How does Custom Metadata Type work in Salesforce?
Custom Metadata Types (CMDTs) solve a common problem: storing configuration values that should travel with your metadata during deployments rather than requiring separate data migration. Unlike Custom Settings, CMDT records deploy through change sets, packages, and the Metadata API, making them ideal for mapping tables, feature toggles, integration endpoints, and any configuration that needs to be consistent across environments.
CMDT records can be queried in Apex using standard SOQL without counting against governor limits for the 100-query cap when accessed via the static Trigger or SOQL approach. They support relationships to other metadata types and sObjects, validation rules, and page layouts. Because they are metadata, CMDT records cannot be modified at runtime through DML in production; changes require a metadata deployment or Setup UI edit. This immutability is a feature rather than a limitation: it prevents accidental overwrites and ensures configurations remain auditable. Clientell AI can scaffold custom metadata types and their records to manage org-wide settings cleanly.