simpleforce

A simple Golang client for Salesforce

Features

simpleforce is a library written in Go (Golang) that connects to Salesforce via the REST and Tooling APIs. Currently, the following functions are implemented and more features could be added based on need:

• Execute SOQL queries
• Get records via record (sobject) type and ID
• Create records
• Update records
• Delete records
• Download a file
• Execute anonymous apex

Most of the implementation referenced Salesforce documentation here: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.214.0.api_rest.meta/api_rest/intro_what_is_rest_api.htm

Installation

simpleforce can be acquired as any other Go libraries via go get:

go get github.com/simpleforce/simpleforce

Quick Start

Setup the Client

A client instance is the main entrance to access Salesforce using simpleforce. Create a client instance with the NewClient function, with the proper endpoint URL:

package main

import "github.com/simpleforce/simpleforce"

var (
	sfURL      = "Custom or instance URL, for example, 'https://na01.salesforce.com/'"
	sfUser     = "Username of the Salesforce account."
	sfPassword = "Password of the Salesforce account."
	sfToken    = "Security token, could be omitted if Trusted IP is configured."
)

func createClient() *simpleforce.Client {
	client := simpleforce.NewClient(sfURL, simpleforce.DefaultClientID, simpleforce.DefaultAPIVersion)
	if client == nil {
		// handle the error

		return nil
	}
    
	err := client.LoginPassword(sfUser, sfPassword, sfToken)
	if err != nil {
		// handle the error

		return nil
	}
    
	// Do some other stuff with the client instance if needed.

	return client
}

Execute a SOQL Query

The client provides an interface to run an SOQL Query. Refer to https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_rest.meta/api_rest/dome_query.htm for more details about SOQL.

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "github.com/simpleforce/simpleforce"
)

func Query() {
	client := simpleforce.NewClient(...)
	client.LoginPassword(...)

	q := "Some SOQL Query String"
	result, err := client.Query(q) // Note: for Tooling API, use client.Tooling().Query(q)
	if err != nil {
		// handle the error
		return
	}

	for _, record := range result.Records {
		// access the record as SObjects.
		fmt.Println(record)
	}
}

Work with Records

SObject instances are created by client instance, either through the return values of client.Query() or through client.SObject() directly. Once an SObject instance is created, it can be used to Create, Delete, Update, or Get records through the Salesforce REST API. Here are some examples of using SObject instances to work on the records.

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "github.com/simpleforce/simpleforce"
)

func WorkWithRecords() {
	client := simpleforce.NewClient(...)
	client.LoginPassword(...)
	
	// Get an SObject with given type and external ID
	obj := client.SObject("Case").Get("__ID__")
	if obj == nil {
		// Object doesn't exist, handle the error
		return
	}
	
	// Attributes are associated with all Salesforce returned SObjects, and can be accessed with the
	// `AttributesField` method.
	attrs := obj.AttributesField()
	if attrs != nil {
	 	fmt.Println(attrs.Type)    // "Case" 
		fmt.Println(attrs.URL)     // "/services/data/v43.0/case/__ID__"
	}
	
	// Linked objects can be accessed with the `SObjectField` method.
	userObj := obj.SObjectField("User", "CreatedById")
	if userObj == nil {
		// Object doesn't exist, or field "CreatedById" is invalid.
		return
	}
	
	// Linked objects returned normally contains the type and ID field only. A `Get` operation is needed to
	// retrieve all the information of linked objects.
	fmt.Println(userObj.StringField("Name"))    // FAIL: fields are not populated.
	
	// If an SObject instance already has an ID (e.g. linked object), `Get` can retrieve the object directly without
	// parameter.
	userObj.Get()
	fmt.Println(userObj.StringField("Name"))    // SUCCESS: returns the name of the user.
	
	// For Update(), start with a blank SObject.
	// Set "Id" with an existing ID and any updated fields.
	//
	// Update() will return the updated object, or nil and print an error.
	updateObj := client.SObject("Contact").								// Create an empty object of type "Contact".
		Set("Id", "__ID__").											// Set the Id to an existing Contact ID.
		Set("FirstName", "New Name").									// Set any updated fields.
		Update()														// Update the record on Salesforce server.
	fmt.Println(updateObj)

	// Many SObject methods return the instance of the SObject, allowing chained access and operations to the
	// object. In the following example, all methods, except "Delete", returns *SObject so that the next method
	// can be invoked on the returned value directly.
	//
	// Delete() methods returns `error` instead, as Delete is supposed to delete the record from the server.
	err := client.SObject("Case").                               // Create an empty object of type "Case"
    		Set("Subject", "Case created by simpleforce").              // Set the "Subject" field.
	        Set("Comments", "Case commented by simpleforce").           // Set the "Comments" field.
    		Create().                                                   // Create the record on Salesforce server.
    		Get().                                                      // Refresh the fields from Salesforce server.
    		Delete()                                                    // Delete the record from Salesforce server.
	fmt.Println(err)	
}

Download a File

// Setup client and login
// ...

// Get the content version ID
query := "SELECT Id FROM ContentVersion WHERE ContentDocumentId = '" + YOUR_CONTENTDOCUMENTID + "' AND IsLatest = true"
result, err = client.Query(query)
if err != nil {
    // handle the error
}
contentVersionID := ""
for _, record := range result.Records {
    contentVersionID = record.StringField("Id")
}

// Download file
downloadFilePath := "/absolute/path/to/yourfile.txt"

err = client.DownloadFile(contentVersionID, downloadFilePath)
if err != nil {
    // handle error
    return
}   

Execute Anonymous Apex

// Setup client and login
// ...

result, err := client.ExecuteAnonymous("System.debug('test anonymous apex');")
if err != nil {
    // handle error
    return
}

Development and Unit Test

A set of unit test cases are provided to validate the basic functions of simpleforce. Please do not run these unit tests with a production instance of Salesforce as it would create, modify and delete data from the provided Salesforce account.

License and Acknowledgement

This package is released under BSD license. Part of the code referenced the simple-salesforce (https://github.com/simple-salesforce/simple-salesforce) project and the credit goes to Nick Catalano and the community maintaining simple-salesforce.

Contributions are welcome, cheers :-)