What is Webhook?

If you are already automating your business or are just planning, then you have probably already come across this obscure term. So, many are wondering what are Webhooks? In this article, we will tell you in the simplest possible words what this Webhook means.

Content
1. What is Webbhook used for
2. How Webhooks work
3. Webhooks and Apix-Drive

Today, many people already know about the API - this term hides what can be described as a special language that programs use to communicate with each other. Using the API, one application can send a request to another in order to receive in response (also using the API) any required information.

Webhook is also used to allow different systems to exchange information with each other. But "communication" here occurs on a different principle. This mechanism was specially created in order to simplify the procedure for notification of various events – changing settings, adding a new user, deleting a message, etc.

The principle of the webhook is that as soon as an event occurs, a corresponding notification is immediately sent about it. And, if in the case of an API application that needs information, it must constantly send requests like “did it already happen?”. Then when using Webhook, it simply waits for the appropriate notification. The only thing required is to specify which messages to send and where.

In other words, the difference in the operation of the API and Webhook can be described with the phrase “no need to constantly ask me if this event happened, as soon as it happens, I will report it myself.” This is a very simple description, but it conveys the general principle of how webhooks work.

It remains only to add that the term Webhook appeared relatively recently. It was first used in 2007 by programmer Jeff Lindsay, who developed this technology. When creating a new word, he took as a basis the term “Hook”, which programmers use to describe the technology for making changes to the standard behavior of the system.

Establishing integration between systems, we actively use both API and Webhooks. A classic example – integration with website builder was implemented through "webhooks". Thanks to this, you can receive notifications about a variety of actions of visitors to the site you created. For example, as soon as a new buyer leaves a request through the form, his contacts will be automatically send into your CRM system. Webhooks are also used to integrate with other website builders like Wix.

Other examples of using Webhook are IP-telephony services, marketing quiz builders, and chatbot builders. In fact, there are many more such examples. But the main thing here is not the number of systems, but the simplicity of their connection for the end user.

In order to establish integration with any of these services, you do not need to understand the deep principles of the Webhook technology. The lack of such knowledge will in no way prevent you from establishing connections between a wide variety of systems, by doing this simply in a few clicks. And no third-party developers, no specialized knowledge is required.

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