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Webhooks Definition | Easy Explanation
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You’re craving pizza on a Friday night so you open an app, tap a few buttons, and voilà—30 minutes later, something like this happens.
But have you ever wondered how the app, the restaurant, and the driver sync up with each other so easily?
The answer lies is a behind-the-scenes hero: webhooks (no, it’s not a spiderman reference)
In this blog, we’ll break down what webhooks are, how they work, and why they’re the “undisputed unsung champions” of our on-demand world.
Already know the basics?
Skip to learn how you can set them up.
Webhooks are like kids that ring your doorbell and run away. They’re automated notifications sent from one app to another when something happens. Think of them like a friend texting you the second your favorite band drops a new album—without you having to keep checking their website.
Imagine that you’ve just ordered a package and you want to know if you’re package has already been shipped…
Curious about APIs? Well that’s an entirely different story.
Let’s go through some of the daily scenarios you’ll recognize without a hitch:
Without webhooks: The restaurant staff would manually refresh the app. The driver wouldn’t know when to leave. You’d wonder if your order was even received.
You buy a limited-edition sneaker on Shopify. Here’s what happens behind the scenes:
But what if your Shopify webhook stops working? Long story short — the inventory isn’t updated, orders pile up, and a ton of angry customers ready to leave a bad review.
Remember when people used to “poke” you in Facebook in the good old days, and you’d get notified?
Yup, they managed to ‘poke’/annoy youthat much all tanks to webhooks.
When someone tags you in a photo on Instagram:
Platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn use webhooks all the time to notify businesses about mentions, comments, or job applications in real time.
When you buy concert tickets online:
Companies like Stripe and PayPal use webhooks to notify businesses of payments, refunds, or disputes in real time.For more on automating payments, read our guide to payment gateways
When you actually schedule a Zoom meeting:
Fun fact: Zoom webhooks can even notify you if a participant joins late (we’re looking at you, Dave).
Your Fitbit detects a heart rate spike (say, 70 bpm during a Netflix binge).
A webhook quickly alerts your doctor screaming: “Patient needs a checkup.” And it does this 24/7.
No more manual checks. Example: GitHub uses webhooks to trigger code deployments the second a developer pushes changes.
Human intervention = human error. Webhooks automate workflows flawlessly.
Whether you’re handling 10 orders or 10,000, webhooks work round-the-clock.
Stat Alert: Businesses using automation (including webhooks) report a 40% boost in operational efficiency.
Let’s say you run an online store and want notifications when orders arrive. Here’s a simplified roadmap how you could go about it:
“Whenever a new order is placed.”
Use open-source tools like ngrok for testing or platforms like Konnectify’s iPaaS to skip any coding you might need.
Where should the data go? Your email, Slack channel, or inventory system.
Use mock data to ensure it works.
Pro tip: Always make sure you validate incoming webhooks to avoid fake requests.
By far, the easiest way to create a webhook is to just type it out on Konnectify iPaaS.Here’s how unbeleivably simple it can be-
A Code Snippet on Python would look a little something like this-
Here’s a major Shopify-Specific example to look at
Webhooks Vs. APIs – When to use what
For niche cases, like triggering webhooks on SQL Server feel free to ask for guidance!
As apps get smarter, webhooks will power even more real-time magic:
Webhooks are the quiet glue holding our digital lives together. They’re why you get instant updates, seamless deliveries, and fewer “Where’s my stuff?!” meltdowns.
So start small. Set up a webhook for email notifications or social media alerts. You’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.