Partner WSDL
A WSDL file in Salesforce designed for use by AppExchange partners and ISVs, providing a simplified interface for making SOAP API calls that is suitable for building client applications distributed across multiple orgs.
Definition
A WSDL file in Salesforce designed for use by AppExchange partners and ISVs, providing a simplified interface for making SOAP API calls that is suitable for building client applications distributed across multiple orgs.
In plain English
“The Partner WSDL is a WSDL file in Salesforce designed for AppExchange partners and ISVs. It provides a simplified interface for SOAP API calls suitable for building client applications that work across multiple customer orgs without needing custom WSDLs per org.”
Worked example
Ironclad Manufacturing's ISV partner builds a desktop-side data-sync application that has to log into 600 different customer orgs and read their custom objects. Generating an Enterprise WSDL per customer org would mean 600 separate code paths - each org has a slightly different schema. Instead, the partner downloads the Partner WSDL from their packaging org, generates a single SOAP client, and uses generic operations (describeSObjects, query, retrieve) that work against any org's schema dynamically. One client codebase serves all 600 customer orgs, and a 601st org onboarded next quarter works without recompilation.
Why Partner WSDL matters
Partner WSDL is a WSDL file in Salesforce designed for use by AppExchange partners and ISVs, providing a simplified interface for making SOAP API calls that is suitable for building client applications distributed across multiple orgs. Unlike the Enterprise WSDL (which is org-specific and includes custom objects with their fields), the Partner WSDL is generic and uses sObject as a generic type, letting one code base work across many different customer orgs.
The Partner WSDL is the right choice for ISV partners building integrations that need to work across many customer orgs because each customer's Enterprise WSDL would be different (reflecting their specific custom objects and fields). The trade-off is that working with sObjects as generic types is more complex than working with strongly-typed objects from the Enterprise WSDL. For ISV partners and integration vendors, the Partner WSDL is essential. For customer-specific integrations, the Enterprise WSDL is often easier to work with. Modern integrations often use REST APIs instead of either WSDL.
How organizations use Partner WSDL
Uses the Partner WSDL for their ISV product's SOAP integrations that work across all customer orgs.
Considers REST API as the modern alternative to either WSDL, but maintains WSDL-based integrations for legacy connections.
Distinguishes Partner WSDL (for ISV cross-org work) from Enterprise WSDL (for customer-specific integrations).
Trust & references
Straight from the source - Salesforce's reference material on Partner WSDL.
- Objects, Fields, and Field Data and the Partner WSDLSalesforce Developers
About the Author
Dipojjal Chakrabarti is a B2C Solution Architect with 29 Salesforce certifications and over 13 years in the Salesforce ecosystem. He runs salesforcedictionary.com to help admins, developers, architects, and cert/interview candidates sharpen their fundamentals. More about Dipojjal.
Test your knowledge
Q1. What is the Partner WSDL?
Q2. How does it differ from Enterprise WSDL?
Q3. When is Partner WSDL the right choice?
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