What is Rest API in Salesforce

A robust, practical, and straightforward Web services API for dealing with Salesforce is the REST API. Its benefits include simplicity in integration and development, and it’s a great option for web projects and mobile applications.

In this blog, we will dive into:

• A thorough overview of how REST API operates within Salesforce.
• Uncover the essential features that make REST API a vital tool for developers.
• Learn how to use the REST API step by step.
• Look at the good and bad sides to see if REST API is the best for your work. 
• Compare REST API with SOAP API, Bulk API, and Streaming API to understand the differences. 
• Learn useful hints and tricks to get the most from Salesforce REST API.

By the end of this blog, you will not only be familiar with Salesforce’s REST API but also be equipped to use it more efficiently and effectively in your projects.

How Salesforce REST API works

Salesforce REST API follows a standard client-server, stateless, cacheable communication protocol. It is constructed using the GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE common HTTP protocols. It uses OAuth for authentication and JSON for data interchange. 

The Salesforce REST API receives HTTP requests from a client (a Salesforce system, an external system, or a mobile app), and then it performs actions based on the HTTP method and resource specified in the request. The client is subsequently sent a response by the server. The Salesforce REST API allows you to perform a range of actions, including creating, reading, updating, and deleting records, in addition to offering the capability to search for documents using the Salesforce Object Query Language (SOQL) and Salesforce Object Search Language (SOSL).

Features of Salesforce REST API 

A. CRUD operations 

The Salesforce REST API facilitates CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations, forming the cornerstone of data management in Salesforce. It leverages HTTP methods like POST for creating records, GET for reading, PATCH for updating, and DELETE for removing records. These operations enhance control over data manipulation and management in Salesforce.

B. Salesforce Object Query Language (SOQL) 

An integral feature of the Salesforce REST API is its support for SOQL. This querying language empowers users to construct potent query strings for use in diverse contexts such as Apex statements, Visualforce controllers, and getter methods, among others. It’s an efficient tool for navigating and extracting organization-specific data.

C. Salesforce Object Search Language (SOSL) 

SOSL is another key feature of the Salesforce REST API. It functions as a search language, allowing users to perform textual record searches. SOSL can perform field searches on both standard and custom Salesforce objects, thus aiding comprehensive data discovery.

D. Bulk API

The Salesforce REST API comes equipped with a Bulk API designed for large-scale data operations. Whether it’s about loading a vast number of records into Salesforce from an external system or extracting large datasets for intricate processing, the Bulk API handles these tasks with ease, making it an invaluable tool for handling high-volume data.

E. Composite API

The Composite API feature of the Salesforce REST API aids in grouping multiple API calls into a single request. This feature optimizes performance by significantly reducing the HTTP request traffic between the client and server, thereby streamlining data processing and enhancing overall system efficiency.

Also Read – Salesforce Integration – An Ultimate Guide 2023

Using Salesforce REST API 

A. Setting up Salesforce REST API 

To use Salesforce REST API, you typically need to set up a new Connected App in Salesforce. This involves providing details about the app and configuring OAuth settings, which are used for authentication. 

B. Access and authentication

Access to Salesforce via the REST API is secured using OAuth 2.0. Before making REST API calls, you must authenticate the client using one of the OAuth 2.0 flows supported by Salesforce, such as the Web Server Flow or the User-Agent Flow. 

C. Making a REST API request

To request the Salesforce REST API, you must send an HTTP request (GET, POST, PATCH, DELETE) to the appropriate endpoint. The request should include the access token obtained during authentication in the HTTP Authorization header. 

D. Handling REST API responses 

Salesforce sends back a reply after making a request. The response’s HTTP status code shows if the bid was successful. The response body, usually in JSON format, contains the result of the request or details about any errors that occurred. 

E. Error handling

Standard HTTP status codes are returned by the Salesforce REST API in order to signify success or failure. In case of failure, the response body contains error codes and messages to provide more information about what went wrong. Handling these errors appropriately in your client application to ensure robust operation is crucial. 

Advantages and Limitations of Salesforce REST API 

A. Advantages of using Salesforce REST API

• Simplicity: REST API is easier than SOAP API because it uses HTTP methods directly. Language-agnostic: Any programming language sending HTTP requests can interact with Salesforce REST API. 
• Support for CRUD operations, SOQL, and SOSL: These capabilities allow a wide range of actions on Salesforce data. 
• Good performance and scalability: REST is stateless, meaning the server doesn’t need to store session information, which can lead to good performance and scalability. 

