Webhook
A webhook is an HTTP callback mechanism where a system sends an automated HTTP request to a specified URL whenever a defined event occurs, enabling real-time notification and integration between services without polling.
Understanding Webhook
Webhooks are often called 'reverse APIs.' Instead of your application periodically asking a service 'has anything changed?' (polling), the service proactively calls your application when something changes. This event-driven model is more efficient and more real-time.
A webhook is set up by providing a URL to the service you want to receive events from. When the event occurs (a new email arrives, a payment succeeds, a task is completed, a form is submitted), the service sends an HTTP POST request to your URL with a payload describing the event. Your server processes the payload and takes action.
Webhooks power most modern integrations. When a GitHub PR is merged, GitHub sends a webhook to your CI system. When a Stripe payment succeeds, Stripe webhooks trigger order fulfillment. When a Calendly event is booked, Calendly webhooks can trigger CRM updates.
Webhook reliability requires handling failure cases: retries when the receiving server is down, signature verification to confirm the webhook is authentic, idempotency to handle duplicate deliveries, and queue-based processing to handle high event volumes.
How GAIA Uses Webhook
GAIA watches connected tools through integration triggers. When a new email arrives in Gmail, a task is updated in Linear, or a Calendly event is booked, GAIA picks up the change — typically within a minute — so it can act by creating a task, sending a notification, or triggering a workflow.
Related Concepts
API Integration
API integration is the process of connecting different software applications through their Application Programming Interfaces, enabling them to share data and functionality directly.
Event-Driven Automation
Event-driven automation (also called event-based automation) runs a workflow the moment something happens, such as a new email arriving, an issue being created or a row being added to a spreadsheet, instead of at a fixed time. Each automation pairs a trigger event with the actions to take, and the system where the event happened notifies the automation platform, usually through a webhook.
Workflow Automation
Workflow automation is the use of technology to execute repeatable business processes and tasks automatically, reducing manual effort and human error.
Trigger-Action Automation
Trigger-action automation is a pattern in which a defined event (the trigger) automatically initiates one or more downstream actions, enabling event-driven workflows that operate without human initiation.
REST API
A REST (Representational State Transfer) API is a web service interface that uses standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH) to access and manipulate resources identified by URLs, following a set of architectural conventions that make APIs predictable and interoperable.
Idempotency
Idempotency is a property of an operation where executing it multiple times produces the same result as executing it once — making it safe to retry without causing unintended side effects.
