Basics
Apex Data Types
Apex Data Types
Apex data types include String Integer and SObject with strong typing.
Introduction to Apex Data Types
Apex is a strongly-typed, object-oriented programming language that uses data types to define the nature of data that can be stored in variables. Understanding these data types is crucial for writing effective and error-free Apex code.
Primitive Data Types
Apex supports several primitive data types, which are the most basic types of data. These include:
- Integer: Used for numeric values without decimal points. Range from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647.
- Double: Represents 64-bit floating-point numbers for decimal values.
- Long: For larger whole numbers, with a range of approximately -9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807.
- Boolean: Represents true or false values.
- String: Used for text strings. Strings in Apex are immutable.
- Date: Represents a date without a time zone.
- Time: Represents a time without a date.
- Datetime: Represents both date and time with a time zone.
- ID: Represents Salesforce object IDs. Immutable and 18 characters long.
Using Primitive Data Types
Complex Data Types
Complex data types in Apex include collections and the sObject type. These allow for more advanced data manipulation:
- List: An ordered collection of elements, which can be primitives, objects, or other collections.
- Set: An unordered collection of unique elements.
- Map: A collection of key-value pairs.
- sObject: The base class for all Salesforce objects. Supports dynamic fields and can be used to represent any object in Salesforce.
Using Complex Data Types
Conclusion
Understanding and using the correct data types in Apex is fundamental for developing efficient and robust Salesforce applications. By leveraging both primitive and complex data types, developers can handle a wide range of data scenarios effectively.
