What does webhook mean in software engineering?

A webhook is an automated HTTP callback that one application sends to another when a specific event occurs. It is a way for services to push real-time data to your application instead of your application constantly asking for updates. For example, when you receive payment through Stripe, Stripe sends a webhook to your server with the payment details.

How do you use webhook in a sentence at work?

You can use it like: We configured a webhook to receive notifications from the payment provider. We need to validate the webhook signature to ensure security. The webhook payload includes all the order information. Each sentence describes a practical aspect of working with webhooks in development.

Is webhook formal or informal?

Webhook is neutral and technical. It is used in both formal documentation and casual team conversations. You might say it in a standup meeting, a code review, or in technical specifications—it is appropriate in all professional tech contexts.

What is the difference between a webhook and an API?

An API is a general interface where your application makes requests to another service and waits for a response. A webhook is a specific type of integration where another service pushes data to your application when an event occurs. Webhooks are event-driven and do not require polling, while APIs are request-response based.

Why are webhooks important in modern applications?

Webhooks enable real-time communication between services without constant polling, which saves resources and reduces latency. They are essential for building responsive integrations, automating workflows, and keeping systems synchronized. Most modern SaaS platforms like Stripe, GitHub, and Slack use webhooks for their integrations.

webhook meaning in tech — Speak Tech English

Commonness	4/5
Versatility	4/5
Formality	CasualFormalNeutral
Spoken ↔ Written	SpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ Diplomatic	DirectDiplomaticDirect
Region	US and UK

Say it like this

✓We need to configure webhooks for the Stripe integration

✓I will set up a webhook to listen for deployment events

✓The webhook payload contains all the order details

Real examples

in a standup

"We integrated Slack webhooks so the team gets notified whenever a critical error is logged in production."

in a code review

"Make sure to validate the webhook signature before processing the request, otherwise we have a security vulnerability."

in a team meeting

"The webhook from GitHub automatically triggers our CI pipeline every time someone pushes code to main."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Webhooks are not the same as APIs. Webhooks are event-driven callbacks, while APIs are general interfaces for making requests. Do not use these terms interchangeably.

✕We use webhooks to request data from the API.

✓We use webhooks to receive real-time notifications when events occur.— Webhooks receive pushed data, they do not request data. That would be an API call.

✕Our system is polling the webhook every 5 seconds.

✓Our system is listening for webhooks from the payment provider.— Webhooks push data to you; you do not poll them. Polling is used with APIs.

✕We sent a webhook to update their database.

✓We triggered a webhook that sends data to their system.— You do not send webhooks; services send webhooks to your endpoint when events occur.

Other forms

noun

webhook

"The webhook endpoint must handle HTTP POST requests."

noun

webhooks (plural)

"We are setting up multiple webhooks for different event types."

verb

webhook (used as verb in technical contexts)

"We webhook the notification to our logging system."

Often used with

configure webhooksSet up or arrange webhooks for a specific service

webhook endpointThe URL address where the webhook data will be sent

webhook payloadThe data or information sent in the webhook request

webhook signatureA security verification that confirms the webhook came from the legitimate source

listen for webhooksHave your system ready and waiting to receive webhook notifications

trigger a webhookCause an event that sends a webhook notification

Similar words

callbackA general term for functions called in response to events. Webhooks are HTTP-based callbacks.

push notificationWebhooks push data to your system, but push notifications typically refer to mobile app notifications.

event streamA continuous flow of events. Webhooks are one way to receive event data.

Opposites

pollingrequest-response

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Pick the most natural phrasing

1. Your company wants to receive instant notifications from Stripe when payments succeed. Which is the best way to describe this?

We configured a webhook endpoint to receive payment notifications from Stripe.We are polling Stripe webhooks every second.We requested Stripe to send us webhook data.We sent webhooks to Stripe for each payment.

Complete the sentence

2. When a user signs up, our system receives a _______ that contains their email and registration timestamp.

Spot the mistake

3. Which sentence uses webhook incorrectly?

The webhook signature ensures the request came from the trusted service.We poll the webhook endpoint every minute for updates.The GitHub webhook automatically triggers our deployment pipeline.We need to handle the webhook payload in our handler function.

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite in technical English: We want our system to know immediately when something happens in the other system without constantly asking it.

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "webhook" in a standup this week?

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