Using the Hooks Query Language to Define Topical Webhook Subscriptions

Hooks:Data provides a pretty interesting webhook service, where you can get updates about thousands of topics in a single API. Providing an interesting, and useful approach to delivering event-driven experiences on top of existing APIs. Allowing users to subscribe to relevant topics, and receive notifications via webhooks and other push technology when a change occurs.

The topical webhook service provides granular access to a wide range of relevant topics in the following areas:

• New TV Show Episode - i.e. Game of Thrones episode has aired

• Rain in a Location - i.e. Started raining in Hillsboro

• New Film Releases - i.e. Star Wars The Last Jedi is released Tomorrow

• RSS Feed New Item - i.e. New Post at The Verge

• New Game Release - i.e. Game is published for Xbox One

• Amber Alerts - i.e. New Amber alert in WA

• New Concert - i.e. A concert from Madonna is scheduled in London

• Snow in a Location - i.e. Started snowing in Hillsboro

• New Music Album Release - i.e. A new Music Album from Coldplay is released

• Temperature drop - i.e. 10º Temperature drop in Hillsboro

• Soccer Games & Scores - i.e. Real Madrid game starts and ends

• Weather forecast - i.e. Weather forecast in Seattle

• NFL Games & Scores - i.e. Patriots game starts and ends

• YouTube Channel - i.e. New Video at Erica Griffin Channel

• MLB Games & Score - i.e. Chicago Cubs game starts and ends

• Pinterest Update - i.e. New Pin at jack/notificationschat-board/

• NBA Games & Score - i.e. Golden State Warriors game starts and ends

• Twitter Update - i.e. New tweet by @jack

• NHL Games & Results - i.e. Chicago Blackhawks game starts and ends

• Soundcloud Channel - i.e. New Audio at @jack channel

• Stock day Changes - i.e. APPL Grows 5% in a day

• iTunes Podcast Update - i.e. New Audio at @jack channel

• Stock reaches level - i.e. APPL is > 200$

• App Store Review - i.e. New Review for Hooks

• Crypto day Changes - i.e. BTC Grows 15% in a day

• Holidays - i.e. Holiday in Texas

• Crypto reaches level - i.e. ETH is > 1000$

• Films by Cast - i.e. New Film By Tarantino

Hooks:Data allows developers to build their hooks using what they call the Hooks Query Language, a simplified SQL-like language designed to retrieve items and apply filters over the data sources they provide. Providing a SQL like language for querying data sources, and then filtering for specific topics and events. Providing many of the same operators, ordering, and grouping that SQL provides, but specifically applied to the curated set of data sources they are providing access to.

Hooks:Data provides a unique blueprint for how an event-driven service provider can leverage existing APIs, but also provide a filtering and querying layer on top of these valuable data sources. Adding event-driven value on top of existing services, augmenting what they do, making the data locked up in these APIs more accessible, and pushed to where it needs to be. We like their approach to making the API economy more real-time and event-driven and will be something we keep an eye out, and highlight as part of the toolbox of services we showcase to our customers.