JSON is the standard text format for exchanging data between systems, especially in REST APIs.

What Apex class handles JSON?

Apex's JSON class provides parse and serialize methods for converting between JSON strings and Apex objects.

Where is JSON used in Salesforce?

JSON is used throughout Salesforce development wherever data needs to be exchanged or stored in a structured text format.

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)

Development🟢 Beginner

Definition

In Salesforce development, a lightweight data-interchange format widely used in REST API requests and responses. It's also used in Apex JSON class parsing, serialization, and custom metadata storage.

Real-World Example

a Salesforce developer at CodeBridge uses JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) to create a robust integration between Salesforce and an external system. Using JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), the developer builds an efficient solution that syncs data in near real-time, handles error scenarios gracefully, and includes detailed logging for troubleshooting.

Why JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) Matters

In Salesforce development, JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data-interchange format widely used in REST API requests and responses. JSON represents data as key-value pairs and arrays in a human-readable text format that's easy for both machines to parse and humans to read. It's the de facto standard for modern APIs, including the Salesforce REST API, and it's used throughout Salesforce development for data exchange, custom metadata, and JavaScript-based Lightning components.

Apex includes a JSON class for parsing and serializing JSON data, letting developers convert between JSON strings and Apex objects (typically maps, lists, or custom classes representing the data structure). JSON.parse and JSON.serialize are the core methods. For working with external APIs that return JSON, this parsing is essential. Lightning Web Components also work natively with JSON since JavaScript handles it as a built-in concept. Knowing how to read, write, and parse JSON is foundational to any modern Salesforce integration work.

How Organizations Use JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)

•Quantum Labs — Uses Apex JSON parsing in callouts to external REST APIs, converting JSON responses into Apex objects for processing.
•TerraForm Tech — Stores configuration data as JSON in custom metadata fields when the structure is too complex for individual fields.
•CodeBridge — Trains all developers on JSON structure and parsing as foundational to API integration work.