RocketMVPRocketMVP
Important for many MVPs

Webhook Implementation for MVPs

Send and receive HTTP callbacks for event-driven integrations with external services.

2-5 days
Typical Timeline
$500 - $2,000
Typical Cost

When to Include

  • Payment provider integration (Stripe, PayPal)
  • Third-party service integration
  • Event-driven architecture
  • Offering webhooks to customers

When to Skip

  • No external service integrations
  • Polling is acceptable alternative

Technology Options

TechnologyProsCons
Svix
Webhook sending infrastructure
  • Managed retries
  • Monitoring
  • Multiple endpoints
  • Signing
  • Additional cost
  • Another dependency
Hookdeck
Webhook infrastructure platform
  • Inbound and outbound
  • Good debugging
  • Transformations
  • Cost at scale
  • Learning curve
Custom Implementation
Build webhook handling yourself
  • Full control
  • No extra cost
  • Simple for basic needs
  • Retry logic needed
  • Security responsibility
  • More code
Bull/BullMQ
Redis-based job queue for Node.js
  • Reliable retries
  • Rate limiting
  • Free
  • Requires Redis
  • More infrastructure

Implementation Steps

1
Design webhook events and payloads
2
Implement signature verification (incoming)
3
Build webhook endpoint handler
4
Add idempotency for duplicate prevention
5
Implement retry logic with backoff
6
Set up monitoring and alerting
7
Create webhook logs for debugging
8
Document webhook specs for consumers

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Not verifying webhook signatures
  • Missing idempotency handling
  • No retry mechanism
  • Synchronous processing (should be async)
  • Not logging webhook events
  • Exposing sensitive data in payloads

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I verify incoming webhooks?

Check the signature header using the shared secret. Most providers (Stripe, GitHub) include HMAC signatures. Never process unverified webhooks.

How should I handle webhook failures?

Return 200 immediately, process async. Implement exponential backoff retries (1min, 5min, 30min). After max retries, alert and queue for manual review.

What should my webhook response time be?

Respond within 30 seconds, ideally under 5. Queue longer processing. Most providers timeout and retry if response is slow.

Related Features

API Development

RESTful or GraphQL APIs for mobile apps, third-party integrations, and frontend-backend communication.

Learn more

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