Webhooks Overview

You can listen to events using webhooks, SQS or SNS. When setting up a webhook you can specify the exact events you want to receive, or select to receive all events.

To ensure that a webhook is triggered by Stream you can verify it’s signature. Webhook retries are in place. If you want to ensure an outage in your API never loses an event, it’s better to use SQS or SNS for reliability.

Quick Start

Here’s how to quickly set up webhooks using the event_hooks configuration:

Subscribe to Specific Events

// Subscribe to message.new and message.updated events only
await client.updateAppSettings({
  event_hooks: [
    {
      enabled: true,
      hook_type: "webhook",
      webhook_url: "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages",
      event_types: ["message.new", "message.updated"],
    },
  ],
});

# Subscribe to message.new and message.updated events only
client.update_app_settings(
    event_hooks=[
        {
            "enabled": True,
            "hook_type": "webhook",
            "webhook_url": "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages",
            "event_types": ["message.new", "message.updated"]
        }
    ]
)

# Subscribe to message.new and message.updated events only
client.update_app_settings(
    event_hooks: [
        {
            "enabled" => true,
            "hook_type" => "webhook",
            "webhook_url" => "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages",
            "event_types" => ["message.new", "message.updated"]
        }
    ]
)

// Subscribe to message.new and message.updated events only
$client->updateAppSettings([
    'event_hooks' => [
        [
            'enabled' => true,
            'hook_type' => 'webhook',
            'webhook_url' => 'https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages',
            'event_types' => ['message.new', 'message.updated']
        ]
    ]
]);

// Subscribe to message.new and message.updated events only
webhookHook := EventHook{
    HookType:   WebhookHook,
    Enabled:    true,
    EventTypes: []string{"message.new", "message.updated"},
    WebhookURL: "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages",
}

_, err := client.UpdateAppSettings(ctx, NewAppSettings().SetEventHooks([]EventHook{webhookHook}))

// Subscribe to message.new and message.updated events only
App.EventHook webhookHook = new App.EventHook();
webhookHook.setHookType(App.HookType.WEBHOOK);
webhookHook.setEnabled(true);
webhookHook.setEventTypes(Arrays.asList("message.new", "message.updated"));
webhookHook.setWebhookURL("https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages");

App.update().eventHooks(Arrays.asList(webhookHook)).request();

// Subscribe to message.new and message.updated events only
var webhookHook = new EventHook
{
    HookType = HookType.Webhook,
    Enabled = true,
    EventTypes = new List<string> { "message.new", "message.updated" },
    WebhookUrl = "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages"
};

await client.UpdateAppSettingsAsync(new AppSettingsRequest
{
    EventHooks = new List<EventHook> { webhookHook }
});

Subscribe to All Events

Use an empty event_types array to receive all existing and future events:

// Subscribe to all events (empty array = all events)
await client.updateAppSettings({
  event_hooks: [
    {
      enabled: true,
      hook_type: "webhook",
      webhook_url: "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/all",
      event_types: [], // empty array = all events
    },
  ],
});

# Subscribe to all events (empty list = all events)
client.update_app_settings(
    event_hooks=[
        {
            "enabled": True,
            "hook_type": "webhook",
            "webhook_url": "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/all",
            "event_types": []  # empty list = all events
        }
    ]
)

# Subscribe to all events (empty array = all events)
client.update_app_settings(
    event_hooks: [
        {
            "enabled" => true,
            "hook_type" => "webhook",
            "webhook_url" => "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/all",
            "event_types" => [] # empty array = all events
        }
    ]
)

// Subscribe to all events (empty array = all events)
$client->updateAppSettings([
    'event_hooks' => [
        [
            'enabled' => true,
            'hook_type' => 'webhook',
            'webhook_url' => 'https://example.com/webhooks/stream/all',
            'event_types' => [] // empty array = all events
        ]
    ]
]);

// Subscribe to all events (empty slice = all events)
webhookHook := EventHook{
    HookType:   WebhookHook,
    Enabled:    true,
    EventTypes: []string{}, // empty slice = all events
    WebhookURL: "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/all",
}

_, err := client.UpdateAppSettings(ctx, NewAppSettings().SetEventHooks([]EventHook{webhookHook}))

// Subscribe to all events (empty list = all events)
App.EventHook webhookHook = new App.EventHook();
webhookHook.setHookType(App.HookType.WEBHOOK);
webhookHook.setEnabled(true);
webhookHook.setEventTypes(Collections.emptyList()); // empty list = all events
webhookHook.setWebhookURL("https://example.com/webhooks/stream/all");

App.update().eventHooks(Arrays.asList(webhookHook)).request();

// Subscribe to all events (empty list = all events)
var webhookHook = new EventHook
{
    HookType = HookType.Webhook,
    Enabled = true,
    EventTypes = new List<string>(), // empty list = all events
    WebhookUrl = "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/all"
};

await client.UpdateAppSettingsAsync(new AppSettingsRequest
{
    EventHooks = new List<EventHook> { webhookHook }
});

Debugging webhook requests with NGROK

The easiest way to debug webhooks is with NGROK.

