Show HN: Sigabrt.dev – cronjob monitor with an SSH TUI
summary
sigabrt is a heartbeat monitoring service that notifies you when a scheduled script or service fails to run. It works by requiring your script to send a ping to a unique URL upon successful completion. If the service does not receive this ping within the expected timeframe and grace period, it sends an alert via email or ntfy. This approach ensures that silent failures in cron jobs or background tasks are immediately noticed.
key points
- The system uses a simple curl command added to the end of a job to signal success without needing complex agents or libraries.
- Users can manage their endpoints and view the status of all tracked jobs through a terminal-based interface via SSH.
- The service offers a flexible pricing model starting with a free tier and moving to a flat monthly fee for unlimited endpoints and history.
who should read it
Developers and system administrators who rely on cron jobs or scheduled scripts and want a reliable way to be alerted when these tasks fail.
discussion positive
consensus
Commenters generally agree that external heartbeat monitoring is superior to local failure alerts because it detects total system failures where the machine cannot send an email. While some debate whether recommending competing products in 'Show HN' posts is rude, the majority view it as helpful context for both users and creators to understand market differentiation. There is a strong preference for tools that provide not just a 'pulse' but also failure logs to aid in debugging.
top insight
The most valuable perspective is that a 'start ping' combined with a 'finish ping' solves the issue of long-running jobs without needing to increase grace periods. This approach allows for distinct alerts for both a missed schedule and an exceeded maximum runtime. This architectural pattern ensures precise monitoring without delaying notifications for failed starts.
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