Announcing the deprecation of HTTP targets and conversion to webhooks

Announced on	Migration and deprecation
July 26, 2021	February 2022

This article describes the deprecation of the HTTP targets in Zendesk Support.

What is changing?

In February 2022, all active HTTP targets will be converted to webhooks. HTTP targets will subsequently be deprecated.

Why is Zendesk removing HTTP targets?

With the launch of webhooks, Zendesk is migrating customers over to this experience. Webhooks address several shortcomings in HTTP targets, particularly related to security. Targets permit unsecure (HTTP) connections and the use of username and password to authenticate. Both of these pose security risks and aren’t supported by webhooks. Webhooks require secure HTTP (HTTPS) and use more robust authentication methods.

Webhooks also provides the following benefits:

• Deactivation behavior that isn’t disruptive.
• More logging, which can help diagnose issues with third-party systems.
• Improved retry behavior for temporary server failures and timeouts

Am I affected?

Everyone using HTTP targets is affected.

What do I need to do?

In most cases, you’ll be able to convert your HTTP targets with only a few clicks. The business rules and triggers related to the targets will be cloned and modified to use the converted webhooks.

If your HTTP targets meet any of the following criteria and you want them to be converted, you’ll need to modify your targets before starting the conversion.

• The target uses HTTP (instead of HTTPS).
• The target uses basic authentication (username and password) and HTTP (instead of HTTPS).
• The target is inactive.

For more information, see Converting HTTP targets to webhooks.

Frequently asked questions

What if I don’t convert by the final date?

It is strongly recommended that you convert your HTTP targets prior to the specified deprecation date. When HTTP targets are deprecated, all eligible targets will automatically go through the conversion process. Any targets that fail to convert at that time will be deactivated and unrecoverable. 

If I create targets using the API, do I need to change my process?

Yes. You should start using the API to create equivalent webhooks rather than targets as soon as possible.

I’m having issues with the conversion. How do I get help?

If you need assistance converting your existing HTTP targets, contact Zendesk Customer Support.

What if I convert my targets to webhooks, but need to switch back?

If for any reason you need to revert your converted webhooks back to targets, that is possible until HTTP targets are deprecated. Targets can be reverted individually. See Reverting a converted webhook to a target.

What about the other types of targets? Are those being deprecated, too?

At this time, only HTTP targets are being deprecated and converted to webhooks. 

What about targets created from Zendesk integrations?

At this time, only HTTP targets are being deprecated and converted to webhooks. Targets created from Zendesk integrations will be converted at a later date. Right now they are excluded from the conversion process.