Polling Vs Webhooks

The post explains polling as repeated requests from one service to another at fixed intervals, which can waste bandwidth and server resources and delay real-time updates. It uses the restaurant order example to show why constant checking is inefficient.

It presents webhooks as a callback-based, push delivery model that sends data when it becomes available. The post says webhooks fit payment notifications, chat applications, and CI/CD platforms, while polling can still make sense when updates are frequent but real-time delivery is not required.

Reading notes

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• Polling is described as repeated requests made at predefined intervals to check for new data.
• The post says polling uses network bandwidth and server resources even when there are no updates.
• Because polling checks only at intervals, it can miss real-time updates.
• Webhooks use a callback URL so one system can notify another when new data is available.
• Webhooks push data as soon as it becomes available, which makes them suitable for real-time notifications.
• The post gives payment notifications, chat applications, and CI/CD platforms as examples of webhook use.
• Polling is presented as useful when real-time updates are not needed and data changes frequently.
• The post says polling can be customized by changing sync frequency.