Web Hooks Web hooks are simple HTTP callbacks. They’re nothing new, you may be familiar with the PayPal IPN feature. That’s a web hook. The idea is to have web applications let users register post-receive URLs for various events. This can be used as a lightweight alternative to XMPP for real-time push notifications, but also for integrating arbitrary web services. For the truly daring, you can use web hooks to create a plugin systems or platforms. (categories: httpwebhooksnotificationeventscallbackasynchronouspush )