Integration - Official References
A curated, organized list of official Salesforce resources (plus one well-known community deep dive) for studying integrations. Start at the top — the decision guides and pattern catalog are the best entry points before drilling into a specific API or feature.
Start here — decision & pattern guides
| Resource | What it's good for |
|---|---|
| Data Integration Decision Guide | Walks the landscape of data-integration tools and recommends which to use (or avoid) per use case. |
| Integration Patterns and Practices — Overview | The canonical pattern catalog: Request & Reply, Fire & Forget, Batch Data Sync, Remote Call-In, UI Update, Data Virtualization. |
| Pattern Selection Guide | Matrix that maps source/target and timing to the recommended pattern. |
Choosing an API
| Resource | What it's good for |
|---|---|
| Which API Do I Use? | Picks the right API by protocol, data format, and use case (REST, SOAP, Bulk, Pub/Sub, etc.). |
| API Library | Index of every Salesforce API with overview, guides, and reference. |
Event-driven integration
| Resource | What it's good for |
|---|---|
| Event-Driven Software Architecture | Producers, consumers, and channels — the model behind Platform Events. |
| Change Data Capture — Developer Guide | Stream record changes to external systems in near-real time without polling. |
Data virtualization & cross-org
| Resource | What it's good for |
|---|---|
| Cross-Org Adapter for Salesforce Connect | Surface data from another Salesforce org as External Objects, no replication. |
UI integration
| Resource | What it's good for |
|---|---|
| Canvas — Developer Guide | Embed a third-party app inside the Salesforce UI (useful for systems behind a firewall). |
Community deep dive
| Resource | What it's good for |
|---|---|
| Salesforce Integration Patterns & Best Practices (Apex Hours) | In-depth article that adds context on top of the official docs above. |