Home Take Your Sites to the Cloud (for Free) with Force.com

Take Your Sites to the Cloud (for Free) with Force.com

Today, Salesforce.com has taken their enterprise cloud computing to the next level with Force.com Sites.

The new offering from this “platform as a service” allows anyone to easily build a fully-featured website using the very same cloud infrastructure it has provided for applications. In other words, a comprehensive website can now be created through Force.com, and literally all you need do is design your UI with web standards such as HTML, JavaScript, Flex and CSS.

One Custom Site, 100 Users, Free Forever

As an incentive to those interested in exploring the new platform, Force.com is allowing anyone to create one site for 100 users at no cost indefinitely.

Truth be told, almost all users of the platform have exceeded the user limit and other factors extremely quickly. But a freemium approach should let smaller enterprise dip their toes in the water when it comes to Force.com Sites.

Same Cloud Service, New Approach

Force.com is one of the leading avenues for developers looking to build their applications in the cloud. Until now, web pages were an afterthought for the service.

But there’s no doubt the back-end could power robust, scalable sites. Needing only a front-end that you develop, your site is fashioned through the ridiculously simple Visualforce interface.

The new face to the platform has been in developer preview since February of this year. In that time, it’s powered websites for some of Salesforce.com’s biggest customers, including the Red Cross, Crocs, Dell, FICO, Juniper Networks, NJ TRANSIT, Seagate, and Starbucks.

Salesforce.com posits their new service as an alternative to Java and .NET, and for those looking to first and foremost reduce overhead in hardware and software, it’s not a bad one.

According to Salesforce.com and an independent assessment by Nucleus Research, site development on Force.com is significantly faster than traditional approaches, letting you focus on user experience and content rather than database configuration.

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.