Building a REST API integration in Apex can be both exciting and challenging. Done right, and you have a reliable integration that is easy to debug and maintain. We will go over 5 simple but powerful ideas (with examples) that will help you architect and build a robust integration with any external REST API and improve your apex development game.

1. 5 key ideas for robust and flexible REST API integrations with
Apex
Lucian Mihai Ciobanu

2. OUR SPONSORS

3. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
John’s accounting team is pretty frustrated

4. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
Lead Developer
Declarative Webhooks
@Lucian_Ciobanu
/in/lucian-mihai-ciobanu-8331a227/
Lucian Mihai Ciobanu

5. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
5 key ideas for robust and flexible REST API integrations
1. Loading

6. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
● API class that handles API calls only
● Helper class that handles the logic
● Webhook class for receiving inbound calls
● Test class that can cover the integration
code
Use separation of concerns
Idea 1/5
API class
Handles API calls, API settings, request
and response classes
Inbound Webhook class
@RestResource : Accepts incoming calls
and events from the external system
Helper class
Handles logic of the integration
and connection between
Salesforce objects and the API
Test
class
Triggers,
LWC,
Visualforce,
Flows

7. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
● API class that handles API calls only
● Helper class that handles the logic
● Webhook class for receiving inbound calls
● Test class that can cover the integration
code
Use separation of concerns
Idea 1/5
API class
Handles API calls, API settings, request
and response classes
Inbound Webhook class
@RestResource : Accepts incoming calls
and events from the external system
Helper class
Handles logic of the integration
and connection between
Salesforce objects and the API
Test
class
Triggers,
LWC,
Visualforce,
Flows

8. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
● API class that handles API calls only
● Helper class that handles the logic
● Webhook class for receiving inbound calls
● Test class that can cover the integration
code
Use separation of concerns
Idea 1/5
API class
Handles API calls, API settings, request
and response classes
Inbound Webhook class
@RestResource : Accepts incoming calls
and events from the external system
Helper class
Handles logic of the integration
and connection between
Salesforce objects and the API
Test
class
Triggers,
LWC,
Visualforce,
Flows

9. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
● API class that handles API calls only
● Helper class that handles the logic
● Webhook class for receiving inbound calls
● Test class that can cover the integration
code
Use separation of concerns
Idea 1/5
API class
Handles API calls, API settings, request
and response classes
Inbound Webhook class
@RestResource : Accepts incoming calls
and events from the external system
Helper class
Handles logic of the integration
and connection between
Salesforce objects and the API
Test
class
Triggers,
LWC,
Visualforce,
Flows

10. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
● API class that handles API calls only
● Helper class that handles the logic
● Webhook class for receiving inbound calls
● Test class that can cover the integration
code
Use separation of concerns
Idea 1/5
API class
Handles API calls, API settings, request
and response classes
Inbound Webhook class
@RestResource : Accepts incoming calls
and events from the external system
Helper class
Handles logic of the integration
and connection between
Salesforce objects and the API
Test
class
Triggers,
LWC,
Visualforce,
Flows

11. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
TRIGGER
Idea 1/5
Use separation of concerns

12. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
TRIGGER
Idea 1/5
Use separation of concerns

13. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
TRIGGER
Idea 1/5
Use separation of concerns

14. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
TRIGGER
Idea 1/5
Use separation of concerns

15. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
5 key ideas for robust and flexible REST API integrations
1. Use separation of concerns
2. Loading

16. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
5 key ideas for robust and flexible REST API integrations
1. Use separation of concerns
2. Loading

17. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
5 key ideas for robust and flexible REST API integrations
1. Use separation of concerns
2. Loading

18. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
5 key ideas for robust and flexible REST API integrations
1. Use separation of concerns
2. Loading

19. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
● Custom metadata with base urls and
credentials
● The API class can extract the information
from the custom metadata type
Idea #2
Idea 2/5
Make everything configurable

20. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
Idea 2/5
Make everything configurable

21. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
● Configurable field mapping with custom metadata or custom settings
Idea 2/5
Make everything configurable

22. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
Idea 2/5
Make everything configurable

23. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
Idea 2/5
Make everything configurable

24. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
5 key ideas for robust and flexible REST API integrations
1. Use separation of concerns
2. Make everything configurable
3. Loading

25. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
● Log outbound calls
● Log inbound calls
● Make sure to log failures
Idea #3
Idea 3/5
Log every call

26. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
Idea 3/5
Log every call

27. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
Idea 3/5
Log every call

28. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
5 key ideas for robust and flexible REST API integrations
1. Use separation of concerns
2. Make everything configurable
3. Log every call
4. Loading

29. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
5 key ideas for robust and flexible REST API integrations
1. Use separation of concerns
2. Make everything configurable
3. Log every call
4. Loading

30. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
● Callouts WILL fail, it’s just a matter of time
● Show it in the interface (synchronous integrations)
● Warning to an admin (asynchronous integrations)
○ Slack
○ Chatter
○ Email
● Automatic retry (asynchronous integrations)
Salesforce
API
Idea 4/5
Handle API Failures

31. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
● Callouts WILL fail, it’s just a matter of time
● Show it in the interface (synchronous integrations)
● Warning to an admin (asynchronous integrations)
○ Slack
○ Chatter
○ Email
● Automatic retry (asynchronous integrations)
Idea 4/5
Handle API Failures

32. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
● Callouts WILL fail, it’s just a matter of time
● Show it in the interface (synchronous integrations)
● Warning to an admin (asynchronous integrations)
○ Slack
○ Chatter
○ Email
● Automatic retry (asynchronous integrations)
Idea 4/5
Handle API Failures

33. Handle API Failures
Idea 4/5

34. Handle API Failures
Idea 4/5

35. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
5 key ideas for robust and flexible REST API integrations
1. Use separation of concerns
2. Make everything configurable
3. Log every call
4. Handle API failures
5. Loading

36. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
● A set of objects and classes that gives you a
head start in future integrations
API class
Handles API calls, API settings, request
and response classes
Inbound Webhook class
Accepts incoming calls and events from
the external system
Helper class
Handles logic of the integration
and connection between
Salesforce objects and the API
Test
class
Triggers,
LWC,
Visualforce,
Flows
Idea 5/5
Build yourself a framework

37. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
Make your next
integration easier
Idea 5/5
Build yourself a framework

38. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
5 key ideas for robust and flexible REST API integrations
1. Use separation of concerns
2. Make everything configurable
3. Log every call
4. Handle API failures
5. Build yourself a framework

39. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
5 key ideas for robust and flexible REST API integrations
1. Use separation of concerns
2. Make everything configurable
3. Log every call
4. Handle API failures
5. Build yourself a framework

40. #CD23 @CzechDreamin
Resources
● Github Repository: https://bit.ly/3W5bEvh
● Slides: https://bit.ly/42UBwwB
● My Twitter: @Lucian_Ciobanu
● My LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3W50TJj

41. Thank you