Simple Service Monitoring: Why I Built My Own Uptime Tool

Tired of complex monitoring solutions? Learn how I created a lightweight service monitor focused on simplicity, and why it might be the perfect fit for your needs. Check uptime and get alerts quickly!

The Problem: Overkill Monitoring Tools

As a developer, nothing's more frustrating than discovering a service outage hours after it happened. Existing monitoring tools work, but often feel like overkill for a simple "is it up or down?" check. I needed a simple website uptime monitoring solution.

Solution: ServiceIsUp - Minimalist Monitoring

That's why I built ServiceIsUp – a service monitoring tool focused on simplicity. It started as a basic script and evolved into a user-friendly solution for straightforward server uptime checks. It's designed for developers who want quick notifications without the clutter of complex dashboards.

Early Days: Cron Jobs and Telegram Alerts

The first version was rudimentary: a cron job pinging URLs and sending Telegram alerts (see example code below). It was functional, but lacked user-friendliness.

class Controller:
    def __init__(self, location):
        # query batch size
        self.query_limit = 500
        # list size of messages to send to broker
        self.messages_list_size = 100
        self.location = location
        self.cache_lock_key = f'query_lock_controller_{self.location.name}'
        self.cache_lock_timeout = 60
        self.lock_time = timezone.now()
    def send_messages(self, messages):
        try:
            broker_conn = Broker(
                broker_host=env.broker_host,
                broker_port=env.broker_port,
                broker_user=env.broker_user,
                broker_pass=env.broker_pass
            )
        except Exception as e:
            raise Exception(f"Error to init broker connection: {e}")
        broker_conn.connect()
        for message in messages:
            message_json = json.dumps(message['message'])
            broker_conn.set_queue(message['queue'])
            broker_conn.send_message(message_json)
            broker_conn.close()

Evolving Into a Mini SaaS: Key Features

I expanded the tool with features like:

• Easy setup for multiple services
• Check history viewing
• Minimalist interface
• Alerts via email, Telegram, and WhatsApp
• Customizable expected status codes

This transformed a personal project into a mini SaaS platform for checking website uptime.

How ServiceIsUp Works: Simple and Fast

1. Register your site or endpoint (HTTP/HTTPS).
2. Set the check frequency (e.g., every minute).
3. Choose your notification method (email, Telegram, etc.).
4. Select the expected status code (e.g., 200, 404).

That's it! A simple service status monitoring solution, fast and easy to use.

Simplicity vs. Complexity: Why Not Prometheus?

Tools like Prometheus, Grafana, and Zabbix are powerful, but often overkill. When you just need an "up or down" answer, a simpler service status monitoring tool is more efficient. Also, these tools require maintenance and configuration.

The Swiss Army Knife Analogy: Quick and Efficient Website Uptime Monitoring

Think of ServiceIsUp as a Swiss Army knife: perfect for quick tasks. A cannon (Prometheus) can do the job, but isn't necessary for a target 10 feet away.

Consider this user scenario: Monitoring 12 URLs without writing code.

By using ServiceIsUp, the user could register their URLs in minutes to view response time and uptime metrics. Receive alerts via personalized channels with personalized messages if a condition is triggered (e.g., higher‑than‑normal response time or service downtime). This approach eliminates the need for server setup and complex configurations.

Cloud-Based Convenience: No Server Management

ServiceIsUp eliminates server management headaches.

• No RAM or storage concerns
• No thread or race condition worries

You focus solely on your business.

Scalability Without the Hassle

While complex systems offer extreme scalability, they require significant effort to set up and maintain. ServiceIsUp provides the scalability you need to check server uptime, add new services, users, and alerts as you grow, without the need to manage clusters or load balancing.

Alert Customization and Flexibility

Tailor alerts to your needs, including:

• Custom messages with instructions
• Delegation to specific teams or individuals

Use creativity to craft contextual, actionable alerts.

The Verdict: Effortless Monitoring

ServiceIsUp saves time and effort without complex setups. If you need reliable alerts without the overhead of large monitoring systems, it's the perfect choice.

Get Started: Simple Website Uptime Monitoring

Ready to simplify your monitoring? Set up your first alert in minutes - no server setup required. Get website uptime monitoring setup now!

Use the coupon code DEVTO for $12 off your first 3 months with full feature access.