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    Diagnostics

    How do I monitor a JSON API endpoint?

    Part of API endpoint monitoring — the full answer, the facts and the alternatives in one place.

    Quick answer

    How do I monitor a JSON API endpoint?

    Send a scheduled HTTP request to the endpoint, assert that the status code is 2xx and the response body contains an expected JSON field (e.g. "status":"ok"), and alert when either check fails twice in a row.

    • Use GET for read endpoints, POST with a small idempotent payload for write endpoints.
    • Set a hard timeout (5–10 s) — an API that takes 30 s to answer is effectively down.
    • Test authenticated endpoints with a scoped monitoring token, not a production admin key.
    • Assert on JSON body content, not just HTTP status — 200 OK with an error payload is common.

    Step-by-step

    1. 1
      Pick the endpoint

      Choose a read endpoint that reflects downstream health (e.g. /api/health that pings the DB).

    2. 2
      Add auth if needed

      Attach a scoped monitoring token via a custom header — never a production admin key.

    3. 3
      Define the assertion

      Require HTTP 2xx AND a JSON body containing the expected field like "status":"ok".

    4. 4
      Set the timeout + confirmation

      10-second hard timeout, alert only after 2 consecutive failures.

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