SOAP Callouts and WSDL2Apex
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to:
- Explain what WSDL2Apex generates and why it's needed for SOAP callouts
- Call a method on a generated SOAP client stub
Prerequisites: Securing Callouts with Named Credentials
Why WSDL2Apex instead of hand-built XML
SOAP messages are strict, verbose XML defined by a WSDL (Web Services Description Language) file. Rather than hand-crafting that XML, Setup's WSDL2Apex tool reads a WSDL and generates a matching set of Apex classes — a client stub class, plus classes for every request/response type — so you interact with a SOAP service the same way you'd call any other Apex method.
Calling the generated stub
After import, instantiate the generated service class and call its method directly — the generated code handles building and parsing the SOAP envelope behind the scenes, entirely out of view.
Calling a generated SOAP stub
ExampleSoapService.ExampleServicePort service = new ExampleSoapService.ExampleServicePort();
service.timeout_x = 10000;
String result = service.getCustomerName('CUST-001');
System.debug(result);ExampleSoapService.ExampleServicePort is generated code, produced by pasting the SOAP service's WSDL into Salesforce's WSDL2Apex tool — you never write the SOAP envelope by hand.
Exercise
In a comment, describe the two steps needed before you can call a SOAP method from Apex.
Show hint
Think about what has to happen in Setup before any Apex code can run.
SOAP Callouts and WSDL2Apex — Quick Check
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Summary
SOAP integrations are still common with older enterprise systems. Salesforce doesn't let you hand-build SOAP XML — instead, you import a WSDL file via Setup's WSDL2Apex tool, which generates Apex classes representing the SOAP service, and you call methods on those generated classes like any other Apex object.