Definition of Postback

Description

What is a Postback?

Resolution

The term postback has two meanings, depending on the context: one in relation to eCommerce as a web service, another in relation to web development.

In eCommerce:
 
In the context of eCommerce, the term is used to describe a sales transaction notification from payment processors to the merchant's affiliate system site. Specifically, a web service was written for an affiliate sales tracking software system for a third-party merchant system to send or "POST" the data to. The term "Postback" is used here to describe what the payment processor does with the transaction receipt; they "Postback" to the merchant's program, notifying them of a successful transaction where they can then credit affiliates with their earnings.

In Web Development:
 
In the context of web development, a Postback is an HTTP POST to the same page that the form is on. In other words, the contents of the form are posted back to the same URL as the form.
 
Postbacks are commonly seen in edit forms, where the user introduces information in a form, hits "save" or "submit", causing a postback. The server then refreshes the same page using the information it has just received.

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