> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://blog.jestor.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# What Is a Webhook and When Should You Use One?
- URL: https://blog.jestor.com/what-is-a-webhook/
- Published: 2026-09-17T22:32:41.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-17T22:32:41.000Z
- Author: Bruno Bannach

A **webhook** sends a notification to another system the moment something happens. Where an API call means you ask for information, a webhook means you are told.

## Why the direction matters

The two approaches suit opposite situations, and using the wrong one produces either delay or wasted requests.

- Polling an API repeatedly to check whether anything changed
- Delays between an event and the system reacting to it
- Load created by checks that mostly find nothing
- Events missed entirely between polling intervals

## API, webhook, or native automation

| Method                | Direction              | Suits                             |
| --------------------- | ---------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| **API call**          | You call the platform  | Reading or writing on demand      |
| **Webhook**           | The platform calls you | Reacting to events as they happen |
| **Native automation** | Inside the platform    | Anything already covered natively |

## How to use them in Jestor

1. Check the native automation library in **Jestor** first — over 400 are available.
2. Use the open **API** for reading and writing from your own system.
3. Configure webhooks for events your system needs to react to immediately.
4. Use the SDK for your stack — Python, PHP, and .NET are supported.
5. Trace API-driven changes in the table history, where the source is recorded.

## Why choose Jestor for event-driven integration?

**Jestor** states the principle plainly: any system with an open API can be integrated, which keeps the platform from becoming a boundary around your operation.

Because the table history records whether a change came from a user, an automation, or the API, an integration writing unexpected data is identified immediately rather than mistaken for a user error.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How is a webhook different from an API call?

A webhook is pushed to you; an API call is one you make. See [jestor.com](https://jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com).

### Do I need either for common integrations?

Often not — over 400 automations are native.

### Can I trace changes made through the API?

Yes, the source is recorded in the table history.

## Video Tutorial: Step by Step

Check out other practical tutorials on the Jestor YouTube channel.

## Get to know Jestor

With **Jestor**, you can automate workflows, connect teams, and build internal systems your way — all without code and powered by **AI**. Discover Jestor at [jestor.com](https://jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com) and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.