What does a named credential specify in Salesforce?

A named credential in Salesforce is a key feature that streamlines the process of making callouts to external systems. It specifies both the URL of the endpoint you want to access and the authentication parameters required for that connection. By setting these values in a named credential, developers can simplify the management of credentials and improve security by avoiding hard-coded credentials in the code.

The named credential handles authentication automatically based on the configurations, allowing seamless integration with different external services without needing to manage tokens or passwords directly in the Apex code. This enhances both ease of use and security.

In contrast, other options focus on aspects that are not covered by named credentials. While project names, data access levels, user roles, API quotas, communication protocols, and timeout settings are important considerations in system architecture and design, they do not accurately describe the primary function and purpose of named credentials within Salesforce. Thus, the correct choice highlights the core functionality of named credentials related to endpoint specification and authentication management.