Why does RecordTypeId appear in SOQL results?

Question:

When I run the following Apex script in the Developer Console:

List<Account> lstAccount = [SELECT Id, Name, BillingStreet FROM Account LIMIT 1];
System.debug(lstAccount);

The debug log includes the RecordTypeId field, even though it wasn’t explicitly queried:

23:47:04:012 USER_DEBUG [5]|DEBUG|(Account:{Id=0019000001nNLGEAA4, Name=Acct_nm001, BillingStreet=xyz Road, RecordTypeId=01290000000iaNiAAI})

However, if I run the same query in the Query Editor, the RecordTypeId column is not shown in the results.

Is this behavior intentional? If so, why doesn’t Salesforce also include audit fields like CreatedDate or LastModifiedDate in Apex queries?

Answer:

In Apex Code, the SOQL engine automatically includes certain fields in query results, even if they are not explicitly specified. These fields include Id and RecordTypeId. This behavior is intentional and by design, as it helps support various internal mechanisms and SObject methods in Salesforce.

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For instance, RecordTypeId might be required for the proper functioning of Visualforce pages that render dynamic picklists based on record types or other runtime operations. This behavior is specific to queries executed through Apex code and does not apply to queries run through the Query Editor or API tools like Workbench.

Additionally, the SOQL engine enforces certain implicit modifications to queries when executed in Apex. These include:

• Automatically adding LIMIT clauses to ensure the query adheres to governor limits.
• Adding IsDeleted = FALSE to filter out deleted records unless ALL ROWS is explicitly specified.

For example, the following two queries in Apex are approximately equivalent:

Account[] accounts1 = [SELECT Id, RecordTypeId, Name FROM Account WHERE IsDeleted = FALSE LIMIT :1+Limits.getLimitQueryRows()-Limits.getQueryRows()];
Account[] accounts2 = [SELECT Name FROM Account];

Code explanation:
The first query explicitly selects Id, RecordTypeId, and Name from Account, while filtering out deleted records with IsDeleted = FALSE and limiting the results dynamically to stay within Apex governor limits using Limits.getLimitQueryRows() and Limits.getQueryRows(). The second query is simpler, only selecting the Name field without explicit filters or limits. However, in Apex, both queries are functionally equivalent, as the SOQL engine automatically applies Id, RecordTypeId, IsDeleted = FALSE, and a dynamic LIMIT clause to enforce system constraints.

The inclusion of RecordTypeId is unique and not mirrored for audit fields like CreatedDate or LastModifiedDate. While there isn’t official documentation explaining this specific behavior, it appears to have evolved to support internal or runtime features in Salesforce.

Summing Up:

In Apex, the SOQL engine automatically includes certain fields like Id and RecordTypeId in query results, even if not explicitly specified, to support internal runtime features and SObject methods. It also enforces implicit filters like IsDeleted = FALSE and adds dynamic LIMIT clauses to ensure queries adhere to governor limits. This behavior, unique to Apex, simplifies runtime operations but differs from how queries behave in tools like the Query Editor, highlighting the specialized nature of SOQL within Apex.

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