description Healthchecks.io Overview
Healthchecks.io watches for signals from scheduled background jobs rather than repeatedly visiting a website. A task sends an HTTP request, commonly called a ping, to its check URL. If the expected signal does not arrive within the configured schedule and grace period, the service raises an alert. This suits processes without a public web endpoint, including nightly data imports.
The distinction is useful: a website can remain available while an important background task stops running. Healthchecks.io concentrates on that missing execution signal without requiring a full infrastructure monitoring setup. Tasks can also report starts or failures to provide more context. It suits administrators and developers managing recurring work, but a success ping only confirms what the task was programmed to report; it cannot independently verify that imported or generated data is correct.
help Healthchecks.io FAQ
How does Healthchecks.io know if my cron job fails?
Healthchecks.io operates on a "dead man's switch" principle, meaning your scheduled background job is configured to send an HTTP ping to the service every time it successfully completes a run. If the service does not receive a ping within your specified grace period, it triggers an alert.
Does Healthchecks.io offer a free tier?
Yes, Healthchecks.io has a free tier that allows users to monitor up to 20 separate checks for free. This makes it an excellent option for independent developers managing a few essential server tasks or automated scripts.
Can Healthchecks.io send alerts to Slack?
Absolutely, Healthchecks.io features native integrations for team communication tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Discord. When a cron job misses a heartbeat, the service will automatically send a notification directly to your configured chat channel.
What happens if my cron job runs for too long?
In addition to missed pings, Healthchecks.io can be configured to alert you if a job runs longer than a predefined execution time. By sending a "start" signal alongside the completion signal, the service calculates the duration and triggers an alert if the threshold is exceeded.
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