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How I Automated Web Server Checks with My Home Linux Server and Discord

Running multiple websites means I need to know right away if one of them goes down. Instead of relying on third-party uptime services, I decided to build my own lightweight monitoring system using my home Linux server and Discord.

This way, I get instant alerts straight to my phone or desktop whenever there’s a problem.

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The Setup: Home Server + Discord Webhook

I already run a headless Debian server at home that I use for various tasks. It was the perfect place to run a monitoring script on a schedule.

For notifications, I used Discord webhooks because they’re easy to set up and send rich alerts directly to my private channel.

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Step 1: Create a Discord Webhook

1. Open Discord and go to the server where you want alerts.
2. Go to Server Settings → Integrations → Webhooks.
3. Create a new webhook and copy the URL.
4. This URL is what the monitoring script will use to send messages.

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Step 2: Write a Simple Monitoring Script

Here’s a basic Bash script I run from my home server to check websites:

#!/bin/bash

# List of sites to check
SITES=("https://brewzr3dprinting.com" "https://brucereiss.com")

# Your Discord webhook
WEBHOOK_URL="https://discord.com/api/webhooks/XXXX/XXXX"

for SITE in "${SITES[@]}"; do
  if curl -s --head --request GET "$SITE" | grep "200 OK" > /dev/null; then
    echo "$SITE is up"
  else
    curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -X POST \
      -d "{\"content\":\"🚨 $SITE appears to be down!\"}" \
      $WEBHOOK_URL
  fi
done

This script loops through a list of sites, checks their HTTP response, and sends a Discord alert if something isn’t working.

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Step 3: Automate with Cron

To make it run automatically, I added it to my crontab:

crontab -e

And scheduled it to run every 5 minutes:

*/5 * * * * /home/user/check_sites.sh

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Step 4: Enjoy Real-Time Alerts

Now, whenever a site fails a check, I get a Discord notification instantly. It’s lightweight, reliable, and fully under my control.

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Why I Like This Setup

• No dependency on third parties → I control the monitoring.
• Discord alerts → reach me faster than email.
• Scalable → easy to add more sites or checks (like SSL certificate expiration).
• Fun project → combines my sysadmin background with my 3D printing business needs.

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Conclusion

Automating server checks with my home Linux server and Discord keeps me ahead of downtime without paying for an external service. It’s a simple example of how you can take advantage of scripting and automation to make life easier as a website owner.

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