> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.webhooktrap.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart: Capture and Replay Webhooks in Minutes

> Create your first Webhooktrap inbox, capture a webhook payload, and replay it to your local server in minutes — no account required.

This guide walks you through the full Webhooktrap workflow — from a blank slate to a captured webhook replayed against your local server — using nothing but `curl`. You don't need an account to follow along.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create an inbox">
    Send a `POST` request to the inboxes endpoint. No authentication is required for anonymous inboxes.

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -X POST https://api.webhooktrap.dev/api/v1/inboxes
    ```

    Webhooktrap returns a JSON object containing your inbox ID and the ingest URL to give your webhook provider:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "id": "ibx_01hq8xkz2fgr7bt9vpwcn3md6e",
      "ingestUrl": "https://webhooktrap.dev/i/ibx_01hq8xkz2fgr7bt9vpwcn3md6e",
      "expiresAt": "2024-06-17T14:32:00Z",
      "saved": false
    }
    ```

    Copy the `ingestUrl` value — you'll use it as the destination in your webhook provider's settings (for example, Stripe's "Endpoint URL" field or GitHub's "Payload URL" field).

    <Tip>
      You can also create an inbox from the [Webhooktrap dashboard](https://webhooktrap.dev/dashboard) if you prefer a visual interface.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send a test webhook">
    With the ingest URL in hand, simulate a webhook by posting a JSON payload directly to it. This is exactly what a real provider would do.

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -X POST https://webhooktrap.dev/i/ibx_01hq8xkz2fgr7bt9vpwcn3md6e \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -H "Stripe-Signature: t=1718624400,v1=abc123" \
      -d '{"type": "checkout.session.completed", "data": {"object": {"id": "cs_test_abc123", "amount_total": 4999}}}'
    ```

    Webhooktrap responds with `200 OK` and stores the full request — method, headers, and body — for you to inspect. Open the dashboard or query the events endpoint to see the captured payload.

    <Note>
      The `authorization` and `cookie` headers are redacted before storage to protect credentials. All other headers, including provider-specific signature headers like `Stripe-Signature`, are stored and replayed as-is.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Replay to localhost">
    Before replaying, fetch the event ID from your inbox. Replace `ibx_01hq8xkz2fgr7bt9vpwcn3md6e` with your own inbox ID from Step 1:

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl https://api.webhooktrap.dev/api/v1/inboxes/ibx_01hq8xkz2fgr7bt9vpwcn3md6e/events
    ```

    Webhooktrap returns an array of captured events. Copy the `id` of the event you want to replay:

    ```json theme={null}
    [
      {
        "id": "evt_01hq9yz3aghs4cu0wrxdp5nf7t",
        "receivedAt": "2024-06-17T14:33:12Z",
        "method": "POST",
        "path": "/i/ibx_01hq8xkz2fgr7bt9vpwcn3md6e"
      }
    ]
    ```

    With the event ID in hand and your local server running, send the replay request:

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -X POST https://api.webhooktrap.dev/api/v1/events/evt_01hq9yz3aghs4cu0wrxdp5nf7t/replay \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -d '{"destination": "http://localhost:3000/webhooks"}'
    ```

    Webhooktrap's servers perform the outbound request and return everything your handler responded with:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "statusCode": 200,
      "latencyMs": 43,
      "responseBody": "{\"received\": true}"
    }
    ```

    A `statusCode` in the `2xx` range confirms your handler received and processed the event correctly. If you see a `4xx` or `5xx`, check the `responseBody` field for error details from your application.

    <Tip>
      You can replay the same event as many times as you like — useful for iterating on your handler logic without waiting for your provider to re-send the webhook.
    </Tip>
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Anonymous inboxes expire after **48 hours**. [Create a free account](https://webhooktrap.dev/dashboard) to save your inboxes permanently, retain full replay history, and share events with teammates using read-only links.
</Tip>