Quick guide to choosing between SOQL and SOSL — when to use each, key differences, and practical examples for Salesforce admins and developers.
What this guide covers
This post explains the differences between SOQL (Salesforce Object Query Language) and SOSL (Salesforce Object Search Language), highlights common use cases, and shows short code examples so you can pick the right tool for your needs.
SOQL — precise queries for structured data
SOQL is Salesforce’s query language for retrieving records from one or more objects with filters, sorting, relationship queries, and aggregations. Use SOQL when you know which object and fields you need and you want structured, tabular results.
Use cases for SOQL
- Retrieve records from a single object or related objects (relationship queries).
- Apply filters, ORDER BY, and aggregate functions like COUNT(), SUM(), AVG().
- Build reports, batch processing, or any flow where exact field values matter.
// Simple SOQL query to fetch account records List<Account> accounts = [SELECT Id, Name FROM Account WHERE Industry = 'Tech' ORDER BY Name];
SOSL — fast text searching across multiple objects
SOSL is designed for full-text searches across multiple objects and fields. Use SOSL when you need to search for keywords or partial text across objects (e.g., when users enter a search term and you don’t know which object or field contains it).
Use cases for SOSL
- Keyword or wildcard text searches across multiple objects and fields.
- Quick, broad searches for user-driven search experiences (global search-like behavior).
- When performance benefits from a full-text index rather than many targeted queries.
// Simple SOSL query to search across multiple objects List<List<SObject>> searchResults = [FIND 'tech*' IN ALL FIELDS RETURNING Account(Id, Name), Contact(Id, FirstName, LastName)];
Key differences at a glance
- Scope: SOQL targets specific object fields; SOSL searches text across multiple objects and fields.
- Result format: SOQL returns structured records; SOSL returns a list of lists of SObjects.
- Aggregations: SOQL supports aggregations; SOSL does not.
- When unsure: Use SOSL for broad text search; use SOQL for precise data retrieval and manipulation.
Practical tips
- Prefer SOQL for reports, batch jobs, or any logic that relies on exact field values and relationships.
- Prefer SOSL for search boxes, fuzzy matching, and when you need to search across many objects quickly.
- Be mindful of governor limits: design queries efficiently and avoid unnecessary scans.
Why this matters
Choosing the right query language improves performance, reduces complexity, and ensures your Apex, flows, and integrations return correct results with fewer governor-limit issues. For Salesforce admins and developers, knowing when to use SOQL vs SOSL leads to cleaner, faster solutions.
Categories: Salesforce