ntfy.sh is an open-source, HTTP-based publish-subscribe notification service that allows you to send push notifications to your phone or desktop from any system with network access. Designed for developers and sysadmins, it eliminates the need for complex SDKs or third-party accounts—just send a PUT or POST request to an endpoint and receive instant notifications. The service offers both a free hosted version at ntfy.sh and full self-hosting capabilities via Docker or standalone binaries. With native mobile apps for Android and iOS, ntfy.sh bridges the gap between server-side scripts and real-time user alerts in a lightweight, no-signup way.
What You Get
- HTTP-based push notifications - Send notifications via simple curl or HTTP requests using PUT/POST to a topic URL, no authentication required for public topics.
- Self-hosting support - Deploy your own ntfy server using Docker or a standalone binary, with full control over data and scalability.
- Cross-platform mobile apps - Official open-source Android and iOS apps that receive notifications in real-time with full push capabilities.
- Topic-based pub/sub model - Create named topics (e.g., ntfy.sh/my-alerts) to route notifications to specific recipients or systems.
- Rich notification features - Support for titles, messages, priorities, tags, icons, attachments (images), and custom notification sounds.
- Web interface for subscription - View and manage topics directly in the browser with real-time message streaming.
- No account required - Use public topics immediately without signing up; private topics and authentication are optional for enhanced security.
Common Use Cases
- Building server monitoring alerts - Send disk space, service downtime, or backup completion notifications to your phone using a cron job with curl.
- CI/CD pipeline notifications - Trigger desktop or mobile alerts when builds succeed or fail in GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Jenkins using HTTP POST.
- Home automation alerts - Notify your phone when a security camera detects motion or a smart sensor triggers (e.g., via Home Assistant scripts).
- DevOps teams managing microservices - Use ntfy.sh to broadcast service health events across teams without configuring complex alerting systems like PagerDuty.
- Problem → Solution flow: No push notification system available? - Instead of integrating Firebase, APNs, or Twilio, use ntfy.sh with a single curl command to deliver alerts instantly.
- Team workflow: Developers automating daily reports - A script that runs every morning sends a summary of overnight logs to the team’s shared ntfy topic, visible on all members’ phones.
Under The Hood
ntfy is a versatile notification service that enables lightweight messaging and push notifications across multiple platforms, supporting both command-line and server-based usage. It combines simplicity with extensibility through modular architecture and multi-protocol support.
Architecture
ntfy follows a monolithic yet modular architecture that cleanly separates client and server functionalities while maintaining a unified codebase.
- The system uses a layered architecture where core logic is decoupled from presentation and infrastructure concerns
- Client and server components are organized into distinct packages with well-defined interfaces and dependencies
- Middleware and strategy patterns are applied consistently to handle configuration and error management across platforms
- Component communication is standardized through APIs and CLI interfaces, enabling cross-platform compatibility
Tech Stack
ntfy is built primarily with Go for its backend, complemented by a React-based web UI and modern JavaScript tooling.
- The backend is implemented in Go, with a React frontend powered by Vite and MUI components for UI consistency
- Key dependencies include the React ecosystem, utility libraries, and state management tools for frontend functionality
- Development and deployment are streamlined using Docker containers, Makefiles, and CI/CD pipelines for automation
- Testing is conducted using Go’s native testing framework with a focus on backend logic and module-level validation
Code Quality
ntfy maintains a clean and structured Go codebase that prioritizes cross-platform support and extensibility.
- The codebase demonstrates consistent structure with clear separation of concerns across modules
- Error handling follows standard Go idioms, though some documentation inconsistencies are present
- Code linting and CI/CD configurations support code quality and automated validation
- Test coverage is present but not comprehensive, indicating room for improvement in test depth
What Makes It Unique
ntfy distinguishes itself by offering a hybrid approach to notification systems, combining lightweight CLI tools with full-featured server capabilities.
- It bridges the gap between simple messaging systems and complex push notification services through flexible integration options
- Modular design allows for easy extensibility and customization across different deployment scenarios
- Multi-protocol support enables cross-platform communication without sacrificing usability or performance