Salesforce Composite API: Simplify, Speed Up, and Scale Your Integrations

Hey Salesforce Trailblazer!

Have you ever felt overwhelmed managing dozens of API calls, each one depending on the success of the last? Or maybe you’ve hit API usage limits while trying to get everything done?

(If yes, keep reading ??)

Today, let’s talk about Composite API — the Salesforce feature that feels tailor-made for you.

It’s not just another API. It’s a smarter, faster, and simpler way to handle integrations. It reduces complexity and makes your workflows as smooth as butter.

Whether you’re a seasoned Salesforce architect or just starting your integration journey, Composite API is a must-have in your toolkit.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

1?? What makes Composite API so special

2?? How it stacks up against standard APIs

3?? Why it’s a game-changer for your next project

What Exactly is the Composite API?

Picture this: You’re ordering a pizza with toppings, a side of garlic bread, and a soda. Instead of calling three different restaurants, you place one order at your favorite pizzeria, and everything arrives together. That’s how Composite API works for your data needs—it lets you bundle multiple API requests into a single call.

With the Composite API, you can:

• Combine up to 25 requests into a single API call.
• Execute all requests in an atomic transaction (either all succeed or none do).
• Reference previous responses within the same call (like using an Account ID created earlier to add Contacts).

It’s like turning a pile of messy individual calls into one clean, efficient operation.

How Composite API Stands Out

To understand why Composite API is so useful, let’s compare it to standard Salesforce APIs:

Why You Should Use Composite API

Composite API isn’t just about combining calls—it’s about making your integrations smarter and more efficient. Here are some scenarios where it truly shines:

1. Streamlining Record Creation

Imagine creating an Account, its associated Contacts, and Opportunities in one go. Instead of sending multiple requests, Composite API bundles everything together.

2. Reducing API Usage

For organizations hitting API limits, Composite API consolidates requests into fewer calls, saving precious API resources.

3. Complex, Interdependent Operations

Say you need to update a record and use its new details immediately in another related operation. Composite API allows you to reference earlier responses within the same call.

4. Ensuring Data Consistency

Need all changes to go through together or fail entirely? Composite API’s atomic transaction ensures you never end up with half-completed operations.

An Example to Bring It to Life

Scenario: Creating an Account and Its Contacts

Let’s say you’re building an integration that creates an Account and two Contacts in one API call. Here’s how you’d do it with Composite API:

Request:

{
  "compositeRequest": [
    {
      "method": "POST",
      "url": "/services/data/v57.0/sobjects/Account",
      "referenceId": "newAccount",
      "body": {
        "Name": "Trailhead Innovations"
      }
    },
    {
      "method": "POST",
      "url": "/services/data/v57.0/sobjects/Contact",
      "referenceId": "primaryContact",
      "body": {
        "FirstName": "Anna",
        "LastName": "Smith",
        "AccountId": "@{newAccount.id}"
      }
    },
    {
      "method": "POST",
      "url": "/services/data/v57.0/sobjects/Contact",
      "referenceId": "secondaryContact",
      "body": {
        "FirstName": "James",
        "LastName": "Johnson",
        "AccountId": "@{newAccount.id}"
      }
    }
  ]
}
        

What Happens Here?

1. The Account, "Trailhead Innovations," is created.
2. Two Contacts (Anna and James) are created and linked to that Account—all in one call.

Architect’s Lens: Why Composite API is a Must-Have

As a Salesforce architect, you’re always looking for ways to improve efficiency, scalability, and reliability. Composite API checks all these boxes:

• Efficiency: Reduces latency and simplifies workflows, especially for integrations handling related records.
• Scalability: Ideal for growing organizations that need to manage large-scale data operations without hitting API limits.
• Reliability: Ensures data consistency by rolling back failed operations, saving you from integration nightmares.

When to Recommend Composite API:

• High-frequency data operations that demand performance and reliability.
• Integrations with strict API usage quotas.
• Complex workflows where related data must be created or updated simultaneously.

Final Thoughts: Make Composite API Your Best Friend

The Salesforce Composite API is more than just a tool—it’s a strategy for smarter, more efficient integrations. Whether you’re streamlining data creation, reducing API usage, or ensuring transactional integrity, Composite API simplifies the complex and makes life easier for developers and architects alike.

So, the next time you’re planning an integration, ask yourself: Why make 10 API calls when you can make just one?

Have questions or ideas on how to use Composite API in your projects? Drop them in the comments, and let’s keep the learning going. ??

Now, over to you! Have you used Composite API yet? If not, what’s stopping you?

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