How do I test webhooks locally?

Use a tool like ngrok or Stripe CLI to forward webhooks to localhost. The webhook payload formatter helps you understand the structure before writing handler code.

Should I verify webhook signatures?

Yes, always. Most webhook providers include a signature header (e.g., Stripe-Signature) that you should verify using the shared secret before trusting the payload.

What is the difference between an event type and an event object?

The type field identifies what happened (e.g., payment_intent.succeeded). The data.object contains the full resource that triggered the event.

Format a Webhook Payload

Webhooks deliver events as JSON POST bodies that often arrive minified. This example shows a Stripe-style payment webhook with a nested data object wrapping the event. Formatting the payload reveals the full structure before you write handler code. Keep this as a reference fixture for your test suite when building webhook integrations.

Example

{
  "id": "evt_1OqXample",
  "type": "payment_intent.succeeded",
  "created": 1700000000,
  "livemode": false,
  "data": {
    "object": {
      "id": "pi_3OqXample",
      "amount": 4999,
      "currency": "usd",
      "status": "succeeded",
      "customer": "cus_Xample123",
      "metadata": { "order_id": "ord_789" }
    }
  }
}

[ open in Webhook Payload Formatter → ]

FAQ

How do I test webhooks locally?: Use a tool like ngrok or Stripe CLI to forward webhooks to localhost. The webhook payload formatter helps you understand the structure before writing handler code.
Should I verify webhook signatures?: Yes, always. Most webhook providers include a signature header (e.g., Stripe-Signature) that you should verify using the shared secret before trusting the payload.
What is the difference between an event type and an event object?: The type field identifies what happened (e.g., payment_intent.succeeded). The data.object contains the full resource that triggered the event.

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