Handle Authentication
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to:
- Switch the hardcoded endpoint to a Named Credential
- Explain why this keeps the API key out of Apex code entirely
- Apply Module 36's Named Credential lesson to this real integration
Prerequisites: "Build the Callout Service"
Switching to a Named Credential
public Decimal convert(Decimal amountInZar, String targetCurrency) {
HttpRequest request = new HttpRequest();
request.setEndpoint(
'callout:Currency_API/convert?from=ZAR&to=' + targetCurrency + '&amount=' + amountInZar
);
request.setMethod('GET');
HttpResponse response = new Http().send(request);
return null;
}callout:Currency_API replaces the raw https://api.example.com URL entirely — the actual endpoint and authentication (an API key, in this integration's case) are configured once in Setup as Currency_API, exactly Module 36's Named Credential lesson.
Why this matters specifically for this project
A currency exchange API almost certainly requires an API key for authentication — without a Named Credential, that key would need to live somewhere in Apex, visible to anyone reading the code and requiring a full deployment to rotate if it were ever compromised. This is exactly the real-world scenario Module 36's lesson was preparing for, not a hypothetical one.
Exercise
As a comment, explain what would need to change in Apex code if the Currency_API's API key needed to be rotated, using a Named Credential vs a hardcoded header.
Show hint
Compare "nothing in Apex changes" vs "a code change and deployment are required."
Handle Authentication Quiz
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Summary
This lesson replaces the hardcoded endpoint from Lesson 2 with a Named Credential — Module 36's "keep secrets out of code" lesson, applied for real.