Apex Connect API Chatter

Apex Connect Api Chatter

Activate this skill when Apex needs to post to Chatter, reply to a feed item, or @mention a user programmatically. The ConnectApi namespace is the only supported way to produce rich-content posts (mentions, links, files, polls) — direct DML on FeedItem is limited and does NOT support mention rendering.

Before Starting

Gather this context before working on anything in this domain:

• Is Chatter enabled in the org? ConnectApi throws ConnectApi.ConnectApiException if disabled.
• What's the execution context? ConnectApi has strict restrictions in @future and test methods.
• What sort of post? Plain text, text-with-mentions, link, file attachment, poll, or announcement?
• Who's the author? Running user by default; can impersonate only via ConnectApi.ChatterFeeds.postFeedElement parameters in limited cases.

Core Concepts

ConnectApi vs Direct DML On FeedItem

• insert new FeedItem(...) works but produces plain text only. No mentions, no files, no polls.
• ConnectApi.ChatterFeeds.postFeedElement(...) supports the full post capability set (mentions, files, links, polls, announcements).
• Rule: if the post has any rich content, use ConnectApi. Use direct DML only for the simplest text post where capabilities are not needed.

FeedItemInput + MessageBodyInput + MessageSegmentInput

Rich posts are assembled from segments:

• TextSegmentInput — plain text
• MentionSegmentInput — @user or @group
• LinkSegmentInput — inline URL
• HashtagSegmentInput — #topic

Segments are concatenated in order into a MessageBodyInput, which is wrapped in a FeedItemInput.

Test Context Restrictions

• ConnectApi methods throw in synchronous test methods unless Test.setMock(ConnectApi.ConnectApi.class, mock) or the SeeAllData=true annotation is used.
• SeeAllData=true is a code-smell in most orgs; prefer the mock framework.
• @future methods CAN call ConnectApi, but the calls run as the user who enqueued (or the automated user in some contexts) — test this explicitly.

Feed Parent Id Types

Feeds hang off a parent record. Common parent types:

• User Ids (005...) — user's personal feed
• Group Ids (0F9...) — Chatter group
• Record Ids (001... etc.) — any object with feed tracking enabled
• 'me' — shorthand for the running user

Common Patterns

Plain-Text Post With @Mention

When to use: A trigger or service needs to notify an owner by @mentioning them in a record feed.

How it works:

public static void postMentionToRecord(Id recordId, Id userToMention, String message) {
    ConnectApi.FeedItemInput post = new ConnectApi.FeedItemInput();
    ConnectApi.MessageBodyInput body = new ConnectApi.MessageBodyInput();
    body.messageSegments = new List<ConnectApi.MessageSegmentInput>();

    ConnectApi.MentionSegmentInput mention = new ConnectApi.MentionSegmentInput();
    mention.id = userToMention;
    body.messageSegments.add(mention);

    ConnectApi.TextSegmentInput text = new ConnectApi.TextSegmentInput();
    text.text = ' ' + message;
    body.messageSegments.add(text);

    post.body = body;

    ConnectApi.ChatterFeeds.postFeedElement(Network.getNetworkId(), recordId, post);
}

Why not the alternative: insert new FeedItem(Body='@Jane ...') shows literal @Jane text — no notification fires, no link is rendered.

Post With File Attachment

When to use: Uploading a report PDF and posting it to a record feed in one go.

How it works:

ConnectApi.FeedItemInput input = new ConnectApi.FeedItemInput();
ConnectApi.MessageBodyInput body = new ConnectApi.MessageBodyInput();
body.messageSegments = new List<ConnectApi.MessageSegmentInput>{
    new ConnectApi.TextSegmentInput()
};
((ConnectApi.TextSegmentInput) body.messageSegments[0]).text = 'See attached report.';
input.body = body;

ConnectApi.NewFileAttachmentInput file = new ConnectApi.NewFileAttachmentInput();
file.title = 'Weekly Report';
input.capabilities = new ConnectApi.FeedElementCapabilitiesInput();
input.capabilities.content = new ConnectApi.ContentCapabilityInput();
input.capabilities.content.title = file.title;

ConnectApi.BinaryInput binary = new ConnectApi.BinaryInput(
    Blob.valueOf(pdfBytes), 'application/pdf', 'report.pdf');

ConnectApi.ChatterFeeds.postFeedElement(
    Network.getNetworkId(), recordId, input, binary);

Decision Guidance

Recommended Workflow

1. Confirm Chatter is enabled — feature check via FeatureManagement or an admin confirm.
2. Identify feed parent — user, group, or record with feed tracking enabled.
3. Build the FeedItemInput by assembling message segments; handle null/empty text explicitly.
4. Decide sync vs async — post in the current transaction unless you need isolation; if async, write a governor-bounded Queueable.
5. Write tests — Test.setMock(ConnectApi.ConnectApi.class, ...) to avoid real feed writes; assert the payload shape.
6. Test Experience Cloud separately if posts must appear in a partner/customer community — Network.getNetworkId() argument matters.

Review Checklist

• No literal @username strings in FeedItem.Body — mentions are always MentionSegmentInput.
• Network.getNetworkId() (not hardcoded network Id) for community context.
• Tests use Test.setMock(ConnectApi.ConnectApi.class, ...).
• ConnectApi call wrapped in try/catch of ConnectApi.ConnectApiException.
• Messages under Chatter's 10,000 char soft limit.
• File attachments under 2GB / org-specific limit.

Salesforce-Specific Gotchas

1. Chatter off means ConnectApiException — orgs with Chatter disabled throw on every call; feature-flag the code.
2. FeedItem DML cannot render mentions — @Jane appears as literal text, no notification fires.
3. ConnectApi in test requires mocks — SeeAllData=false (the default) blocks real Chatter calls; use Test.setMock or the call throws.
4. Network Id must be passed — omitting or using the wrong community Id posts to the wrong feed silently.
5. Mentions require feed visibility — user must have access to the parent record; otherwise the mention is rendered but no notification fires.
6. Feed tracking must be on — posting to a record whose object lacks feed tracking fails with a specific ConnectApiException.
7. Polls cannot be edited after posting — only deleted and reposted.
8. ConnectApi does NOT call triggers on FeedItem — FeedItem triggers fire on DML, but ConnectApi writes go through a separate path; relying on FeedItem triggers for ConnectApi posts is unreliable.

Data 360 ConnectApi data graph reads (Spring '25–Spring '26)

Chatter is the primary ConnectApi surface for this skill, but teams mixing Data 360 data graphs into Apex should know the ConnectApi.CdpQuery additions (check each method's documented API version):

Earlier APIs expose materialized-view reads only. Version-gate call sites on apiVersion, not org release calendar.

Output Artifacts

Related Skills

• apex-custom-notifications-from-apex — bell notifications (different system from Chatter)
• apex-email-messaging — email outreach (Chatter is not email)
• apex-blob-and-content-version — managing files attached to Chatter posts