Types of Web triggers

Triggers are used to start automations based on specific events. Webhooks and pollers are two fundamental techniques used in triggers to start actions based on specific events. They offer distinct approaches to data retrieval and event handling, each with its own advantages and use cases.

Webhooks: Real-Time Communication

Webhooks are essentially HTTP callbacks. When a specific event occurs within an application, it sends a notification to a predefined callback URL (the webhook). This notification, often in the form of a POST request, contains relevant data about the event.

How Webhooks work:

  1. Subscription: A Control Room subscribes to a webhook by providing a callback URL.
  2. Event Trigger: When a relevant event happens, the service sends an HTTP POST request to the specified URL, containing data about the event.
  3. Action Initiation: The receiving application processes the webhook data and performs the desired actions.

Advantages of Webhooks:

  • Real-time updates: Webhooks provide immediate notifications, ensuring that actions are triggered promptly.
  • Efficiency: They reduce the need for frequent polling, saving resources.
  • Flexibility: Webhooks can be used with various applications and services.

Common Use Cases for Webhooks:

  • ServiceNow Integration: Triggering actions when record is created, updated, queried, or deleted.
  • Customer Support: Automatically routing incoming support tickets to the appropriate team.
  • Marketing Automation: Sending personalized emails based on customer behavior.

Pollers: Periodic Data Retrieval

Pollers are mechanisms that periodically check for changes or updates in a data source. They are often used when real-time notifications are not available or when the frequency of updates is relatively low.

How Pollers work:

  1. Configuration: A poller is configured with the data source URL or API endpoint and the polling interval.
  2. Data Retrieval: The poller periodically makes requests to the data source to retrieve the latest data.
  3. Data Processing: The retrieved data is analyzed to identify changes or updates.
  4. Action Initiation: If changes are detected, the poller triggers the appropriate actions.

Advantages of Pollers:

  • Simplicity: Pollers are relatively straightforward to implement.
  • Reliability: They can be more reliable in certain scenarios, especially when network connectivity is unstable.
  • Flexibility: Pollers can be used with various data sources, including databases, APIs, and files.

Common Use Cases for Pollers:

  • Inventory Management: Regularly checking stock levels and triggering reorder processes.
  • Financial Reporting: Generating periodic reports based on updated financial data.
  • Data Synchronization: Keeping data consistent across different systems.