2. Webhook Triggers

What it is: Something external (another app, service, or person) sends data into your workflow, and that pings your workflow awake.

When to use it: - A form is submitted on your website → trigger a workflow to process the response - A payment is processed → trigger an email confirmation - A message is posted to a webhook → trigger a Slack notification - An external service (like GitHub) sends an event → trigger a workflow

In Make: Called "Webhook" or "Instant trigger". You create a webhook URL and share it with an external service. When that service posts to the URL, the workflow runs.

In n8n: Called "Webhook". Same concept—create a webhook URL, share it, and it acts as the trigger.

The mindset: Use this when something external decides to trigger your workflow. The workflow isn't watching for anything; it waits for someone or something to push data in. This is for reactive automations—responding to events that happen outside your control.

A note on webhooks: Don't let the term intimidate you. A webhook is just an endpoint (a URL). Another app posts data to that URL, and your workflow wakes up. It's straightforward once you see it in action.