How do webhooks benefit integrations with external systems in Liferay?

Webhooks serve as a powerful mechanism for enhancing integrations with external systems in Liferay by enabling the transmission of real-time notifications. Specifically, webhooks utilize HTTP POST requests to send data to external services whenever a specific event occurs within Liferay. This allows for a reactive integration approach: when an event takes place—such as a user creation, content update, or any other defined action—a webhook can immediately notify an external system by sending the relevant data in the payload of the POST request.

The key advantage of using POST requests in this context lies in their ability to deliver detailed information about the event, often tailored to the needs of the receiving system, thereby allowing for streamlined processing and improved workflows. This contrasts with other methods like GET requests, which are primarily used for retrieving data rather than sending updates or notifications. Additionally, while WebSocket connections provide a way to support real-time communication, they are not the primary method through which Liferay webhooks facilitate integrations. Lastly, API documentation serves a different purpose by outlining how to interact with an API but does not itself contribute to the active communication of events between systems.