B. Limitations and considerations of Salesforce REST API

• Rate limiting: Salesforce limits the number of API calls made per 24-hour period. 
• Complexity with relationships: While REST API supports working with related records, complex relationships may require multiple API calls. 
• Handling large data volumes: The Bulk API or other methods might be more efficient for very large data sets. 

Also Read – A Comprehensive Guide to Becoming a Successful Salesforce Developer 2023

Comparison of Salesforce REST API with Other APIs in Salesforce 

A. Salesforce SOAP API

Real-time client applications that update a small number of records have excellent support from the Salesforce SOAP API, which is a strong and effective web service interface. Many of the standard features available in the SOAP API are also available in REST, but SOAP API also supports more complex operations and querying functionalities. 

B. Salesforce Bulk API

The Bulk API is a specialized RESTful API that can load and query large amounts of data simultaneously. While the REST API supports CRUD operations on individual records, the Bulk API is designed to make it possible to create, update, delete, or retrieve large numbers of documents at once. 

C. Salesforce Streaming API

Push alerts are sent to the Streaming API when data changes occur that satisfy a SOQL query you specify. The REST API, by contrast, is pull-based, meaning it must make a request every time it needs new data. 

Best Practices for Salesforce REST API 

A. Security best practices 

• Use the appropriate OAuth 2.0 flow for your use case. This usually has to do with the user-agent or web server flow. 
• Protect your access tokens and never expose them in public places like client-side code or version control systems. 
• Review and update your Connected Apps’ security settings frequently in Salesforce. 
• Use HTTPS for all API calls to ensure secure communication. 

B. Performance best practices

• Use the Composite API to bundle multiple API calls into a single request. This reduces the overhead of making various HTTP round-trips. 
• Be mindful of API requests and response sizes. Keep requests as small as possible and be prepared to handle large responses, possibly through pagination. 
• Use SOQL and SOSL effectively to retrieve only the data you need. Avoid using the “SELECT *” query, which fetches all fields. 

C. API call limit management

• Be aware of your organization’s API call limits. Salesforce applies daily limits based on the type of org and the number of licenses. 
• Design your applications to use API calls efficiently. 
• Cache data where possible and avoid unnecessary calls. 
• Monitor your API usage. Salesforce provides tools to track API call usage over 24 hours. 

Conclusion 

Salesforce REST API is a powerful tool in your developer toolkit. Whether you’re just starting your Salesforce journey or are an experienced developer, understanding and utilizing the REST API can significantly enhance your integration capabilities and open new possibilities for your applications.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the difference between SOAP and REST APIs in Salesforce?

In Salesforce, the main difference between SOAP and REST APIs lies in their design philosophies and use cases. SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is a protocol standard for web services that requires a more rigid structure and offers extensive features, making it suitable for enterprise-level and complex transactions. The Salesforce REST API, on the other hand, follows a simpler, more flexible architecture based on standard HTTP methods, making it more appropriate for web and mobile applications. REST APIs typically use JSON for data interchange, whereas SOAP APIs use XML.

2. What are REST methods in Salesforce?

The Salesforce REST API utilizes standard HTTP methods to interact with Salesforce data. These methods include:

• GET: To retrieve data from Salesforce.
• POST: To create new records.
• PATCH (or PUT in some cases): To update existing records.
• DELETE: To delete records.

These methods correspond to the CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations in Salesforce, facilitating straightforward and intuitive interaction with Salesforce objects and data.

3. How to authenticate Salesforce REST API?

To authenticate with the Salesforce REST API, you typically use OAuth 2.0. This involves obtaining an access token from Salesforce’s OAuth 2.0 token endpoint by sending a valid authentication request. The request must include your Salesforce consumer key, consumer secret, and user credentials. Once authenticated, the access token is used in the HTTP Authorization header for subsequent API requests. Salesforce supports various OAuth flows, such as the Web Server Flow, User-Agent Flow, and JWT Bearer Token Flow, depending on the application’s requirements.

4. How do you call REST API from Salesforce?

To call the Salesforce REST API from within Salesforce, you can use the Apex programming language. Apex provides HTTP classes that you can use to build HTTP requests. Here’s a basic outline of the steps:

• Create an instance of the HttpRequest class.
• Set the request’s endpoint URL, method (GET, POST, etc.), and headers (including the OAuth access token for authorization).
• Optionally, set the request body if required (for POST or PATCH methods).
• Use an instance of the HTTP class to send the request.
• Handle the response from Salesforce, which is returned as an instance of the HttpResponse class.