Webhook
A mechanism for one application to send real-time notifications to another via HTTP POST requests when specific events occur. Unlike polling, webhooks push data as soon as events happen, enabling event-driven integrations between systems.
Webhooks invert the traditional request-response model. Instead of the consumer repeatedly asking if something has changed, the producer sends a notification to a pre-configured URL when an event occurs. This eliminates the latency and resource waste of polling while enabling near-real-time integration between services. Webhooks typically include event data in the request body and use HMAC signatures for authentication.
For AI product teams, webhooks are the connective tissue between AI services and the rest of the application. A webhook might trigger when a model finishes processing a batch job, when content moderation flags a submission, or when an AI-generated insight is ready for delivery. Growth teams use webhooks extensively for real-time automation: triggering email sequences when users reach activation milestones, updating CRM records when product usage patterns change, and firing analytics events when AI features generate results. The reliability of webhook delivery is critical, so teams implement retry logic, dead letter queues for failed deliveries, and idempotency to handle duplicate events gracefully.
Related Terms
Content Delivery Network
A geographically distributed network of proxy servers that caches and delivers content from locations closest to end users. CDNs reduce latency, improve load times, and absorb traffic spikes by serving content from edge nodes rather than a single origin server.
Edge Computing
A distributed computing paradigm that processes data closer to the source of generation rather than in a centralized data center. Edge computing reduces latency, conserves bandwidth, and enables real-time processing for latency-sensitive applications.
Serverless Computing
A cloud execution model where the provider dynamically manages server allocation and scaling. Developers deploy functions or containers without provisioning infrastructure, paying only for actual compute time consumed rather than reserved capacity.
Function as a Service
A serverless computing category where developers deploy individual functions that execute in response to events. FaaS platforms like AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Functions, and Azure Functions handle all infrastructure management, scaling each function independently.
Platform as a Service
A cloud computing model that provides a complete development and deployment environment without managing underlying infrastructure. PaaS offerings like Heroku, Vercel, and Google App Engine handle servers, storage, networking, and runtime configuration.
Infrastructure as a Service
A cloud computing model that provides virtualized computing resources over the internet. IaaS offerings like AWS EC2, Google Compute Engine, and Azure Virtual Machines give teams full control over servers, storage, and networking without owning physical hardware.