glossary term · cross business
Webhook
Learn what webhook means through a plain-language definition, a synthetic business example, practical limits, and links to workflow guides.
Definition
A webhook is a way for one system to send an event notification to a receiving address when something happens. The receiving workflow validates and processes that notification. Delivery can be repeated, delayed, or fail, so the design needs authentication, stable event identity, and recovery. Receiving a notification does not prove the resulting business action completed.
Owner example
Synthetic example: An intake service sends a submission event to an approved workflow endpoint. The workflow validates the sender and submission ID before creating a review proposal. Repeated delivery of the same ID must not create another intended action.
Non-example and limitation
Scheduled polling asks the source for changes at intervals; it is not event delivery through a webhook. The n8n intake lesson starts with manually read sheet rows, so using that lesson does not itself establish a webhook integration.
Related terms
Idempotency controls repeated effects. Permissions remain necessary after an event arrives.
Deeper guide and practical link
Read duplicate and retry handling for the fuller explanation. Use the illustrative intake workflow to apply the distinction to a bounded task.
Sources and scope
This is an original editorial definition with a synthetic example, not a report of a tested implementation or business result. Suggest a correction.
Change notes
Foundation draft prepared October 20, 2026. No public publication or successful live-tool test is claimed.
Next learning step: Prevent duplicate records and recover from failed runs