# Webhooks and Asynchronous Notifications

The Nightfall API supports the ability to send asynchronous notifications when findings are detected as part of a scan request.

The supported destinations for these notifications include external platforms, such as Slack, email, or url to a SIEM log collector as well as to a webhook server.

Nightfall issues notifications under the following scenarios:

* to notify a client about the results of a [file scan request](/developer-api/key-concepts/file_scan.md). File scans themselves are always performed asynchronously because of complexity relating to text extraction and data volume.
* to notify a client about results from a text scan request. Although results are already delivered synchronously in the response object, clients may configure the request to forward results to other platforms such a webhook, SIEM endpoint, or email through a [policy](https://docs.nightfall.ai/docs/using-policies)[.](/developer-api/key-concepts/scanning_features/send_alerts_using_policies.md)

To create a webhook you will need to [access your webhook Signing Key](/developer-api/key-concepts/file_scan/webhooks_async_notifications/webhook_signing_key.md) and then set up a[ create a webhook server.](/developer-api/key-concepts/file_scan/webhooks_async_notifications/webhook_server.md)

For more information on how webhooks and asynchronous notifications are used please see our guides on:

* [Alerting](/developer-api/key-concepts/alerting.md)
* [Using Policies](/developer-api/key-concepts/scanning_features/send_alerts_using_policies.md)
* [File Scanning and Webhooks](/developer-api/key-concepts/file_scan/webhooks.md)


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