Architecture and Processing
Database Design for Storing Webhook Events
Reliable webhook systems store incoming events before processing them. This enables retries, debugging, and replaying failed deliveries.
Why persist webhook events
Processing webhook events directly inside the request makes debugging difficult. Persisting events creates an audit trail.
Basic webhook events table
webhook_events
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id
provider
event_id
event_type
payload
received_at
processed_at
status
Enforce event uniqueness
Many providers deliver duplicate events. A unique constraint prevents duplicate processing.
UNIQUE(provider, event_id)
Store raw payload JSON
Always store the original payload exactly as received. Do not transform the data before persisting.
Track processing status
Adding a status column allows background workers to track progress.
pending
processing
completed
failed
Enable replay support
Stored events can be replayed safely if processing fails. This is critical for payment systems and subscription updates.