Everybody hates checking their app constantly to see if teammates left new comments or mentions. At Velt, we built webhook integration tech that handles real-time notifications automatically, so you don't have to poll for updates anymore. Unlike traditional systems that constantly ask "did anything happen yet?", our collaboration SDK uses event-driven architecture to push updates the moment they occur, making workflows actually reliable.

TLDR:

• Webhooks are automated HTTP requests triggered by specific events, delivering instant notifications without polling

• Velt webhooks fire real-time events for all collaboration activities including comments, mentions, and thread resolutions

• The system provides enterprise-grade security with token authentication and payload verification

• Rich event data allows sophisticated workflow automation and external system integrations

• Setup requires minimal configuration through Velt's developer console with complete documentation

What Are Webhooks and How Do They Work?

In the simplest terms, webhooks are automated messages sent from apps when something happens. Think of them as instant notifications that one application sends to another when a specific event occurs. Unlike traditional APIs where you constantly check for new data, webhooks deliver information instantly when something happens.

Here's how the process works: when a user performs an action in your app (like adding a comment or mentioning a teammate), the webhook system immediately sends an HTTP POST request to your specified endpoint. This request has detailed information about what happened, who did it, and when it occurred.

The beauty of webhooks lies in their speed. Instead of your server making repeated API calls to check for updates, the webhook system pushes information to you the moment it's relevant. This reduces server load, improves response times, and creates a better user experience.

Why Webhooks Matter for Collaboration SDKs

Webhooks are similar to APIs, but simpler. An API allows two software components to communicate with each other using a set of definitions and protocols. Its a full language for an app with calls to add, edit and retrieve data. The difference is, with a REST API, you have to do the work yourself.

For collaboration features like commenting, presence and notifications, webhooks remove the need to check for new activity. This becomes important when you're building features that require instant responses to user actions.

Consider a typical collaborative workflow: a designer uploads a new mockup, stakeholders leave feedback through comments and the designer needs to handle each piece of feedback. Without webhooks, your system would need to continuously check for new comments, mentions, and status changes. That's inefficient and creates delays.

Modern collaborative applications depend on this event-driven architecture. Users expect immediate feedback when they interact with shared content and webhooks provide the technical foundation for this.

Understanding Velt Webhook Events and Triggers and Payloads

Every webhook Velt sends contains a structured JSON payload with detailed information about the event that occurred. These payloads are designed to be comprehensive, providing rich contextual data about the user, the action, and where it happened in your application.

Because these payloads are so detailed (often 200+ lines of JSON), the best place to explore their full structure is in our official developer documentation. You can find complete examples for every event type in the Velt developer console.

The table below provides a high-level summary of just a few of the key webhook events Velt provides and the type of data included in their payloads.

The payload structure gives rich context for each event. You can customize the behavior of app integrations based on specific triggers, route notifications to different channels based on comment content or integrate with external tools using the information provided from each webhook.

Velt's event system covers scenarios that basic webhook implementations miss. When a user starts a voice huddle, or updates a comment or comment annotation, your system gets immediate notification with actionable data.

Webhook Use Cases

Webhooks automatically connect your apps to share information instantly. Here are common ways teams use them:

• Payment notifications - Send emails when payments fail or bounce.

• Data syncing - Keep customer info updated across all your tools (like CRMs).

• Team mentions - Send personalized notifications when colleagues mention you in comments.

• Project updates - Automatically update task statuses in Jira or Asana when reviews are completed.

• Feedback tracking - Create tickets automatically when stakeholders leave comments.

• Team analytics - Track collaboration patterns and spot workflow bottlenecks.

• Smart alerts - Get notified when projects stall or comment activity drops.

• Custom notifications - Send different messages based on user roles (designers get detailed feedback, managers get progress summaries).

• Usage insights - See which features teams use most and identify power users.

Database syncing - Keep collaboration data accessible across your entire tech stack.

Setting Up Velt Webhooks in Your Application

Getting Velt webhooks up and running in your application takes just a few configuration steps through the developer console. The process is designed to get you from setup to receiving events in minutes, not hours.

First, you'll configure your webhook endpoint URL in the Velt console. This is where Velt will send HTTP POST requests when events occur in your application. The endpoint should be publicly accessible and capable of handling JSON payloads.

The authentication setup uses a straightforward token-based approach. Velt includes an authorization header with each webhook request in the format Basic YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN. This token allows you to validate that requests are coming from Velt and not from unauthorized sources.

Here's a basic webhook endpoint structure:

app.post('/velt-webhook', (req, res) => {
  const authToken = req.headers.authorization;

  // Verify the token matches your configured value
  if (authToken !== `Basic ${YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN}`) {
    return res.status(401).send('Unauthorized');
  }

  const event = req.body;
  // Process the webhook event
  handleVeltEvent(event);

  res.status(200).send('OK');
});

Testing your webhook setup is straightforward through the Velt console. You can trigger test events to verify your endpoint is receiving and processing webhooks correctly. This testing feature helps you debug integration issues before going live.

The webhook configuration supports multiple endpoints if you need to route different event types to different services. For example, you might send comment events to your notification service while routing presence events to your analytics system.

Security and Authentication Features

Velt's webhook security features include:

• Token authentication - Each request includes a Basic YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN to verify legitimate sources

• Payload verification - Cryptographic signatures verify content hasn't been tampered with

• Rate limiting - Prevents spam while making real-time delivery

• IP whitelisting - Enterprise customers can restrict access to specific IP addresses

• Retry logic - Automatically retries failed deliveries with increasing delays

• HTTPS enforcement - All communications are encrypted in transit

• Enterprise integration - Works with existing security infrastructure and compliance requirements

This complete approach to security makes webhooks suitable for applications with strict compliance and security requirements.

FAQ

How quickly do Velt webhooks fire after an event occurs?

Velt webhooks typically fire within milliseconds of the triggering event. The system is designed for real-time delivery, so when a user does something like add a comment or join a huddle, your webhook endpoint receives the notification almost instantly.

Can I filter which events trigger webhooks?

Yes, you can configure webhook filters in the Velt console to only receive events that matter to your application. This reduces noise and helps you focus on the collaboration activities that require automated responses.

What happens if my webhook endpoint is down?

Velt implements automatic retry logic with exponential backoff. If your endpoint is unavailable, the system will attempt redelivery multiple times over an extended period. This makes sure important events aren't lost due to temporary outages.

How do I verify that webhook requests are actually from Velt?

Every webhook request includes an authorization header with your configured auth token. You should verify this token matches your expected value before processing the webhook payload. This prevents unauthorized parties from sending fake events to your endpoint.

Can I use multiple webhook endpoints for different event types?

Absolutely. Velt supports multiple webhook configurations, allowing you to route different event types to different endpoints. This is useful for separating concerns, like sending comment events to your notification service while routing analytics events to your data pipeline.

Conclusion

With Velt's complete webhook system, you get real-time notifications for all meaningful interactions across 25+ collaboration features: from contextual comments and live presence to screen recording and voice huddles. The combination of rich event data, enterprise-grade security and straightforward implementation gives you everything needed for refined collaborative experiences.

Whether you're using Velt's collaboration SDK to build notification systems, workflow automation or analytics dashboards, the detailed context in each webhook allows integrations that feel natural to your users and that's just the start of what you can achieve with Velt.