Salesforce API Essential Guide

What type of API does Salesforce provide?

Salesforce offers multiple types of APIs:

REST API

• Lightweight API for building modern web and mobile applications
• Uses simple request-response structure
• Supports XML and JSON data formats

SOAP API

• Provides secure integration for complex enterprise systems
• Uses XML as its data format

Bulk API

• Designed for high-volume data operations
• Supports JSON and CSV data formats

GraphQL API

• Allows developers to request tailored data sets
• Reduces network overhead

Other APIs

• Streaming API: For real-time data updates
• Metadata API: For Salesforce environment management
• Chatter REST API: For social collaboration
• Tooling API: For managing Salesforce metadata and tools
• Pub/Sub API: For asynchronous data streaming
• Connect REST API: For working with B2B Commerce, CMS managed content, Experience Cloud sites, and Chatter
• User Interface API: For building UI for creating, reading, updating, and deleting records
• Analytics REST API: For working with Analytics data
• Apex REST API and Apex SOAP API: For custom Apex methods

Does the Salesforce API have webhooks?

The official Salesforce API supports webhooks through the Event Notification Service (ENS). To use webhooks/ENS in Salesforce:

1. Set up your development environment for Marketing Cloud Engagement APIs.
2. Create an API integration in Installed Packages to obtain a client ID and secret.
3. Provide an HTTPS callback URL (webhook) for your application.
4. Register and verify your callback URL.
5. Create a subscription to receive notification events.

Security considerations:

• Use HTTPS for callback URLs; HTTP is not supported.
• Store client ID and secret securely, never exposing them on the client-side or in mobile apps.

Additional important points:

• ENS is an "at least once" delivery system, so prepare for possible duplicate notifications.
• Subscriptions can be paused and unpaused as needed.

For a comprehensive list of supported event types and more detailed information, consult the official Salesforce documentation or API reference at https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/ens-get-started.html.

Rate Limits and other limitations

The Salesforce API has several rate limits that developers need to be aware of. Here are the key points about Salesforce API rate limits:

API Request Limits

1. The total number of API requests is limited based on your Salesforce edition and license type.

2. API limits are calculated on a 24-hour rolling basis.

3. Different types of API calls (e.g., SOAP API, REST API, Bulk API) may have separate limits.

Specific Limits

• For Enterprise Edition, the default limit is 1,000,000 API calls per 24-hour period.
• For Unlimited Edition, the default limit is 5,000,000 API calls per 24-hour period.
• Bulk API has a limit of 10,000 batches per day.

Key Points to Consider

• API limits are shared across all API types (SOAP, REST, Bulk).
• Exceeding the API limit can result in reduced performance or temporary suspension of API access.
• Salesforce provides tools to monitor API usage, such as the API Usage section in Setup.

Best Practices

1. Monitor your API usage regularly to avoid hitting limits.
2. Optimize your API calls by batching requests when possible.
3. Use Bulk API for large data operations to consume fewer API calls.
4. Consider using enterprise-grade release management software to better control API requests.
5. Establish effective communication protocols with third-party providers to minimize unnecessary API calls.

Code Example

Here's a simple example of how to check your API usage in Apex:

Integer apiRequests = Limits.getApiRequests();
Integer maxApiRequests = Limits.getLimitApiRequests();

System.debug('API Requests used: ' + apiRequests);
System.debug('API Requests limit: ' + maxApiRequests);

This code will output the current number of API requests used and the maximum allowed in your debug logs.

By understanding and managing these API rate limits, developers can ensure their Salesforce integrations and applications run smoothly without interruptions due to exceeding API limits.

Latest API Version

Based on the search results provided, here is the answer to your question about the most recent version of the Salesforce API:

The most recent version of the Salesforce API is version 60.0, which is part of the Salesforce Spring 2024 release.

Key points to consider:

1. Salesforce releases new API versions regularly, typically three times per year corresponding to their seasonal releases (Spring, Summer, Winter).

