A client wants to build a webhook handler which automatically refunds disputed payments. When the handler receives a request with a dispute event, how should it respond?

The correct response to a webhook handler that receives a dispute event is to immediately return a success response. This is essential for maintaining the integrity and reliability of the webhook communication process.

Webhooks are designed for asynchronous notifications from Stripe to your server about events that occur, such as a payment dispute. When your webhook handler receives an event notification, it needs to process the event while being responsive. Returning a success response indicates to Stripe that your server has successfully received the event and is processing it. This allows Stripe to stop retrying the delivery of the event, which they might do if they do not receive a successful acknowledgment in a timely manner.

Although the handler may subsequently perform operations such as refunding the disputed payment or logging the dispute, it's crucial that these actions happen after the acknowledgment is sent back to Stripe. This approach ensures that your system can handle the event efficiently, without causing delays or unnecessary errors in the webhook delivery system.

In summary, promptly returning a success response is critical for effective event handling and prevents any disruptions in the communication flow between Stripe and your application.