Glossary
Webhook
In short
A webhook is how one app tells another that something just happened: it automatically sends the details to a web address the moment the event occurs, such as "a form was submitted" or "a payment went through".
Instead of one system repeatedly asking another whether anything has changed, the system where the event happens pushes a message out straight away. The receiving end (an automation tool, a CRM, custom code) reads the details and acts on them.
Webhooks are the glue behind most real-time automations: a website form that instantly creates a CRM contact, a booking that triggers a confirmation text, a finished call that sends its summary to your inbox.
Because a webhook arrives as a request from outside, the receiving end should check it really came from the expected sender.
A worked example
When a customer pays an invoice through Stripe, Stripe sends a webhook to the business's system. Within a second the invoice is marked paid in the CRM, a thank-you email goes out and the project moves to "ready to start" — without anyone checking the payment dashboard.
When it is the right tool, and when it isn't
Use webhooks when something must happen the moment an event occurs. For a nightly report or a weekly export, a scheduled job is simpler.
Common questions
What is the difference between a webhook and an API?
With an API, your system asks another one for information. With a webhook, the other system tells yours when something happens. Most automations use both.
Are webhooks secure?
They can be. The receiving end should check a signature or a secret, so only genuine messages are acted on.
What happens if a webhook fails?
Many services retry for a while. A good setup also logs failures, so a missed event can be replayed instead of lost.
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