What is Platform Linking?
Platform Linking is the integration pattern where an external platform calls the CHeKT Partner API and subscribes to webhook events to bring CHeKT data into its own product. CHeKT remains the source of truth for monitoring events; the partner's UI surfaces them alongside the partner's own data.
Compare this with CHeKT Apps: both patterns call into CHeKT — that direction never changes. The difference is the API surface. CHeKT Apps target the Public API (lighter, scoped per dealer). Platform Linking targets the Partner API (extended endpoints, stronger auth, gated by a partnership agreement).
Third-party apps call CHeKT's Public API and subscribe to webhook events.
Partner platforms call CHeKT's Partner API — the extended endpoint surface for platform-scale integrations.
Data flow in detail
When a CHeKT site detects something — a motion event, a panic button press, a door forced — CHeKT delivers the event over a signed webhook to every linked partner subscribed to that event type. The partner then calls the Partner API for any enrichment they need (snapshot URL, device metadata, historical context) and surfaces the result in their own UI.
- 01CHeKT siteCHeKTEvent firesMotion, panic, door-forced, etc.
- 02CHeKTPartner platformWebhook to partnerSigned POST to the partner's registered endpoint
- 03Partner platformCHeKTPartner API call for enrichmentGET /v1/snapshots/{id}, /v1/devices/{id}, …
- 04Partner platformPartner platformSurface in partner UIOperator sees enriched event inside the partner dashboard
Why one direction?
For years, CHeKT and its biggest partners ran two-way integrations: CHeKT called the partner's APIs; the partner called ours; both sides kept state in sync. It worked, until it didn't. Today every integration flows external → CHeKT over the Partner API plus webhooks — and the partner side owns presentation.
Two systems holding the same state always disagree at some point. Resolution is expensive.
A change on either side breaks the other. Coordination kills speed.
Two sets of keys, two webhooks, two retry policies, double the failure modes.
Every new partner becomes a custom project. The marginal cost never drops.
The new model is simpler. Everything flows into CHeKT. Partners consume events via webhooks and pull enrichment via the Partner API. CHeKT never calls outbound to partner platforms — your side owns when and where to surface the data.
Migrating from a two-way integration
If you're an existing CHeKT partner running a two-way integration, here's the four-step migration plan.
- 01Confirm CHeKT is your source
CHeKT owns monitoring events. Your platform consumes them — never the other way around. Drop any code that pushes events into CHeKT from your side.
- 02Pick the auth model
Start with API Key for trusted server-to-server calls. Move to OAuth for user-mediated grants, or Assertion Tokens for the highest-trust service-to-service tier.
- 03Subscribe to webhooks instead of polling
Register a signed-webhook endpoint and select only the events your product surfaces. Less load, lower latency, fewer surprises during traffic spikes.
- 04Retire any inbound CHeKT-calls-you endpoints
Once events flow over webhooks and your side fetches enrichment via the Partner API, decommission the legacy endpoints CHeKT used to call.
See the full migration guide at Migrating from 2-way to Platform Linking for code examples and detailed timelines.
Become a Platform Linking partner
If you operate a video, intrusion, or analytics platform and want your customers to flow through CHeKT — or if you want to consume CHeKT events to enrich your existing dashboard — we'd love to talk.
partners@chekt.com — typically within one business day.