Apex
Apex is a programming language used in Salesforce to develop custom functionalities and automate business processes within the Salesforce platform. It is an object-oriented language that is similar to Java while being unique to the Salesforce ecosystem.
How Is Apex Used?
Server Side Logic
Apex runs on Salesforce’s servers and is used for server-side logic, which means it can perform operations and handle data in the background without user interaction. It can perform functions such as: Read, Create, Edit, Delete. It can run standalone or be called by automation such as Flows.
Governor Limits
Salesforce enforces governor limits on code to ensure that no single piece of code monopolizes shared resources. These limits help maintain the performance and stability of the Salesforce instance.
Integrations
Apex can be used to integrate with external systems using web services, HTTP requests, and other APIs.
Different Use Cases for Apex
Apex Class
Classes are fundamental to Salesforce’s Apex structure.
They are Object Oriented, Server Side blocks of code that can be utilized by Triggers and as Controllers for Visual Force and Lightning Components.
They can structure queries, perform advance business logic and serve as the foundation for Integrations and API calls.
To ensure Classes are bulkified and meet Salesforce standards, they must have adequate code coverage to move from a sandbox to a production environment.
Apex Trigger
Triggers are code that execute before or after specific database operations occur on Salesforce records.
Inserts, Updates, Deletes and Undeletes are all types of actions that will cause an Apex Trigger to fire.
Apex Triggers are meant to hold the execution criteria of code, not necessarily the bulk of the logic, which is where Classes come into play.
Aimed at Automating Actions and Enforcing business rules, triggers play a crucial part in the development schema of an org.
As a best practice, developers should aim to follow a “One Trigger Per Object Model”.
Batch Apex
Batch Apex is a feature in Salesforce that allows you to process large volumes of records asynchronously in specified sizes.
Being Asynchronous means the batches run in the background allowing you to execute complex or long-running operations without blocking user interactions.
Running in Batches also means you can leverage governor limits more effectively, processing each transaction against a larger set of constraints.
The Batch methodology in instantiated at the Class level and is most useful in bulk data operations or jobs.
What is the Benefit?
Custom business logic, complex process automation, sophisticated calculations, and implementation of custom rules that go beyond standard Salesforce capabilities are all on the table. Batch processing with the Batchable interface enables the processing of large volumes of records asynchronously.
This is useful for operations that need to handle significant amounts of data without impacting the user experience. Lastly, the built-in testing framework allows you to write and execute unit tests. This ensures that your code is thoroughly tested and reliable before deployment to production environments.
Structuring queries and complex logic in Classes keeps triggers clean.
Defining Batch Classes allows you handle data processing in smaller segments and their asynchronous nature means users can go on with their daily tasks uninterrupted.
Triggers allow you to perform actions you may not be able to execute through flow and give you more power when thinking about interactions with external systems.
Who is Impacted?
Developers
Written by Developers and Admins alike in Salesforce. They are responsible for setting up the code, testing the code and deploying the code.
End Users
Once written it can perform complex logic, create/edit records and perform business functions to add efficiencies to the day-to-day operations of a business and it’s users.