Sources

A source is any service that sends the Hookdeck platform HTTP requests. For example, a third-party service sending webhooks such as Shopify and Stripe, or an internal service making an HTTP request to distribute an event to other services, external or internal.

How sources work

Each source is given a unique Hookdeck URL that can be pasted into the HTTP or webhook URL field of the sender platform, or used within code when making the HTTP request. Once HTTP requests are received by Hookdeck via the source URL, events are ingested and routed according to your connection rules.

You can customize the source URL to use your own custom domain name. See Custom Domain for more information.

Content-types

Hookdeck aims to be compatible with every API provider and with common HTTP event payloads. To accomplish this, we remain platform-agnostic and ingest requests (up to 10 MiB) with one of the following content-types:

  • text/plain
  • text/xml
  • application/json
  • application/x-www-form-urlencoded
  • application/xml
  • application/*+json
  • application/jwt
  • application/x-ndjson
  • multipart/form-data

If you encounter a problem integrating a specific API provider, send us a message.

Create a source

Creating a source allows Hookdeck to begin receiving and routing events sent from a specific origin.

To create a source, follow the instructions for creating a connection.

POST /sources

Custom methods

POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE requests are accepted by default. GET requests are not accepted by default, but you can enable them in the Source Configuration > Advanced Source Configuration section when creating or updating your sources.

HTTP Methods in the advanced configuration section in Source form

You can also enable them explicitly by using a x-hookdeck-allow-methods query string parameter in your Hookdeck source URL.

?x-hookdeck-allow-methods=get

Custom responses

Some API vendors modify their behavior based on the response they receive from a request. For these providers, Hookdeck supports setting custom responses to satisfy their requirements.

Customize Response in Source form

You can also use query string parameter x-hookdeck-response to explicitly customize the response. Append one of the following query parameters to the Hookdeck-provided source URL to achieve the desired response.

ResponseQuery parameter exampleBehavior
Empty?x-hookdeck-response=null or ?x-hookdeck-responseHookdeck responds with an empty body
Text?x-hookdeck-response[text]=Hello+WorldHookdeck responds with the text Hello World
JSON?x-hookdeck-response[json]=%7B%22message%22%3A%22Hello%20World%22%7DHookdeck responds with the specified JSON
XML?x-hookdeck-response[xml]=<root><child></child></root>Hookdeck responds with the specified XML

Add source authentication

Configuring how incoming requests from a source are authenticated.

  1. Open the Connections page.
  2. Click the source you want to authenticate.
  3. Click Open Source .
  4. Under Advanced Source Configuration, toggle the Source Authentication switch and select the appropriate authentication method from the dropdown.
  5. Enter the information required by the authentication method (HMAC, Basic Auth, or API Keys).
  6. Click Save .
PUT /destinations/:id

All secrets are AES encrypted.

In the connection's page, your source will now have a shield icon next to it.

Edit source authentication

Edit a source to update the authentication method or change the credentials.

  1. Open the Connections page.
  2. Click the source you want to edit the authentication method for.
  3. Click Open Source .
  4. Scroll to Source Authentication under Advanced Source Configuration, and change the authentication method and related credentials.
  5. Click Save .
PUT /destinations/:id

Remove source authentication

Removing authentication from a source will stop the authentication and verification of any incoming requests and all requests will be accepted.

  1. Open the Connections page.
  2. Click the source you want to remove authentication from.
  3. Click Open Source .
  4. Under Advanced Source Configuration, toggle off the Source Authentication switch.
  5. Click Save .
PUT /destinations/:id

Edit a source

Editing a source lets you change the name of a source in your workspace.

  1. Open the Connections page.
  2. Click the source you want to edit.
  3. You can edit the source from inside the popup or click Open Source to edit in full page.
  4. Click Save .
PUT /sources/:id

Once a source has been renamed, its name is updated throughout the workspace and within any associated connection(s).

Archive a source

Archiving a source temporarily disables inbound requests at the associated Hookdeck URL. An HTTP 200 status code will still be returned for any request received on your Source URL.

This process also archives all the connections that are associated to that source.

  1. Open the Connections page.
  2. Click the source you wish to archive.
  3. Click ••• button in the bottom right corner of the popup.
  4. Click Archive Source .
PUT /sources/:id/archive

Unarchive a source

Unarchiving a source returns that source to its previously active state.

  1. Open the Connections page.
  2. Click the archived source you wish to unarchive.
  3. Click ••• button in the bottom right corner of the popup.
  4. Click Unarchive Source .
PUT /sources/:id/unarchive

Hookdeck will resume ingesting requests from the unarchived source. You may need to unarchive the associated connection(s) that were deactivated when the source was archived or create new connections. Requests received from the source while it was archived will not be available for replay.

Deleting a source permanently disables inbound requests at the associated Hookdeck URL. Hookdeck will return an HTTP 410 status code for any request received on your Source URL.

Associated event and request data is retained for the remainder of your retention window and will be displayed with a Source Deleted label.

This process also deleted all the connections that relies on the source.

  1. Open the Connections page.
  2. Click the source you wish to delete.
  3. Click ••• button in the bottom right corner of the popup.
  4. Click Delete Source .
  5. Click Delete in the confirmation dialog.
DELETE /sources/:id

Once a source has been deleted, it will disappear from your list of sources and the Connections page.