I heard the Force.com IDE may be deprecated. The response from Salesforce was that basically they were working on it, and they have. In September last year, they provided a massive update to the plugin to allow for newer versions of Eclipse and more. They also announced they were in the process of refactoring the plugin to use the Tooling API. Now, the plugin is behind a bit again, but it was always a bit behind the release schedule. I would say with the delay to the actual Spring '14 release on top of the fact that they are currently doing a major overhaul of the plugin have all played into the current state of affairs.

The main point is that it is still coming and you are not expected to use the Developer Console. In the mean time, feel free to check out other IDEs like:

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IDE releases always FOLLOW API releases rather than preceding them. Its been my observation,there aren't always new IDE releases with every API release. There often tends be only be 1 or perhaps 2/year. I suspect it depends a great deal on how significant the changes are to the API. In part, this also prevents someone from inadvertently attempting to prematurely implement new API code into production; a minor thing at best since the code would be rejected.

More than anything else, I suspect SF is focused on getting the new API finalized and released, not the IDE which it can't fully do until the API is finalized and "Gold" so to speak. When you pause to think about it, how can you expect them to release an IDE prior to the API being finalized? We'd have a beta IDE for for use with both a beta API and a production API. Not the wisest thing to do.

But I agree with @dphil that SF doesn't appear to be highly invested in supporting Eclipse and leaves the impression they'd prefer we use the Developer Console. Yet, its clear they know that's not realistic for serious developers. Our Dallas DUG received a list from them last fall to help us prepare a presentation on SF's in-house favorite tools their developers use. Clearly, their own developers use more than the Developer Console for their work and to collaborate with one another.

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    Many thanks for your answer. However, if IDE releases always follow API releases rather than preceding them to prevent someone from inadvertently attempting to prematurely implement new API code, then the latest IDE release should have been Spring '14 a long time ago (since everybody has been on Spring '14 for a long time, and some of us are on Summer '14), instead of the latest IDE being an even older Winter '14 release.
    – Shumon Saha
    Jun 9, 2014 at 16:24
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    Its been my observation,there aren't always new IDE releases with every API release. There often tends be only be 1 or perhaps 2/year. I suspect it depends a great deal on how significant the changes are to the API. Not trying to defend SF, only reporting an observation here. Also acknowledging reality. Think about it, how can you expect them to release an IDE prior to the API being finalized? Having non-supported public betas would be nice, but you'd have a beta of a tool for a beta API, another can of worms. ;)
    – crmprogdev
    Jun 9, 2014 at 16:58
  • Many thanks for this answer. That is the answer I am looking for: one or two a year, and there aren't always new IDE releases with every API release. Can you put this as another answer so I can mark it as correct, please? Does the API version in package.xml increase only if Force.com launches a new IDE? Moreover, I expect Salesforce to release an IDE after the API is finalized, not prior to that. For example, after Spring '14 is released onto all production instances, the IDE should be upgraded to Spring '14 instead of staying on Winter '14. Once again, many thanks.
    – Shumon Saha
    Jun 9, 2014 at 17:20
  • have edited my answer by moving gist of previous comments into it.
    – crmprogdev
    Jun 9, 2014 at 17:31

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