Web Services API
The collection of Salesforce APIs (REST API, SOAP API, Bulk API, Streaming API, Metadata API, and others) that enable external applications to programmatically interact with Salesforce data and metadata.
Definition
The collection of Salesforce APIs (REST API, SOAP API, Bulk API, Streaming API, Metadata API, and others) that enable external applications to programmatically interact with Salesforce data and metadata.
In plain English
“The Web Services API is the collection of all Salesforce APIs (REST, SOAP, Bulk, Streaming, Metadata, and others) that let external applications programmatically interact with Salesforce data and functionality.”
Worked example
When developers at Coppergate Software discuss Salesforce integration, they refer to the platform's collection of programmatic interfaces as the Web Services API - a family that includes REST API (most modern integrations), SOAP API (legacy enterprise integrations), Bulk API 2.0 (high-volume data loads), Streaming API and Change Data Capture (event-driven push), Metadata API (deploys), Tooling API (developer tooling), and others. Each API serves a different pattern; together they're the Salesforce platform's programmatic surface. "Web Services API" is the umbrella term - most engineers reach for one specific API by name in any given context.
Why Web Services API matters
The Web Services API is the collection of Salesforce APIs (REST API, SOAP API, Bulk API, Streaming API, Metadata API, and others) that enable external applications to programmatically interact with Salesforce data and functionality. Together, these APIs provide comprehensive programmatic access to the platform.
Each API in the collection serves different use cases: REST API for lightweight operations, SOAP API for legacy integration, Bulk API for large data volumes, Streaming API for real-time events, and Metadata API for configuration management. Mature integration architectures choose the right API for each scenario.
How organizations use Web Services API
Uses different APIs from the collection based on each integration scenario's needs.
Teaches the API landscape so developers choose the right API per use case.
Uses REST API for most work, Bulk API for large volumes, and Metadata API for deployments.
Trust & references
Straight from the source - Salesforce's reference material on Web Services API.
- About SOAP APISalesforce Developers
- Introducing REST APISalesforce Developers
Test your knowledge
Q1. What is the Web Services API?
Q2. What APIs are included?
Q3. How do you choose between them?
Discussion
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