Webhook
A real-time HTTP notification sent from one app to another when an event occurs. Unlike polling (checking for changes on a schedule), webhooks are instant a payment processes, Stripe fires a webhook, your CRM updates within milliseconds.
Expert insight
Webhooks are the backbone of modern automation. If a tool doesn't support webhooks, integration is 10× harder.
In a real workflow
Shopify calls your webhook URL each time an order is paid, so fulfilment starts within seconds.
Common mistakes
- Not responding quickly, which makes the sender retry.
- Not verifying who sent the webhook.
Complexity level
Anyone can understand this no technical background needed.
Related terms
API (Application Programming Interface)
A set of rules that allow two software applications to communicate. Most automat…
Trigger
The event that starts an automation. Common triggers: form submission, email rec…
Payload
The data carried by a webhook or API call. When a client fills your contact form…
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More in Core concepts
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Callback URL
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Connector
A pre-built integration module that connects a specific app to an auto…
Go deeper
Guides that cover Webhook
Webhook vs polling: the architecture decision that determines your automation quality.
It is the most overlooked architecture decision in workflow automation, and getting it wrong adds latency, wastes API quota, and creates reliability problems that are painful to fix later.
The Best Typeform Alternatives in 2026: 5 Form Builders Compared on Price, Limits and Features
Tally, Fillout, Jotform, Google Forms and Microsoft Forms compared with Typeform: response limits, real monthly cost at your volume, logic, payments, integrations and a pick for each use case.
Hair Salon Automation: The Complete Booking-to-Rebooking System (2026)
How hair salons cut no-shows below 3%, raise chair utilization 28%, and turn one-off visits into predictable 4-week rebooking cycles, with real workflow logic and n8n code.