What are Webhooks and How do they Work?

 Webhooks are a way through which two applications can communicate with each other in real time. It is a mechanism that does send the automatic notification or data updates from one application to another when an event does occur.  

What are Webhooks

You can also say this, a light API this is because it does send the information from one to another application via trigger actions for an updation. But actually, it is completely different from (Application Programming Interface) API since the API does work based on request while webhook works based on event occurrence.

How does it Work?

For getting to know the working procedure of the Webhooks you have to read the following steps that are mentioned below. So, let’s check them.

• Setting up a Webhook:

For getting the notification or data update of any service, you’ve to set a webhook first, on which application you will send the notification or on which you’ll receive it. 

• Event Occurrence:

Once you have set up a webhook then you’ve to wait for the event occurrence since without event occurrence the webhook wouldn’t perform any automatic actions. 

So, the webhook provider (service or server) monitor certain event like user registration, placing an order, file upload, etc, and then perform further steps. 

• Data payload:

When the occurred event got monitored than webhook provider (the application that triggers the information of the event) assembles all relevant data into a payload. 

Usually, data payload (payload refers to data that is sent through the webhook provider to a consumer having occurred event’s information) is formatted in the forms of JSON & XML

• HTTP Post Request:

It is a way through which the webhook provider sends the event occur information to the URL or webhook consumer ( that you mentioned at the of setting up the webhook).

• Receiving and Processing:

In the data payload receiving and processing process, first, the webhook application that hosts the URL does listen to the incoming HTTP Post request. Later on, it does process the data payload based on its type and then updates that’s internal state by taking some specific actions.

Since webhooks are one way of the communication process so the consumer application wouldn’t be able to respond back to the application when it got occurred event information. 

1. Real-time Notification: The receiving and processing process does provide real-time information in the webhook. For example, when someone will subscribe to your service then the webhook will notify your application for a new subscription. 
2. Automation and Integration: Webhook service allows you to integrate with another software application with automated functionality. For example, if you’ve integrated your eCommerce application with Webhook and you have placed an order then your application will be notified for the same
3. Data synchronization: Once the data is updated on an application then the webhook does inform the other connected application about the changes. Later on, ensure consistency of data across multiple services.