REST API Developer Guide

Introducing Lightning Platform REST API
Lightning Platform REST Resources
Using Compression
Using Conditional Requests
Using cURL in the REST Examples
Understanding Authentication
Defining Connected Apps
Understanding OAuth Endpoints
How Are Apps Authenticated with the Web Server OAuth Authentication Flow?
Understanding the User-Agent OAuth Authentication Flow
Understanding the Username-Password OAuth Authentication Flow
How Does the OAuth Refresh Token Fit Into the Authentication Flow?
Finding Additional Resources
Use CORS to Access Salesforce Resources from Web Browsers
Quick Start
Examples
Reference
PDF

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Defining Connected Apps

To authenticate using OAuth, you must create a connected app that defines your application’s OAuth settings for the Salesforce organization.

When you develop an external application that needs to authenticate with Salesforce, you need to define it as a new connected app within the Salesforce organization that informs Salesforce of this new authentication entry point.

Use the following steps to create a new connected app.

  1. Use Salesforce to create a new connected app.
    • In Lightning Experience, use the App Manager to create connected apps. From Setup, enter App in the Quick Find box, then select App Manager. Click New Connected App.
    • In Salesforce Classic, from Setup, enter Apps in the Quick Find box, then select Apps (under Build | Create). Under Connected Apps, click New.
  2. Enter the name of your application.
  3. Enter the contact email information, as well as any other information appropriate for your application.
  4. Select Enable OAuth Settings.
  5. Enter a Callback URL. Depending on which OAuth flow you use, this is typically the URL that a user’s browser is redirected to after successful authentication. As this URL is used for some OAuth flows to pass an access token, the URL must use secure HTTP (HTTPS) or a custom URI scheme. Separate multiple callback URLs with line breaks.

    The callback URL field has a limit of 2000 characters, cumulatively. If you enter several URLs and they exceed this limit, configure another connected app to manage more callback URLs.

  6. Add all supported OAuth scopes to Selected OAuth Scopes. These scopes refer to permissions given by the user running the connected app.
  7. Enter a URL for Info URL. This is where the user can go for more information about your application.
  8. Click Save. The Consumer Key is created and displayed, and the Consumer Secret is created (click the link to reveal it).

Once you define a connected app, you use the consumer key and consumer secret to authenticate your application. See Creating a Connected App in the Salesforce online help for specific steps to create a connected app for the type of authentication you need.