1. Start NGROK

brew install ngrok
ngrok http 8000

2. Update your webhook URL to the NGROK url

3. Trigger a webhook

4. Open up the ngrok inspector

http://127.0.0.1:4040/inspect/http

Handling the webhook

A few guidelines for the webhook handling

• Webhooks should accept HTTP POST requests with JSON payloads
• Response code should be 2xx
• Webhook should be ready to accept the same call multiple times: in case of network or remote server failure Stream Chat could retry the request
• It’s important to validate the signature, so you know the request originated from Stream
• Support HTTP Keep-Alive
• Use HTTPS

The example below shows how to log the message new and verify the request

// first argument is the request body as a string, second the signature header
const valid = client.verifyWebhook(req.rawBody, req.headers["x-signature"]);

import stream_chat

client = StreamChat(api_key="STREAM_KEY", api_secret="STREAM_SECRET")

# Django request
valid = client.verify_webhook(request.body, request.META['HTTP_X_SIGNATURE'])

# Flask request
valid = client.verify_webhook(request.data, request.headers['X-SIGNATURE'])

require 'stream-chat'

client = StreamChat::Client.new(api_key='STREAM_KEY', api_secret='STREAM_SECRET')

# signature comes from the HTTP header x-signature
valid = client.verify_webhook(request_body, signature)

$client = new GetStream\StreamChat\Client("STREAM_API_KEY", "STREAM_API_SECRET");

// signature comes from the HTTP header x-signature
$valid = $client->verifyWebhook($requestBody, $signature);

client, _ := stream.NewClient(APIKey, []byte(APISecret))

// signature comes from the HTTP header x-signature
isValid := client.VerifyWebhook(body, signature)

// signature comes from the HTTP header x-signature
appClient.VerifyWebhook(requestBody, signature);

// signature comes from the HTTP header x-signature
var valid = App.verifyWebhook(body, signature);

All webhook requests contain these headers:

Webhook types

In addition to the above there are 3 special webhooks.

Configuration

Before Message Send and Custom Commands

These webhooks continue to use the original configuration method and are NOT part of the multi-event hooks system:

• Before Message Send: before_message_send_hook_url
• Custom Commands: custom_action_handler_url

await client.updateAppSettings({
  before_message_send_hook_url:
    "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/before-message-send", // sets Before Message Send webhook address
  custom_action_handler_url:
    "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/custom-commands?type={type}", // sets Custom Commands webhook address
});

client.update_app_settings(
    before_message_send_hook_url="https://example.com/webhooks/stream/before-message-send", # sets Before Message Send webhook address
    custom_action_handler_url="https://example.com/webhooks/stream/custom-commands?type={type}", # sets Custom Commands webhook address
)

client.update_app_settings(
 before_message_send_hook_url: "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/before-message-send", # sets Before Message Send webhook address
 custom_action_handler_url: "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/custom-commands?type={type}", # sets Custom Commands webhook address
)

$settings = [
 "before_message_send_hook_url" => "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/before-message-send", // sets Before Message Send webhook address
 "custom_action_handler_url" => "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/custom-commands?type={type}", // sets Custom Commands webhook address
];
$client->updateAppSettings($settings);

App
 .update()
 .beforeMessageSendHookUrl("https://example.com/webhooks/stream/before-message-send") // sets Before Message Send webhook address
 .customActionHandlerUrl("https://example.com/webhooks/stream/custom-commands?type={type}") // sets Custom Commands webhook address
 .request();

await appClient.UpdateAppSettingsAsync(new AppSettingsRequest
{
  BeforeMessageSendHookUrl = "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/before-message-send", // sets Before Message Send webhook address
  CustomActionHandlerUrl = "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/custom-commands?type={type}", // sets Custom Commands webhook address
});

settings := &AppSettings{
	BeforeMessageSendHookURL: "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/before-message-send", // sets Before Message Send webhook address
	CustomActionHandlerURL:  "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/custom-commands?type={type}", // sets Custom Commands webhook address
}

client.UpdateAppSettings(ctx, settings)

Push webhook

The example below shows how to use the push webhooks

// Note: Any previously existing hooks not included in event_hooks array will be deleted.
// Get current settings first to preserve your existing configuration.

