In Salesforce, the terms "Page Layout" and "Lightning Pages" refer to different customizable page elements, catering to distinct needs and user interfaces within the platform.
1. Page Layout:
Page Layouts are part of the Salesforce classic user interface, although they are also used in Lightning Experience. They control the layout and organization of buttons, fields, s-controls, Visualforce, custom links, and related lists on object record pages. They allow administrators to define which fields are visible, read-only, and required, and also to control the page section placement.
Related Article(s): How to Use Page Layouts
2. Lightning Pages:
Lightning Pages are part of the Lightning Experience, which is a modern, fast, and intelligent user interface in Salesforce. Lightning Pages are used to build custom pages within the Lightning Experience and Salesforce Mobile app. They are created using the Lightning App Builder, a drag-and-drop interface allowing the arrangement of components, which could be standard components, custom components, or components from the AppExchange, in a responsive grid.
Related Article(s): How to Use Lightning Pages
Here’s a summary of the distinctions:
Interface: Page Layouts are designed mainly for Salesforce Classic but are also applicable in Lightning, while Lightning Pages are specific to the Lightning Experience and Salesforce Mobile app.
Use Case: Page Layouts are primarily used to organize fields, related lists, and buttons on object record pages, while Lightning Pages can create home pages, app pages, and record pages, enabling more customized and versatile user interfaces.
Customization Tools: Page Layouts are modified using the Page Layout Editor, whereas Lightning Pages are created and customized using the Lightning App Builder.
Flexibility: Lightning Pages offer more flexibility and customization options, such as dynamic display and incorporating a wide range of components, compared to the more static and field-focused Page Layouts.
In essence, while Page Layouts provide a method for arranging elements within object records, Lightning Pages offer a more versatile and dynamic approach to creating and customizing various page types in Salesforce's modern interface.