A webhook is an automated message sent from one application to another the moment a specific event occurs — rather than one system having to repeatedly ask another "has anything changed yet?", the sending system proactively notifies the receiving one the instant something genuinely happens.
How Webhooks Work
An application is configured with a specific webhook URL. When a defined event occurs — a new order being placed, for instance — the sending system automatically sends a data payload directly to that URL, triggering whatever action the receiving system is set up to take.
Common Webhook Uses in WordPress
- WooCommerce sending order data automatically to an external accounting or fulfillment system
- A payment gateway like Stripe notifying WordPress the instant a payment is successfully completed
- Form submissions automatically triggering an action in a separate CRM or email tool
- Connecting WordPress to automation platforms like Zapier
Webhooks vs. an API
An API generally requires one system to actively request data from another; a webhook instead pushes data automatically the moment something actually happens, without needing to be repeatedly asked. The two often work together in modern integrations, complementing each other.
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