PRODUCTS
Managing video content in real-time is no small task, especially when juggling live streams and video-on-demand (VOD). This is where webhooks come in offering a smart, efficient way to enable seamless, real-time communication between systems. In this blog, we’ll break down what webhooks are, why they’re essential for real-time video workflows, and how FastPix makes the whole process simpler and more effective.
A webhook is a user-defined HTTP callback that triggers an event-based communication between two systems. When an event occurs on a source system, the webhook sends an HTTP request to the destination system, notifying it of the event. This mechanism eliminates the need for constant polling, making it a more efficient and responsive solution.
Webhooks operate in a simple, three-step process:
This straightforward process allows systems to communicate efficiently, ensuring timely updates and automated actions.
Video encoding completion: Webhooks can be triggered when a video gets created and finishes encoding, allowing developers to automatically update the video status, notify users and enable them to take further actions accordingly.
Live stream event notifications: Webhooks can notify developers when key live stream events occur, such as stream start, preparing, or end. This enables the automation of related actions like updating viewers in real-time, adjusting stream settings, or archiving the stream.
Third-Party service integrations: Webhooks can be used to push updates from third-party services to your app, such as when new data is available from an external API (e.g., a stock price update, weather data).
Event-Driven microservices communication: In microservice architectures, webhooks can be used for event-driven communication between services. When one service processes data, it triggers a webhook to notify other services that may need to perform related actions.
Payment processing integrations: When a payment gateway (like Stripe or PayPal) processes a payment, a webhook notifies the backend system to update order statuses, trigger email confirmations, or adjust inventory levels.
FastPix uses webhooks to provide seamless real-time updates and integrations. By using FastPix webhooks, you can efficiently manage video events and trigger corresponding actions on your platform.
FastPix makes it simple to create custom webhooks for your platform. To get started, log in to the FastPix dashboard and navigate to the Webhook Settings. From there, you can set up your webhook by providing the URL of your platform where the events should be sent. You can also test the webhook directly from the dashboard to ensure it works as expected.
Once your webhook is set up, FastPix will send HTTP POST requests to your specified endpoint whenever an event occurs. For example, a payload for a "Media created" event might look like this:
{
"type": "video.media.created",
"object": {
"type": "media",
"id": "ffc4e8dd-544c-4ade-bdf1-ac31cb4e6b8f"
},
"id": "614d5a56-5966-4a5a-9f1c-6b6bb3d5b81a",
"workspace": {
"name": "Development",
"id": "ecdd5a55-ba47-4141-a3dc-0f6a7ebc3fd0"
},
"status": "media_created",
"data": {
"id": "ffc4e8dd-544c-4ade-bdf1-ac31cb4e6b8f",
"trial": false,
"status": "Created",
"createdAt": "2025-01-09T06:39:13.759544Z",
"updatedAt": "2025-01-09T06:39:13.759588Z",
"playbackIds": [
{
"id": "df5be71b-96dc-4edd-bdba-dcc43ab60309",
"accessPolicy": "public",
"accessRestrictions": {
"domains": {
"defaultPolicy": "allow",
"allow": [],
"deny": []
},
"userAgents": {
"defaultPolicy": "allow",
"allow": [],
"deny": []
}
}
}
],
"metadata": {
"key1": "value1"
},
"sourceAccess": false,
"maxResolution": "1080p"
},
"createdAt": "2025-01-09T06:39:14.937304986Z",
"attempts": []
}
Your platform can then process this data and take relevant actions, such as updating dashboards or initiating workflows.
Verifying the webhook signature is crucial for ensuring the authenticity and integrity of the payload you receive. FastPix includes a signature in the HTTP headers of each webhook request, which allows you to validate that the payload hasn’t been tampered with.
The signature is generated using the HMAC-SHA256 algorithm, based on the payload and your unique signing key. FastPix includes this signature in the FastPix-Signature HTTP header. You can verify the payload by generating your own hash using the same signing key and comparing it to the one provided by FastPix. If the signatures match, the payload is legitimate. If not, it indicates potential tampering or an issue with the signing key.
FastPix supports a wide range of event types that cover various stages of your video lifecycle. From initiating or stopping live streams to creating media assets and preparing them for distribution, FastPix ensures that you receive real-time updates about your video content, allowing for faster decision-making and seamless operations.
Once the video upload request is made to FastPix, the system processes the video and triggers corresponding events. These events can notify your platform or subscribers in real-time, keeping everything automated and seamless.
To help visualize this process, here’s an example flow diagram that shows how the system works, from the video upload to when the media is ready for usage.
How to get started with FastPix webhooks.
Getting started with FastPix webhooks is easy. Just follow these steps to begin receiving and integrating webhook events:
If you haven’t already, create an account on the FastPix dashboard. If you already have an account, simply log in.
Once logged in, go to the bottom left of the dashboard and click on settings. From the settings menu, select webhooks. This will redirect you to the webhooks page where you can manage your webhook configurations.
On the Webhooks page, you’ll have the option to Create webhook. By clicking on “Create new webhook”. Enter the URL of your platform where you want to receive the webhook events. FastPix will send event notifications to this URL when specific actions occur.
After creating the webhook, you will start receiving webhook events. To ensure the authenticity of these events, integrate the webhook signature verification process. This will allow you to validate that the payloads you receive have not been altered.
You can find the signing secret in the dashboard and FastPix-signature in the headers.
For more in-depth information on webhooks, explore our guides and documentation.
Webhooks are essential for managing video in real time helping you stay efficient, responsive, and automated. With FastPix, implementing webhooks is straightforward, so you can focus on delivering a great video experience without unnecessary complexity. Whether you're working with live streams or VOD, we make it easy. Sign up here and simplify your video workflow with FastPix.
Webhooks push data automatically to your system when an event occurs, while APIs require you to make requests to fetch data. Webhooks are ideal for real-time updates, whereas APIs are better suited for on-demand data retrieval.
Implement retry mechanisms and logging to ensure reliability. Retry policies can automatically reattempt failed notifications, while logs help track issues and recover missed events efficiently.
Yes, webhooks can be configured to send event data to multiple endpoints, enabling automated workflows that integrate various tools like analytics, CDN updates, and monitoring systems.
Yes, webhooks are faster because they push data instantly when events occur, whereas APIs require periodic polling, which introduces delays and increases resource usage.
Webhooks allow real-time event tracking, such as user interactions or streaming preferences. This data can be used to trigger dynamic content delivery or personalized recommendations for viewers.
Implement retry mechanisms and logging to ensure reliability. Retry policies can automatically reattempt failed notifications, while logs help track issues and recover missed events efficiently.
.png)
.png)
