Webhook Delivery
Also known as: HTTP callback, webhook push
What is it?
Webhook delivery is a way of sending a trading signal automatically the instant it happens. A webhook is simply an automatic message that one system sends to a web address (a URL) belonging to another system, the moment a specific event occurs. Instead of your software repeatedly asking is there anything new yet, the source quietly waits and then, when a signal fires, immediately posts the details to the address you gave it.
You can picture it like leaving your mailbox address with a shop and having them post you a parcel the second your order is ready, rather than you driving back to the shop every few minutes to check. Because the message is sent right away and travels directly, webhooks are one of the fastest ways to move a signal from where it is created to where it is acted on, and they are the backbone of low-latency automation. They are especially powerful because they can connect a strategy's alert straight through to actual trade execution with no human needing to click anything in between.
For example, a chart-platform alert can post the trade details to a service, which then passes them on to your trading connector and places the order, all in one unbroken chain that takes only milliseconds. One important safety point: because anything that knows the web address could send a message to it, a webhook should be protected with a secret token (a private password attached to each message) so that only your own strategy can trigger trades and a stray or malicious request cannot.
Why it matters: Webhooks are the backbone of low-latency automation, connecting a strategy's alert directly to execution with no human in the loop.
Webhook reliability and speed determine whether automated entries actually land in time.
Real-world example
A TradingView alert posts JSON to a SignalBots webhook, which routes it to your MT5 connector and fires the trade in one chain.
How SignalBots handles it
SignalBots ingests TradingView and custom-strategy webhooks and relays them to your connected execution surfaces instantly.
Pro tip
Secure your webhook URL with a secret token so only your strategy, not a stray request, can trigger trades.
Common pitfalls
Exposing a webhook endpoint without authentication, which lets anyone who finds the URL inject signals.
Frequently asked questions
Are webhooks fast enough for scalping?
Yes. A well-built webhook chain delivers in tens of milliseconds, which is fast enough for most short-timeframe automation, though your broker's own speed also affects the final fill.
Do I need to be a programmer to use webhooks?
Usually no. Most signal tools let you paste a ready-made web address into your charting platform's alert box, so the connection is set up by copying and pasting rather than coding.
What happens if a webhook message fails to arrive?
A good setup retries the delivery and can fall back to another channel. Without that, a single failed message could be lost, which is why reliable retries matter for automation.
Can someone else trigger my trades through my webhook?
Only if they know your web address and it has no protection. Adding a secret token, a private password attached to each message, ensures only your own strategy can fire trades.
How is a webhook different from a normal notification?
A notification is meant for a person to read, while a webhook is a machine-to-machine message that can flow straight into automated execution without anyone clicking anything.