Webhooks & APIs are two important tools in the world of software development, but they often get confused with one another. While they both facilitate communication between different systems and applications, they work in different ways and are used for different purposes. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at webhooks and APIs, how they work, and when to use each. By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of the differences between webhooks and APIs, and you’ll be able to choose the right tool for your specific needs.
How Webhooks Work
Webhooks are a way for one system to send data to another system in real-time, as it happens. They operate on the principle of “event-driven programming,” meaning that they are triggered by specific events or changes within a system. When one of these events occurs, the system sends a message, or “payload,” to a pre-determined URL, which can be owned by a different system (Source: Twilio). This payload contains data about the event that occurred, which the receiving system can then process and use as needed.
