Definition
The Apex Connector Framework allows developers to create custom adapters for Salesforce Connect that enable external data to be accessed as External Objects. By implementing the DataSource.Provider, DataSource.Connection, and related Apex classes, developers can query, search, and perform CRUD operations on data stored in external systems as though it were native Salesforce data.
Real-World Example
a Salesforce developer at CodeBridge uses Apex Connector Framework to create a robust integration between Salesforce and an external system. Using Apex Connector Framework, the developer builds an efficient solution that syncs data in near real-time, handles error scenarios gracefully, and includes detailed logging for troubleshooting.
Why Apex Connector Framework Matters
The Apex Connector Framework is a set of Apex interfaces used to build custom adapters for Salesforce Connect, which surfaces external data as External Objects inside Salesforce. Developers implement classes like DataSource.Provider, DataSource.Connection, and DataSource.Capability to define how Salesforce queries, searches, reads, writes, and authenticates against the external system. Once deployed, users can view and interact with external data as if it were native sObjects, including in list views, related lists, and SOQL queries.
This is the escape hatch when a Salesforce Connect adapter doesn't already exist for the target system. Salesforce ships built-in adapters for OData 2.0, OData 4.0, cross-org connections, and a few others, but proprietary systems, legacy databases, and custom APIs often need a custom adapter. The Apex Connector Framework is how you build one. It handles the heavy lifting of converting Salesforce's query and DML requests into calls the external system understands, and translating the responses back into something Salesforce can display.
How Organizations Use Apex Connector Framework
- •CodeBridge — Built a custom Apex Connector Framework adapter for their legacy mainframe inventory system. The system has no modern API, but the adapter wraps the mainframe's screen-scrape interface and exposes inventory records as External Objects, so sales reps can check stock levels from the Account page without the inventory data ever being copied into Salesforce.
- •TerraForm Tech — Uses the Apex Connector Framework to integrate with a proprietary risk-scoring service. The custom adapter translates SOQL queries into the service's REST calls, and the results appear as External Objects that can be referenced in Flows and Reports.
- •Quantum Labs — Built an adapter that exposes a partner's GraphQL API as External Objects. This let the partner's data appear alongside native Salesforce data in Lightning pages without the complexity of scheduled data syncs.