Introduction to Event Notifications and Subscriptions
Getting Started with the Subscriptions API
We invite all developers to try out our Subscriptions API by writing a simple app to create a webhook subscription when an SMS is received at your phone number. Get started using a Quick Start in any of the following languages:
Javascript » PHP » Python » Ruby » Java » C# »What are events, notifications and subscriptions?
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Events - events are synonymous with notifications, and refer to a message that is sent after it is triggered by an action, or state-change on the platform.
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Subscription - a subscription refers to how an event notification is delivered to an application. A subscription contains the following metadata:
- How the event is delivered, e.g. via webhook, pubnub, APNS, etc.
- Address - where the notification is delivered
- Expiry - when the subscription will end
- The set of events being listened for/subscribed to
How do I create a subscription, or a webhook?
Webhooks and subscriptions in general are created exclusively via the Subscription API. There is no web interface or developer console for creating/registering webhooks.
When should I use a webhook vs PubNub?
RingCentral supports two primary means for delivering events/notifications: via a webhook and via PubNub. Here are considerations to make when deciding which to support in your application:
- With assistance from RingCentral code samples, PubNub notifications are the quickest and simplest to implement, especially when you don't already have a webserver setup and running.
- Webhooks are great if your service is "always on" and needs to receive notifications even if clients are offline.
- PubNub is ideal for delivering low-latency notifications that must be sent directly to clients, e.g. push notifications for mobile applications.
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Webhooks can be implemented at no additional cost, as PubNub is a service independent from RingCentral.
- Learn about PubNub notifications
What events/notifications does RingCentral support?
RingCentral offers a comprehensive set of events that developers can subscribe to. Such events include:
- SMS received
- Voicemail received
- Fax received
- Call started and call ended
- Missed call
- Presence/availability changed
For a comprehensive list of events, please consult our API Reference.