---
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title: Using the Ant Migration Tool
collection: developer
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/developer/current/en-us/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guides/daas/forcemigrationtool.md
canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/forcemigrationtool.html
source_site: developer.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
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  - Ant Migration Tool Guide
  - Platform Developer Content
---

# Using the Ant Migration Tool

**note:** The Ant Migration Tool is retired with Spring ’24. The tool continues to function as-is for future API versions but isn’t updated with new functionality and isn’t supported.  If Salesforce adds a new feature that is incompatible with Ant, the Ant Migration Tool won't be updated to support it. To manage metadata changes, switch to Salesforce CLI for a modern, supported developer experience.

The Ant Migration Tool is a Java/Ant-based command-line utility for moving metadata between a local directory and a Salesforce organization. You can use the Ant Migration Tool to retrieve components, create scripted deployment, and repeat deployment patterns.

The general procedure you will follow when using the Ant Migration Tool to copy metadata from one Salesforce organization to another is:

1.  [Enter credentials and connection information for source Salesforce organization in build.properties](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/forcemigrationtool-connect.md)
2.  [Create retrieve targets in build.xml](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/forcemigrationtool-build.md)
3.  [Construct a project manifest in package.xml](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/daas-package.md)
4.  [Run the Ant Migration Tool to retrieve metadata files from Salesforce](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/forcemigrationtool-retrieve.md)
5.  [Enter credentials and connection information for destination Salesforce organization in build.properties](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/forcemigrationtool-connect.md)
6.  [Run the Ant Migration Tool to deploy metadata files or deletions to Salesforce](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/forcemigrationtool-deploy.md)

-   **[Entering Salesforce Connection Information](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/forcemigrationtool-connect.md)**  

-   **[Constructing a Project Manifest](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/daas-package.md)**  

-   **[Creating Retrieve Targets](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/forcemigrationtool-build.md)**  

-   **[Retrieving Metadata from a Salesforce Organization](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/forcemigrationtool-retrieve.md)**  

-   **[Editing Metadata](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/forcemigrationtool-edit.md)**  

-   **[Deleting Files from an Organization](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/daas-destructive-changes.md)**  

-   **[Deploying Changes to a Salesforce Org](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/forcemigrationtool-deploy.md)**  

-   **[Checking the Status of a Task](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-migration-guide/guide/forcemigrationtool-checkstatus.md)**