Compare Bulk API 2.0 with the REST API. When would you use each?
Suggested answer
REST API: Best for real-time, record-level CRUD operations — up to 200 records per composite request. JSON or XML. Synchronous response. Use for interactive integrations, UI-driven operations, and low-volume data exchange.
Bulk API 2.0: Designed for large-volume data operations (hundreds of thousands to millions of records). Uses CSV format. Operations are asynchronous — you submit a job, upload CSV data, close the job, and poll for completion.
Job States: Open → UploadComplete → InProgress → JobComplete / Failed / Aborted.
Concurrency Mode: Bulk API 2.0 uses serial processing by default (only one batch per job runs at a time, reducing database contention). Bulk API 1.0 offered parallel mode (multiple batches concurrently) but risked record lock conflicts. Bulk API 2.0 removed the parallel option to improve reliability.
Use Bulk API 2.0 for data migrations, nightly ETL loads, and mass updates. Use REST API for real-time integrations with low record counts.
Practice content for interview preparation; not an official vendor answer. Verify details against current product documentation.
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