2. The API version numbering follows a pattern of incrementing by 1 for each release. For example, the Winter 2024 release was API version 59.0, and the Spring 2024 release is version 60.0.

3. It's important to note that Salesforce API versions are subject to change in upcoming releases.

4. Salesforce recommends creating duplicates of existing forms prior to updating to the latest API release to avoid potential issues.

5. Upgrading to the latest API version provides benefits such as:

   • Access to the most up-to-date Salesforce technologies
   • Improved product stability
   • Ability to safely leverage Salesforce's latest features
   • Support for industry cloud standard objects

6. Developers can check the current API version and available versions using the Versions resource in the REST API.

Best practices:

1. Regularly check for new API versions and consider upgrading to take advantage of new features and improvements.

2. Before upgrading, review the release notes and test your integrations and custom code to ensure compatibility with the new version.

3. When developing new applications or integrations, use the latest stable API version available to ensure access to the most recent features and improvements.

4. Keep in mind that Salesforce maintains support for multiple API versions, allowing you to continue using older versions if needed while you plan for upgrades.

How to get a Salesforce developer account and API Keys?

To get a developer account for Salesforce and create an API integration, follow these steps:

Create a Free Developer Account

1. Sign up for a free Salesforce Developer account at https://developer.salesforce.com/signup.

2. This account provides access to a working Salesforce organization, allowing you to explore the interface and manage users.

Set Up a Connected App

1. After setting up your developer account, create a Connected App.

2. Navigate to the Setup menu, enter "App Manager" in the Quick Find box, and select App Manager.

3. Create a new Connected App by providing details such as the app name, API name, and callback URL.

4. After setting up, you'll receive a Consumer Key and Consumer Secret for your app.

Obtain Credentials for Authentication

1. To authenticate your API requests, obtain credentials by adding an API integration to your installed package.

2. Locate the client ID and client secret under the component details.

3. Use these credentials with your Authentication Base URI to get an access token.

Create an API Integration

1. Ensure you have the "Installed Package | Administer" permission to create an API integration.

2. This permission is automatically applied to the Administrator and Marketing Cloud Administrator system-defined roles.

3. You can add the permission for a role or user in the Administration area.

4. Depending on your package type (enhanced or legacy), use OAuth 2.0 authentication to obtain an access token.

What can you do with the Salesforce API?

Here are the key data models you can interact with using the Salesforce API, along with what is possible for each:

Standard Objects

• Account, Contact, Lead, Opportunity, etc.
• Ability to create, read, update, delete (CRUD) records
• Query and search records
• Access related records through relationships
• Use custom fields and objects related to standard objects

Custom Objects

• Create and manage custom objects specific to your business needs
• Full CRUD operations on custom object records
• Define relationships between custom objects and standard objects
• Use custom fields, validation rules, etc.

Big Objects

• Store and manage massive volumes of data (billions of records)
• Asynchronous queries for reporting on large datasets
• Useful for data archiving and compliance

External Objects

• Access data stored outside of Salesforce
• Connect to external data sources like databases or web services
• Query and interact with external data as if it were native Salesforce data

Platform Events

• Publish and subscribe to real-time event messages
• Build event-driven integrations and automations
• Useful for system integrations and IoT scenarios

Metadata

• Access and modify Salesforce metadata like custom fields, page layouts, etc.
• Deploy changes between orgs
• Automate org customizations and configurations

Tooling

• Access development and customization metadata
• Manage Apex classes, Visualforce pages, Lightning components, etc.
• Useful for building development tools and IDEs

Analytics

• Query report and dashboard data
• Create and manage Analytics assets programmatically
• Access Einstein Analytics datasets and lenses

Chatter

• Post to Chatter feeds
• Manage Chatter groups and followers
• Access Chatter messages and comments

Files

• Upload, download, and manage Salesforce Files
• Attach files to records
• Manage file sharing and permissions

The Salesforce API provides extensive capabilities to interact with these various data models, enabling robust integrations and custom application development on the Salesforce platform.