What is WSDL2Apex used for in Salesforce?

WSDL2Apex is a tool in Salesforce specifically designed for generating Apex code based on a WSDL (Web Services Description Language) document. When a developer needs to integrate with external web services, they provide a WSDL file that describes the service, including the available methods, input and output parameters, and other necessary details. WSDL2Apex processes this WSDL file and creates the corresponding Apex classes, allowing developers to easily invoke the web service operations directly within Salesforce, streamlining the integration process.

This capability is essential for ensuring that the integrated services are closely aligned with the data structures and needs of the Salesforce environment, enabling seamless communication between systems. By generating Apex code from a WSDL document, WSDL2Apex eliminates the need for developers to manually parse WSDL files and write the integration code from scratch, thereby reducing the potential for errors and speeding up the development process.