ntfy
Self-hostable publish/subscribe notification service with HTTP API, web UI, and mobile apps for push alerts from scripts, CI, monitoring, and automations.
ntfy is a lightweight publish/subscribe notification service that lets you send messages to topics via simple HTTP calls and receive them on phones, desktops, or the web. It is designed for automation-friendly alerts from scripts and systems, with optional authentication and multiple delivery integrations.
Key Features
- Publish/subscribe topics with simple HTTP API (POST/PUT) and topic URLs
- Web app and dedicated mobile apps for receiving notifications
- Push notifications to Android (FCM) and iOS (APNs) when configured
- Multiple subscription methods: web UI, mobile, and programmatic streaming (e.g., SSE/WebSockets)
- Authentication and access control options (including users/roles and topic permissions)
- Message options such as titles, priorities, tags, click actions, attachments, and icons (client-dependent)
- Integrations for delivering outbound notifications (e.g., email, chat/webhooks) and acting as a relay/gateway
- Docker-friendly deployment and configuration with support for reverse proxies and TLS
Use Cases
- Monitoring/observability alerts (uptime checks, Prometheus Alertmanager-style notifications)
- CI/CD and cron job outcomes (build failures, backup completion)
- Smart home and automation events (doorbell/motion, device state changes)
Limitations and Considerations
- Some advanced push capabilities (especially iOS/Android background delivery) depend on configuring platform push services (APNs/FCM) and may vary by client/device policies.
ntfy provides a practical “curl-to-phone” workflow while still supporting richer notification features and access controls for team or multi-service use. It fits well as a general-purpose notification backbone for homelabs and production automation where you want a simple, standards-based API and multiple client options.