SOAP vs REST

SOAP

• XML

• Standards based

• WSDL (a package to define all the methods) needs to be downloaded and saved to the server

• System to system

• State maintained

• Built in security

  • OAuth or Session ID (OLD)

• Can build Custom SOAP Web Services

Enterprise WSDL

Partner WSDL

REST

• XML or JSON

• REST has in-built discovery of the available methods / endpoints

• Lightweight

• Security usually via OAuth

  • Old via Session ID

• Web service implementations

  • Expose your own APEX classes as REST Endpoints

• GET POST DELETE PATCH PUSH

• Bulk API uses REST See https://tddprojects.atlassian.net/wiki/pages/createpage.action?spaceKey=SF&title=Salesforce%20APIs&linkCreation=true&fromPageId=1310556166

Synchronous vs Asynchronous

• Sync

  • Eg a transaction

  • Wait for a reply

  • Within the Salesforce limits

• Async

  • Check back later if it’s done