Webhooks

Webhooks are essentially a way for servers to notify clients (e.g., a mobile app) about events or updates without the need for the client to constantly ask (poll) if something has changed. Here’s a breakdown to clarify:

Traditional Polling: In a typical scenario without webhooks, a client might keep asking the server at regular intervals (polling) if there are any updates. This constant asking consumes unnecessary resources and bandwidth.

Using Webhooks: With webhooks, the server can proactively notify the client (mobile app) when an event of interest occurs. In a webhook system, it’s the server that sets up a listening endpoint (webhook URL). The client, or recipient of the webhook, provides this URL to the server.

1. Server Setup: The server (the system that generates events or actions of interest) sets up a webhook. This involves defining an endpoint (a URL on the server) where it will send notifications.
2. Client Registration: The client, or a third-party service, provides this endpoint URL to the server. This registration is often done through some configuration process on the server, where the client specifies where it wants to receive notifications.
3. Event Occurrence: When a relevant event occurs on the server (e.g., a new order is placed), the server sends an HTTP POST request to the registered webhook URL (the client’s endpoint).
4. Client Handling: The client, listening at that endpoint, receives the HTTP POST request, processes the data (payload) sent by the server, and takes appropriate actions based on the received event data. This could involve updating the app, sending a push notification to the user, or any other relevant action. Regarding your mobile app example, if the app is designed to handle webhooks, the server would push notifications or data directly to the app based on certain events. This can trigger various actions in the app or keep the user informed about updates.