Start with the API

Create an API key, send a count with curl, choose where alerts go and bring in past data.

Create an API key. Run npx countwatch init in your project: you approve a write key in the browser and it is saved as COUNTWATCH_API_KEY. Or sign in at https://countwatch.com/login and open Settings → API keys in the dashboard. A write key only sends data (POST /v1/ingest, POST /v1/import) and cannot read alerts: put it in your app's secrets as COUNTWATCH_API_KEY. An admin key manages the account and reads alerts: use it for scripts and CI. A key is shown once; you can name and revoke each one. Send it as Authorization: Bearer <key>. An agent connected over MCP needs no key: it signs in with your e-mail and works through its tools.

Send a count. A watch is one metric plus its tags (such as shop:EU); the first point creates it.

curl -X POST https://countwatch.com/v1/ingest \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $COUNTWATCH_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: $(uuidgen)" \
  -d '{"points":[{"metric":"orders","tags":{"shop":"EU"},"add":3}]}'

Choose where alerts go. Add Slack, a webhook, e-mail or PagerDuty (POST /v1/destinations, then POST /v1/destinations/{id}/verify) with an admin key, then choose it: PATCH /v1/groups/{id} or PATCH /v1/watches/{id} with destination_ids. With none chosen, alerts stay in the app. A write key cannot read alerts. Without a public address, read them with GET /v1/alerts?since=… and that admin key.
Skip the wait. A new watch first gets to know your pattern (status: "learning"); simple starter rules alert meanwhile. Import past counts (POST /v1/import) and alerts start now.

Errors follow RFC 9457 (problem details): each has a stable code, a fix page linked from its type, and a Request-Id to quote when you write to us. A rejected point carries {index, code, field, detail}.

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