README.md

check_http_response

A python module to check an HTTP response either via JSON or plaintext. Useful for nagios.

	usage: check_http_response.py [-h] [-v] [--server SERVER] [--headers_only]
								  [--json JSON JSON | --text TEXT]

	A Nagios-ready python script for comparing data retrieved from an HTTP source.
	./check_http_response.py --host 'https://example.org/status' --json 'status'
	'ok'

	optional arguments:
	  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
	  -v, --version         Show script version and exit
	  --server SERVER, --host SERVER
							specify a target host
	  --headers_only        retrieve only the headers
	  --json JSON JSON      compares against a JSON key/value pair from a URI
	  --text TEXT           compares against a plain text response from a URI

#####A word of caution with checking text:

If you plan on checking a text file, you likely want to write data to the file without a newline.

e.g. use the following:

$ echo -n 'ok' > /var/www/testpage.html

Otherwise, you're actually putting in the contents 'ok\n' and may be surprised by the check returning an error.

e.g. you may run into the following:

$ echo 'ok' > /var/www/testpage.html #echo adds a newline :(

$ ./check_http_response.py --server 'http://example.org/testpage.html' --text 'ok'

(2, "CRITICAL - Expected ok ; Received: ok\n]")

This is not a flaw in check_http_response or tools such as echo. The latter tries to be helpful (most of the time, you want a newline) and the prior by design should be strict in its comparisons.

###Requirements

• Python
• The Python 'Requests' module

###Documentation The documentation is available via the '-h' or '--help' flag to the check_http_response command. If you would like additional documentation, please request via opening an 'issue' on this repo.

###Contribute

1. Fork the repository on GitHub to start making your changes to the master branch (or branch off of it).
2. Write a test which shows that the bug was fixed or that the feature works as expected.
3. Send a pull request and bug the maintainer until it gets merged and published.