// STEP 1: Get current app settings to preserve existing hooks
const response = await client.getAppSettings();
console.log("Current event hooks:", response.event_hooks);

// STEP 2: Add webhook hook while preserving existing hooks
const existingHooks = response.event_hooks || [];
const newWebhookHook = {
  enabled: true,
  hook_type: "webhook",
  webhook_url: "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push",
  event_types: [], // empty array = all events
};

// STEP 3: Update with complete array including existing hooks
await client.updateAppSettings({
  event_hooks: [...existingHooks, newWebhookHook],
});

// Test the webhook connection
await client.testWebhookSettings({
  webhook_url: "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push",
});

# Note: Any previously existing hooks not included in event_hooks array will be deleted.
# Get current settings first to preserve your existing configuration.

# STEP 1: Get current app settings to preserve existing hooks
response = client.get_app_settings()
existing_hooks = response.get("event_hooks", [])
print("Current event hooks:", existing_hooks)

# STEP 2: Add webhook hook while preserving existing hooks
new_webhook_hook = {
    "enabled": True,
    "hook_type": "webhook",
    "webhook_url": "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push",
    "event_types": []  # empty array = all events
}

# STEP 3: Update with complete array including existing hooks
client.update_app_settings(
    event_hooks=existing_hooks + [new_webhook_hook]
)

# Test the webhook connection
client.check_push("https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push")

# Note: Any previously existing hooks not included in event_hooks array will be deleted.
# Get current settings first to preserve your existing configuration.

# STEP 1: Get current app settings to preserve existing hooks
response = client.get_app_settings
existing_hooks = response["event_hooks"] || []
puts "Current event hooks:", existing_hooks

# STEP 2: Add webhook hook while preserving existing hooks
new_webhook_hook = {
  "enabled" => true,
  "hook_type" => "webhook",
  "webhook_url" => "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push",
  "event_types" => [] # empty array = all events
}

# STEP 3: Update with complete array including existing hooks
client.update_app_settings(
  event_hooks: existing_hooks + [new_webhook_hook]
)

# Test the webhook connection
client.check_push('https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push')

// Note: Any previously existing hooks not included in event_hooks array will be deleted.
// Get current settings first to preserve your existing configuration.

// STEP 1: Get current app settings to preserve existing hooks
$response = $client->getAppSettings();
$existingHooks = $response['event_hooks'] ?? [];
echo "Current event hooks: " . json_encode($existingHooks);

// STEP 2: Add webhook hook while preserving existing hooks
$newWebhookHook = [
    'enabled' => true,
    'hook_type' => 'webhook',
    'webhook_url' => 'https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push',
    'event_types' => [] // empty array = all events
];

// STEP 3: Update with complete array including existing hooks
$client->updateAppSettings([
    'event_hooks' => array_merge($existingHooks, [$newWebhookHook])
]);

// Test the webhook connection
$client->checkPush([
    'webhook_url' => 'https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push'
]);

// Note: Any previously existing hooks not included in event_hooks array will be deleted.
// Get current settings first to preserve your existing configuration.

// STEP 1: Get current app settings to preserve existing hooks
settings, err := client.GetAppSettings(ctx)
if err != nil {
    log.Fatal(err)
}
existingHooks := settings.App.EventHooks
fmt.Printf("Current event hooks: %+v\n", existingHooks)

// STEP 2: Add webhook hook while preserving existing hooks
newWebhookHook := EventHook{
    HookType:   WebhookHook,
    Enabled:    true,
    EventTypes: []string{}, // empty slice = all events
    WebhookURL: "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push",
}

// STEP 3: Update with complete array including existing hooks
allHooks := append(existingHooks, newWebhookHook)
_, err = client.UpdateAppSettings(ctx, NewAppSettings().SetEventHooks(allHooks))
if err != nil {
    log.Fatal(err)
}

// Test the webhook connection
req := &CheckPushRequest{
    WebhookURL: "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push",
}
client.CheckPush(ctx, req)

// Note: Any previously existing hooks not included in event_hooks array will be deleted.
// Get current settings first to preserve your existing configuration.

// STEP 1: Get current app settings to preserve existing hooks
App.AppGetResponse response = App.get().request();
List<App.EventHook> existingHooks = response.getApp().getEventHooks();
System.out.println("Current event hooks: " + existingHooks);

// STEP 2: Add webhook hook while preserving existing hooks
App.EventHook newWebhookHook = new App.EventHook();
newWebhookHook.setHookType(App.HookType.WEBHOOK);
newWebhookHook.setEnabled(true);
newWebhookHook.setEventTypes(Collections.emptyList()); // empty list = all events
newWebhookHook.setWebhookURL("https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push");

// STEP 3: Update with complete array including existing hooks
List<App.EventHook> allHooks = new ArrayList<>(existingHooks);
allHooks.add(newWebhookHook);
App.update().eventHooks(allHooks).request();

// Test the webhook connection
App.checkPush()
    .webhookUrl("https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push")
    .request();

// Note: Any previously existing hooks not included in event_hooks array will be deleted.
// Get current settings first to preserve your existing configuration.

