Why you should provide Webhooks for your Tech Solutions

A non-technical look at Webhooks and why you may need them

What are Webhooks?

To understand what webhooks are, I think you first need to understand the concept of an API.

API stands for Application Programming Interface. API’s allow applications and platforms to connect with other applications and platforms using a common communication method.

API’s are usually tools built for developers in mind and as the provider of the API, you are allowing your consumers to request (create, read, update or delete) data from your platform platform/application.

Webhooks on the other hand are the reverse of that, sort of. They are providing the consumers with the ability to have a web callback. In a sense, the consumer would register their interest in consuming the webhook and providing them with a callback URL, and when the webhook is triggered, data is delivered to that callback URL.

Real Life Example

We have Company A who have developed a CRM platform and has made that publicly available online in the form of a Software as a Service.

Company A’s development team has also provided webhooks to allow their users to register callbacks for when:

• New employees are added to a list
• Employee information has changed