Debug webhook responses without storing response bodies
A useful webhook delivery log keeps the final status, attempts, duration, response size, and an allowlisted content type while excluding URLs, request headers, authorization, payloads, and response content.
- 1
Delivery finishes
Emit once after success or permanent retry exhaustion, not once per log line.
- 2
Response is reduced
Keep status_code, response_body_bytes, and an allowlisted content type instead of raw response_body.
- 3
Secrets stay out
Never store request_headers, authorization values, customer URLs, or webhook payloads.
- 4
Recovery is measured
Compare permanent failures, recurring status codes, and recovery after retries by destination type.
Grain
One terminal outcome per logical webhook delivery.
Owner
Webhook delivery worker
Emit when
After success or permanent retry exhaustion.
Field contract
Typed fields with explicit privacy boundaries
Keep existing field names and types stable after production queries depend on them. Optional context should remain bounded, documented, and justified by a specific decision.
| Field | Type | Required | Privacy | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| timestamp_utc | timestamp | yes | non-sensitive | UTC time at the outcome boundary. |
| event_id | string | yes | non-sensitive | Stable unique identifier used for deduplication. |
| release | string | yes | non-sensitive | Application or service version that emitted the event. |
| account_id | string | yes | pseudonymous | Stable internal account identifier, never an email or name. |
| delivery_id | string | yes | pseudonymous | Stable logical delivery identifier. |
| destination_type | string | yes | non-sensitive | Bounded integration category, not a destination URL. |
| attempt_count | number | yes | non-sensitive | Attempts through the terminal outcome. |
| status_code | number | no | non-sensitive | Final HTTP status when a response exists. |
| response_body_bytes | number | no | non-sensitive | Final response-body size in bytes. Store the size instead of the response body. |
| response_content_type | string | no | review | Allowlisted response media type such as application/json; never copy unrestricted response headers. |
| status | string | yes | non-sensitive | Delivered or permanently failed. |
Synthetic JSON event
{
"timestamp_utc": "2026-07-28T14:29:08Z",
"event_id": "evt_webhook_01",
"account_id": "acct_8f31",
"release": "2026.07.2",
"delivery_id": "delivery_09cc",
"destination_type": "slack",
"attempt_count": 1,
"status_code": 200,
"response_body_bytes": 27,
"response_content_type": "application/json",
"status": "delivered"
}Privacy review
Review identifiers before ingestion
This example uses synthetic identifiers. Pseudonymous values can still be personal data, and review fields can expose business or provider context. Apply your own consent, retention, access, residency, and deletion requirements.
account_id: pseudonymousdelivery_id: pseudonymousresponse_content_type: review
Validation checklist
Prove the contract before building a dashboard
- Send one known webhook_delivery_completed fixture after the documented outcome boundary.
- Verify all 8 required fields arrive with the documented types.
- Retry the same event identifier and confirm the chosen deduplication behavior.
- Send a controlled failure or alternate outcome when the workflow supports one.
- Run the related SQL over a fixed window and reconcile the result to the fixture.
Common mistakes
Keep one row equal to one durable outcome
- Emitting webhook_delivery_completed before webhook delivery worker knows the final outcome.
- Mixing several grains in one table, which makes counts and rates ambiguous.
- Replacing controlled categories with raw URLs, payloads, prompts, or error text.
- Changing a field type in place after saved queries and dashboards depend on it.
- Adding identifiers without a documented investigation, access, and retention need.
Use the contract
Query and operationalize the event
Related contracts
Send a fixture before production traffic
Create a free API key, send the synthetic event, and inspect the inferred table before connecting a live workflow.