// STEP 1: Get current app settings to preserve existing hooks
var settings = await client.GetAppSettingsAsync();
var existingHooks = settings.App.EventHooks ?? new List<EventHook>();
Console.WriteLine($"Current event hooks: {existingHooks}");

// STEP 2: Add webhook hook while preserving existing hooks
var newWebhookHook = new EventHook
{
    HookType = HookType.Webhook,
    Enabled = true,
    EventTypes = new List<string>(), // empty list = all events
    WebhookUrl = "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push"
};

// STEP 3: Update with complete array including existing hooks
var allHooks = new List<EventHook>(existingHooks) { newWebhookHook };
await client.UpdateAppSettingsAsync(new AppSettingsRequest
{
    EventHooks = allHooks
});

// Test the webhook connection
await appClient.CheckPushAsync(new AppCheckPushRequest
{
    WebhookUrl = "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/push",
});

You can also configure specific event types by providing an array of event names instead of an empty array:

// Configure webhook for specific events only
const newWebhookHook = {
  enabled: true,
  hook_type: "webhook",
  webhook_url: "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages",
  event_types: ["message.new", "message.updated", "message.deleted"], // specific events
};

# Configure webhook for specific events only
new_webhook_hook = {
    "enabled": True,
    "hook_type": "webhook",
    "webhook_url": "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages",
    "event_types": ["message.new", "message.updated", "message.deleted"]  # specific events
}

# Configure webhook for specific events only
new_webhook_hook = {
  "enabled" => true,
  "hook_type" => "webhook",
  "webhook_url" => "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages",
  "event_types" => ["message.new", "message.updated", "message.deleted"] # specific events
}

// Configure webhook for specific events only
$newWebhookHook = [
    'enabled' => true,
    'hook_type' => 'webhook',
    'webhook_url' => 'https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages',
    'event_types' => ['message.new', 'message.updated', 'message.deleted'] // specific events
];

// Configure webhook for specific events only
newWebhookHook := EventHook{
    HookType:   WebhookHook,
    Enabled:    true,
    EventTypes: []string{"message.new", "message.updated", "message.deleted"}, // specific events
    WebhookURL: "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages",
}

// Configure webhook for specific events only
App.EventHook newWebhookHook = new App.EventHook();
newWebhookHook.setHookType(App.HookType.WEBHOOK);
newWebhookHook.setEnabled(true);
newWebhookHook.setEventTypes(Arrays.asList("message.new", "message.updated", "message.deleted")); // specific events
newWebhookHook.setWebhookURL("https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages");

// Configure webhook for specific events only
var newWebhookHook = new EventHook
{
    HookType = HookType.Webhook,
    Enabled = true,
    EventTypes = new List<string> { "message.new", "message.updated", "message.deleted" }, // specific events
    WebhookUrl = "https://example.com/webhooks/stream/messages"
};

Request info

Some webhooks contain a field request_info, which holds information about the client that issued the request. This info is intended as an additional signal that you can use for moderation, fraud detection, or other similar purposes.

When configuring the SDK, you may also set an additional x-stream-ext header to be sent with each request. The value of this header is passed along as an ext field in the request_info. You can use this to pass along information that may be useful, such as device information. Refer to the SDK-specific docs on how to set this header.

"request_info": {
 "type": "client",
 "ip": "86.84.2.2",
 "user_agent": "Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10.15; rv:109.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/117.0",
 "sdk": "stream-chat-react-10.11.0-stream-chat-javascript-client-browser-8.12.1",
 "ext": "device-id=123"
}

For example, in Javascript, you can set the value like this:

client = new StreamChat(apiKey, {
  axiosRequestConfig: {
    headers: {
      "x-stream-ext": "device-id=123",
    },
  },
});

The format of the ext header is up to you and you may leave it blank if you don’t need it. The value is passed as-is, so you can use a simple value, comma-separated key-values, or more structured data, such as JSON. Binary data must be encoded as a string, for example using base64 or hex encoding.

Pending Message Options

You can configure pending message hooks to handle messages that require approval before being sent. The following options are available:

You may set up to two pending message hooks per application. Only the first commit to a pending message will succeed; any subsequent commit attempts will return an error, as the message is no longer pending. If multiple hooks specify a timeout_ms, the system will use the longest timeout value.

For more information on configuring pending messages, please refer to the Pending Messages documentation.

Restricting access to webhook

If necessary, you can only expose your webhook service to Stream. This is possible by configuring your network (eg. iptables rules) to drop all incoming traffic that is not coming from our API infrastructure.

Below you can find the complete list of egress IP addresses that our webhook infrastructure uses. Such list is static and is not changing over time.