(APEX) REST API

Boris BachovskiDeveloper/Consultant – Deloitte@bachovski

REST API vs APEX REST API

What you can do- Lets you integrate Force.com applications using HTTP methods

- GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD- Synchronous- Data format: XML OR JSON- Authentication using: oAuth 2.0 or Session ID- OOTB CRUD support for your objects

What you can’t do- Complex SOQL queries *- Custom logic or rules *- Anonymous Access *

Benefits- Convenient, Simple- Get started within minutes- Minimise round trips to the server – crucial for mobile applications

Things to consider- Governor limits – counts towards the API request limit for the org- Max response payload size (3MB)

How it works- REST API - https://instance.salesforce.com/services/data/vXX.X/

- limits- sobjects- connect- query- theme- queryAll- tooling- chatter- analytics- recent- licensing- identity- flexiPage- search- quickActions- appMenu

- APEX REST API - https://instance.salesforce.com/services/apexrest/methodname

REST API DEMO

Expose Custom Apex Logic as RESTful Web Service

Key Characteristics:- Define your own URI - Authentication (oAuth or Session ID)- Built-in (de)serialisation for JSON and XML- Case sensitive data keys (parameter names)- You can’t have more than 1 of the same HTTP method in the same class- You can have multiple classes with the same URI (the most recent one will be valid)

Annotations

Annotation Description Incoming Data@RestResource

(urlMapping=“yourURL”)Defines the class as a custom

Apex endpoint. None

@HttpGetDefines the function to be called via

HTTP GET – Usually to retrieve a resource

Query Parameters in the URL

@HttpDeleteDefines the function to be called via HTTP DELETE – Usually to delete a

resourceQuery Parameters in the URL

@HttpPostDefines the function to be called via HTTP POST – Usually to create a new

resourcePOST Data (body) in JSON/XML

@HttpPatchDefines the function to be called via

HTTP PUT – Usually to partially update a resource

POST Data (body) in JSON/XML

@HttpPutDefines the function to be called via HTTP PATCH – Usually to fully update

a resourcePOST Data (body) in JSON/XML

Best Practices- URI Naming Convention and Versioning- Don’t ignore the “with sharing” access modifier- Don’t forget to enable the classes for each user profile that needs access (if the web service is exposed publicly)- Bulkify the code in order to minimise traffic and API calls

APEX REST API DEMO

QUESTIONS?

ResourcesGetting Started with the Force.com REST API- https://www.salesforce.com/us/developer/docs/api_rest/index_Left.htm#StartTopic=Content/quickstart.htm

Apex REST Basic Code Sample - https://www.salesforce.com/us/developer/docs/apexcode/Content/apex_rest_code_sample_basic.htm

Creating REST APIs using Apex REST- https://developer.salesforce.com/page/Creating_REST_APIs_using_Apex_REST

Creating Anonymous Apex REST APIs with Force.com- http://www.wadewegner.com/2013/03/creating-anonymous-rest-apis-with-salesforce-com/

Interact with the Force.com REST API from PHP- http://developer.force.com/cookbook/recipe/interact-with-the-forcecom-rest-api-from-php

Force.com REST API Cheat Sheet- http://res.cloudinary.com/hy4kyit2a/image/upload/SF_rest_api_cheatsheet.pdf

Workbench Tool- https://workbench.developerforce.com