Announcing the deprecation of HTTP targets and conversion to webhooks

Announced on	Migration and deprecation
July 26, 2021	February 22, 2022

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

What is changing?

Beginning on February 22, 2022, you will no longer be able to create new HTTP targets. At this time, Zendesk will begin converting all eligible active HTTP targets to webhooks. When the conversion is complete, HTTP targets will be deprecated and no longer accessible.

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 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. After this date, you won't be able to create new HTTP targets or activate or edit existing targets. All eligible targets will automatically go through the conversion process. You will be able to view and update your activated HTTP targets until they've been converted to webhooks. Any targets that fail to convert during the automated conversion 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?

The following Zendesk integrations are being updated to use webhooks. HTTP targets created by these integrations will be converted automatically.

• Jira
• Salesforce
• Hubspot
• Discord
• Slack

What about targets created by private apps and apps installed from the Zendesk Marketplace?

The HTTP targets for existing installed marketplace apps and private apps will be converted to webhooks.

New and updated marketplace apps will fail validation if their requirements include HTTP targets. Developers should ensure their apps use webhooks if they previously used HTTP targets. Similarly, private apps uploaded after the deprecation date will fail validation if they contain HTTP targets in their requirements.json file.