# Monitor settings reference

Every monitor has a set of shared settings plus the settings of its own type (method, keywords, ports, queries and
so on). This page lists the shared ones with their API fields. Type-specific settings are on each type's page (see
[Choosing a monitor type](/monitors/monitor-types/)) and, field by field, in the
[operator monitor fields reference](/reference/operator-monitor-fields/).

## Monitor types

| Type (API `type`) | What it checks | Runs from |
|---|---|---|
| `http` | A website or URL over HTTP(S) (the Website monitor) | Public locations |
| `api` | An HTTP API endpoint | Public locations |
| `ping` | ICMP reachability and round-trip time | Public locations |
| `port` | A TCP port, optionally with TLS | Public locations |
| `waterfall` | Page load in a real browser (Page speed; `pageSpeed` is accepted as an alias) | Browser locations |
| `tran` | A scripted browser transaction | Browser locations |
| `cntCheck` | Page content in a real browser (Content check) | Browser locations |
| `sslExp` | SSL certificate expiry | Internal network, every 6 h |
| `domainExp` | Domain registration expiry | Internal network, every 6 h |
| `dnsbl` | DNS blacklists | Internal network, every 6 h |
| `webRisk` | Google Web Risk listing | Internal network, every 12 h |
| `database` | A database query | Private network |
| `counter` | A server load counter | Private network |
| `snmp` | An SNMP value | Private network |

`GET /monitor/type` (no token needed) lists every type with its label, minimum interval and, with a token, whether
your plan can create it. `GET /monitor/type/{type}` returns the full settings schema of one type.

## Shared settings

| Setting | API field | Type / allowed values | Default | What it does for you |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | `type` | One of the tokens above | - (required) | Which check runs. Cannot be changed after creation (`422 type_immutable`). |
| Address | `url` | Absolute `http(s)` URL for types that fetch one; a host or IP for ping; `host:port` for port | - (required for most types) | What is checked. Two monitors may watch the same address with different settings; saving one whose type, address and settings all match an existing monitor is refused with `409 duplicate_monitor`. |
| Name | `name` | Text, up to 255 characters | the address | The label on the dashboard, in alerts and on status pages. |
| Check interval | `interval` | Seconds; one of the values your plan allows (`GET /account` -> `limits.intervals`) | your account default | How often the monitor runs. Faster intervals depend on your plan (`422 invalid_interval` lists the allowed ones; `422 interval_below_type_floor` for a type's own minimum). |
| Cron schedule | `cronSchedule` | A cron expression; `null` returns to the interval | none | Runs on a schedule instead of an interval (plan feature). Check one with `POST /monitor/validate-cron`. Not available for the fixed-cadence types. |
| Enabled | `enabled` | `true` / `false` | `true` | `false` pauses the monitor: no checks and no alerts. |
| Tags | `tags` (replace), `addTags`, `removeTags` (update only) | Free-form strings | none | Organise and filter monitors; target bulk edits, webhooks and status page bulk-add by tag. |
| Locations | `locations.pools`, `locations.fallback`, `locations.excludedAgents` | See [Locations](/reference/locations/) | pools: required on an API create for location-based types (the app pre-fills your account defaults); fallback `starve` | Where the checks run from. Refused for the internal-network types. |
| Recheck strategy | `recheck.strategy`, `recheck.minNumDown` | `""` (default: majority vote), `minNumDown` (with 1-10 locations; the editor offers 1-7), `noRecheck`, `fullAgreement`, `downFullAgreement` | majority vote | How a suspected failure is confirmed before it becomes an incident. See [down detection](/monitors/down-detection/). |
| SLA target | `slaTarget` | Percentage, for example `99.9` | none | The target uptime summaries measure the monitor against. |
| Full log | `fullLog` | `true` / `false` (plan feature) | `false` | Logs checks in 5-minute groups instead of 60-minute groups, keeping more detail in the check log. |
| Public statistics | `openStat` | `true` / `false` | `false` | Makes the monitor's statistics page and uptime badge readable without signing in. |
| Attached sub-checks | `attached.dnsbl`, `attached.sslExp`, `attached.domainExp`, `attached.webRisk` | `true` / `false` or a settings object | off | Runs blacklist, certificate, domain or Web Risk checks alongside an HTTP monitor. See [attached sub-checks](/monitors/types/attached-sub-checks/). |
| Over-limit handling | `onOverlimit` (write only) | `fail` / `disable` (bulk also `stop`) | `fail` | When the plan has no room: refuse the write, or create the monitor disabled. |
| Type settings | `settings` | An object whose members depend on `type` | type defaults | Method, keywords, timeouts, assertions and so on. |

Created along with the monitor in the same request (optional): `contacts[]` (inline contacts, `ref` + `type` +
`address`), `alertSubscriptions[]` (`contactIds` or `contactRefs` + `alertTypes`: `up`, `down`,
`repeatedlyDown`) and `reportSubscriptions[]` (`contactIds` or `contactRefs` + `frequency`: `daily`, `weekly`,
`monthly`, `quarterly`, `yearly`). Creating inline contacts needs `contact:write` and an `Idempotency-Key`.

Read-only members of a monitor: `id`, `state` (`up`, `down`, `paused`, `maintenance`), `since` (when the current
state began), `created`, `updated`.

## Fixed-cadence types

Four types schedule themselves; an `interval` or `cronSchedule` sent for them is replaced by the fixed cadence (the
answer carries a warning):

| Type | Cadence |
|---|---|
| SSL certificate expiry (`sslExp`) | Every 6 hours |
| Domain expiry (`domainExp`) | Every 6 hours |
| DNS blacklist (`dnsbl`) | Every 6 hours |
| Web Risk (`webRisk`) | Every 12 hours |

## Assertions

HTTP and API monitors can carry assertion rules (`settings.asserts` or `settings.assertsSource`, with
`settings.assertMode`) that check status, headers, body, timings and more. See the
[assertion language reference](/reference/assert-language/).

## Related

- [Choosing a monitor type](/monitors/monitor-types/)
- [Operator monitor fields](/reference/operator-monitor-fields/)
- [Monitoring locations reference](/reference/locations/)
- [How down detection works](/monitors/down-detection/)