---
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title: Introducing Tooling API
collection: legacydeveloper
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/legacydeveloper/current/en-us/api_tooling/intro_api_tooling.md
canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_tooling.meta/api_tooling/intro_api_tooling.htm
source_site: developer.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
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description: Use Tooling API to build custom development tools or apps for Lightning Platform applications. Tooling API’s SOQL capabilities for many metadata types allow you to retrieve smaller pieces of metadata. Smaller retrieves improve performance, which makes Tooling API a better fit for developing interactive applications.Tooling API provides SOAP and REST interfaces.
---
# Introducing Tooling API

Use Tooling API to build custom development tools or apps for Lightning Platform applications. Tooling API’s SOQL capabilities for many metadata types allow you to retrieve smaller pieces of metadata. Smaller retrieves improve performance, which makes Tooling API a better fit for developing interactive applications.Tooling API provides SOAP and REST interfaces.

For example, you can:

- Add features and functionality to your existing Lightning Platform tools.
- Build dynamic modules for Lightning Platform development into your enterprise integration tools.
- Build specialized development tools for a specific application or service.

Tooling API exposes metadata used in developer tooling that you can access through REST or SOAP.

For detailed descriptions of Tooling API objects and the REST resources and SOAP calls that each object supports, see [Tooling API Objects](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_tooling.meta/api_tooling/reference_objects_list.htm).

- **[When to Use Tooling API](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_tooling.meta/api_tooling/intro_tasks.htm)**  
    Use Tooling API when you need fine-grained access to an org’s metadata. Tooling API’s SOQL capabilities for many metadata types allow you to retrieve smaller pieces of metadata. Smaller retrieves improve performance, which makes Tooling API a better fit for developing interactive applications.
- **[Tooling API Release Notes](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_tooling.meta/api_tooling/tooling_rns.htm)**  
    Use the Salesforce Release Notes to learn about the most recent updates and changes to Tooling API.
- **[REST Overview](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_tooling.meta/api_tooling/intro_rest_overview.htm)**  
    Use REST if you’re using a language that isn’t strongly typed, like JavaScript.
- **[API End-of-Life Policy](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_tooling.meta/api_tooling/tooling_api_eol.htm)**  
    See which Tooling REST and SOAP API versions are supported, unsupported, or unavailable.