IFTTT Webhook JSON payload mapping for complex data structures

Answer to the Core Questions

IFTTT’s Webhook trigger only creates ingredients for top‑level keys in the JSON you POST. If a key’s value is an object or an array, IFTTT treats it as a single string ingredient:

• Objects become the literal string "[object Object]".
• Arrays are joined into a comma‑separated list (e.g., "a,b").

There is no built‑in dot‑notation or index syntax to pull out sub‑properties or individual array elements.

Consequences

Because the nested structure is flattened to a string, any downstream action that expects a specific value (e.g., user ID or the first tag) will receive either an unreadable string or an empty value if the ingredient name is incorrect.

Confirmed Behavior (Based on Current Documentation and Practical Tests)

1. Send a POST to the Maker Webhook URL with a payload like:

   {"user":{"id":123,"name":"Alice"},"tags":["a","b"]}

2. Define ingredients matching the top‑level keys "user" and "tags".
3. Check the IFTTT activity log:
   • The "user" ingredient shows "[object Object]".
   • The "tags" ingredient shows "a,b".
   • No separate ingredients for "user.id" or "tags[0]" exist.

Practical Work‑Arounds

1. Flatten the JSON before it hits IFTTT. Prefix nested keys so they become top‑level:

   {"user_id":123,"user_name":"Alice","tags_0":"a","tags_1":"b"}

2. Use a lightweight middleware (e.g., a serverless function or a small Express app) to transform the payload on the fly.
3. After flattening, define ingredients for each flattened key. The values will be the exact data you need.

Missing Diagnostic Detail?

If your external API can change the shape of the JSON (e.g., adding new nested fields), you’ll need to update the middleware or the flattening logic accordingly. Let me know if that’s a concern, and we can discuss version‑specific handling.