1. Head over to the Firebase Console.
2. Click "Add project" or pick one you already have.
3. Just follow the steps to get your project up and running.

1. Pop open your terminal.
2. Install the Firebase CLI globally with npm:
   ```bash
   npm install -g firebase-tools
   ```
3. Log in to Firebase:
   ```bash
   firebase login
   ```

1. Move to your project directory:
   ```bash
   cd your-project-directory
   ```
2. Initialize Firebase in your project:
   ```bash
   firebase init
   ```
3. Pick "Functions" from the list of Firebase features.
4. Choose your options (JavaScript or TypeScript, ESLint, etc.) during setup.
5. Make sure dependencies are installed:
   ```bash
   cd functions
   npm install
   ```

1. Open up the index.js file in the functions directory.
2. Import the necessary modules:
   ```javascript
   const functions = require('firebase-functions');
   const admin = require('firebase-admin');
   admin.initializeApp();
   ```
3. Create a new HTTP function to handle webhooks:
   ```javascript
   exports.handleWebhook = functions.https.onRequest((req, res) => {
   const data = req.body;
   
   // Process your webhook data here
   console.log('Webhook data:', data);
   
   // Send a response back to the webhook sender
   res.status(200).send('Webhook received');
   });
   ```

1. Deploy your function to Firebase:
   ```bash
   firebase deploy --only functions
   ```
2. Note the URL provided after successful deployment—for example:
   ```
   Function URL (handleWebhook): https://us-central1-your-project-id.cloudfunctions.net/handleWebhook
   ```

1. Go to the service or platform that will send the webhook.
2. Find the webhook configuration settings.
3. Enter the URL provided by Firebase—the function URL noted from the deployment step.

1. Trigger the event in the external service that should send a webhook.
2. Verify that your Firebase function receives and logs the webhook data.
3. Check Firebase Logs for debugging:
   ```bash
   firebase functions:log
   ```

1. Validate Incoming Data:
   ```javascript
   if (!req.is('application/json')) {
   res.status(400).send('Invalid data format');
   return;
   }
   ```

2. Verify Webhook Signatures: Depending on the provider, add logic to verify the signature of incoming requests to ensure authenticity.

3. Error Handling and Response Codes:
   ```javascript
   try {
   // Process webhook data
   res.status(200).send('Webhook processed successfully');
   } catch (error) {
   console.error('Error processing webhook:', error);
   res.status(500).send('Internal Server Error');
   }
   ```

4. Security Best Practices: Use methods like IP whitelisting, Firebase Authentication, or API keys to restrict access to your webhook endpoint.

Each step guides you through specific tasks necessary to set up a Firebase Cloud Function for handling webhooks securely and efficiently.