Generating UUIDs in Apex (Spring 24 Release)

Salesforce’s Spring ’24 release introduced a significant update for Apex developers — the ability to generate Version 4 UUIDs (Universally Unique Identifiers). These UUIDs are created using a cryptographically strong pseudo-random number generator, ensuring unique identifiers for your Salesforce objects. Here’s a quick guide on how to leverage this feature in your Apex code.

Understanding the UUID Class

The new UUID class in Apex is your go-to for generating and working with UUIDs. This class offers various methods for UUID operations:

1. randomUUID(): Generates a random UUID.
2. equals(obj): Compares the UUID instance with another object.
3. hashcode(): Returns the UUID’s hashcode.
4. fromString(string): Creates a UUID instance from a string representation.
5. toString(): Converts a UUID instance to its string representation​​.

Generating a UUID

To generate a UUID in Apex, use the randomUUID() method from the UUID class. Here’s an example:

UUID randomUuid = UUID.randomUUID(); System.debug(randomUuid);

This code snippet generates a UUID and prints it to the debug log. The generated UUID is a 32-character hexadecimal string, uniquely identifying an object.

Converting UUID to String and Vice Versa

You might need to convert UUIDs to strings or create UUIDs from strings. The UUID class provides toString() and fromString(string) methods for these purposes:

// Convert UUID to String String uuidStr = randomUuid.toString();  // Create UUID from String UUID fromStr = UUID.fromString(uuidStr);

Practical Uses in Salesforce

UUIDs are essential for unique identification in distributed systems like Salesforce. They’re perfect for scenarios where you must ensure a record or object has a unique identifier, critical in integrations, data migrations, or custom development.

Conclusion

The introduction of UUID generation in Apex adds a powerful tool for developers working on the Salesforce platform. It streamlines processes that require unique identifiers and enhances data integrity across systems. Start incorporating UUIDs in your Apex code to exploit this robust feature.

Note: The information provided is based on the Salesforce Spring ’24 release notes. Always refer to the latest Apex documentation for up-to-date information and best practices.

Useful Links:

• https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_apex_uuid.htm&release=248&type=5