What is Webhook Relay?
A service that forwards webhook requests to endpoints behind firewalls or NATs.
Definition
A webhook relay is an intermediary service that receives webhook requests on a public URL and forwards them to internal endpoints that are not directly accessible from the internet. This allows cron job services to trigger endpoints behind corporate firewalls, on localhost during development, or on private networks. The relay acts as a bridge between the public internet and your private infrastructure.
Simple Analogy
Like a mail forwarding service for someone living in a gated community — the mail goes to a public address first, and the service delivers it inside the gates.
Why It Matters
Many cron job endpoints run behind firewalls or in private networks that CronJobPro cannot reach directly. A webhook relay solves this without compromising network security — the relay agent inside your network pulls incoming requests through an outbound connection, so no inbound firewall rules need to be opened.
How to Verify
If your endpoint is not accessible from the public internet, test with an external service: `curl https://your-endpoint.com` from outside your network. If it fails, you need either a public endpoint, a VPN, or a webhook relay. Popular relays include ngrok, Webhook.site, and dedicated relay services.
Common Mistakes
Using free relay services for production workloads (they have rate limits and no SLA). Not securing the relay connection (use HTTPS and authentication). Creating a new security risk by exposing internal services through an improperly configured relay.
Best Practices
Use a production-grade relay with SLA guarantees for critical jobs. Secure relay connections with TLS and authentication. Limit relayed access to specific endpoints only. Monitor relay uptime as part of your overall cron job monitoring strategy.
Platform Guides
Read platform guides
Try it free →Frequently Asked Questions
What is Webhook Relay?
A webhook relay is an intermediary service that receives webhook requests on a public URL and forwards them to internal endpoints that are not directly accessible from the internet. This allows cron job services to trigger endpoints behind corporate firewalls, on localhost during development, or on private networks. The relay acts as a bridge between the public internet and your private infrastructure.
Why does Webhook Relay matter for cron jobs?
Many cron job endpoints run behind firewalls or in private networks that CronJobPro cannot reach directly. A webhook relay solves this without compromising network security — the relay agent inside your network pulls incoming requests through an outbound connection, so no inbound firewall rules need to be opened.
What are best practices for Webhook Relay?
Use a production-grade relay with SLA guarantees for critical jobs. Secure relay connections with TLS and authentication. Limit relayed access to specific endpoints only. Monitor relay uptime as part of your overall cron job monitoring strategy.
Related Terms
Webhook
An HTTP callback that automatically sends data to a URL when a specific event occurs.
Endpoint
A specific URL where an API or service receives and processes HTTP requests.
IP Whitelisting
Restricting endpoint access to requests from specific trusted IP addresses only.
HTTPS
The secure version of HTTP that encrypts all communication between client and server.