Revolutionizing Notifications with NTFY.sh

By: Hugo Valters

In today’s fast-paced digital world, effective communication is the backbone of productivity and success. Whether you’re managing a complex DevSecOps pipeline, running a small business, or organizing personal tasks, timely and efficient notifications are critical.

Enter NTFY.sh, a lightweight, open-source notification tool that offers simplicity, flexibility, and power.

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📺 Video Demo & Tutorial

The demo and Installation Guide you will find in this article and also in my YouTube video here:

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What is NTFY.sh?

NTFY.sh is a simple, HTTP-based notification service that allows you to send and receive notifications via REST API, Python, CURL or command-line tools. Think of it as a highly customizable and platform-independent tool for managing alerts and updates, without the overhead of more complex notification systems.

Key Features

• Easy-to-use HTTP API: Send notifications with a single command or HTTP request.
• Cross-platform compatibility: Works on Windows, Linux, macOS, and mobile devices.
• Self-hosting capability: Secure your data by running NTFY.sh on your own server.
• Integration-ready: Works with tools like Docker, Home Assistant, and shell scripts.

Why Use NTFY.sh?

• 1. Minimal Setup: With no heavy dependencies or complex configurations, NTFY.sh can be up and running in minutes.
• 2. Versatile Applications: From alerting you about a failing server to reminding you about your next coffee break, NTFY.sh’s applications are virtually endless.
• 3. Privacy and Security: For sensitive environments, the option to self-host NTFY.sh ensures complete control over your data.
• 4. Cost-Effective: Being open-source, it eliminates the licensing costs associated with commercial notification systems.

Top Use Cases for NTFY.sh

1. DevOps and Monitoring Alerts: Notify team members about failing builds in a CI/CD pipeline or alert admins about anomalies detected by tools like Prometheus, Zabbix or Nagios.
2. IoT and Smart Home: Receive alerts when your smart doorbell detects motion or the temperature in your greenhouse exceeds a threshold.
3. Personal Productivity: Schedule reminders for meetings, deadlines, or get updates on the status of long-running scripts.

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Installation Guide (Docker)

To start the installation we will need a VPS. In our tutorial, we will be using ZONE.EU.

1. Update and Install Docker

First, become root and update your repositories:

sudo su
apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y

Install required certificates and add Docker’s repository keys:

sudo apt-get install ca-certificates curl -y
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc

Install Docker and Docker Compose:

sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin
apt-get install docker-compose -y

2. Docker Network and Nginx Proxy

Create a network for your containers:

docker network create valtersit

Note: For the full Nginx Reverse Proxy and Portainer setup commands, refer to the video guide or the GitHub repository.

3. Deploy NTFY with Docker Compose

Create a directory and your docker-compose.yml file:

mkdir -p /srv/docker/startup
cd /srv/docker/startup
nano docker-compose.yml

Example config for NTFY:

version: '3.8'
services:
  ntfy:
    hostname: ntfy.valtersit.com
    image: binwiederhier/ntfy
    container_name: ntfy.valtersit.com
    command: serve
    environment:
      - TZ=UTC
      - VIRTUAL_HOST=ntfy.valtersit.com
      - LETSENCRYPT_EMAIL=myssl@valtersit.eu
      - LETSENCRYPT_HOST=ntfy.valtersit.com
      - NTFY_BASE_URL=https://ntfy.valtersit.com
      - NTFY_AUTH_DEFAULT_ACCESS=deny-all
      - NTFY_BEHIND_PROXY=true
      - NTFY_ENABLE_LOGIN=true
    volumes:
      - /srv/docker/ntfy/cache:/var/cache/ntfy
      - /srv/docker/ntfy/config:/etc/ntfy
      - /srv/docker/ntfy/lib/:/var/lib/ntfy/
    ports:
      - 838:80
      - 438:443
    restart: unless-stopped
    networks:
      - valtersit

networks:
  valtersit:
    external: true

Start the container:

docker-compose up -d

4. Setup Authentication and Send a Message

Enter the container to create an admin user and a token:

docker exec -it ntfy.valtersit.com sh
ntfy user add --role admin valtersit
ntfy token add valtersit

Send your first test message via CURL:

curl -u :tk_your_token_here -d "This is a test demo for valtersit" https://ntfy.valtersit.com/valtersit

Conclusion

NTFY is a great simple tool in your day-to-day life as an IT expert. Over one year of NTFY usage, I have saved my time and I’m pretty happy with how it works and delivers me the important things.

Follow me on X (Twitter): https://x.com/HugoValters.