In the context of Stripe, what is the primary function of a webhook?

The primary function of a webhook in the context of Stripe is to facilitate communication between Stripe and external applications. Webhooks serve as automated messages sent from Stripe to a specified URL on your server, notifying you of certain events or changes that have occurred within your Stripe account, such as successful payments, subscription updates, and other important events related to your financial transactions.

When triggered by an event, a webhook delivers real-time information to your application, allowing it to respond accordingly without requiring the application to constantly poll the Stripe API for updates. This asynchronous communication helps ensure that your application remains in sync with any events processed by Stripe.

By using webhooks effectively, developers can create robust integrations that respond instantly to actions occurring in Stripe, enhancing both the user experience and business processes tied to those events.