Monitor a Pipedream workflow with StepCanary

Time: about 3 minutes. You need: a StepCanary check (its ping URL) and a Pipedream workflow.

New to StepCanary? A check is our watch on one automation: it listens for a signal each time the automation runs and alerts you when the signals stop. What is a check?

The idea: add one last step to your workflow that tells StepCanary "I ran." If those pings stop arriving, StepCanary emails you.

1. Create the check

1. In StepCanary, click New check and name it after the workflow.
2. Choose how often it should run (see "Which settings should I pick?" below) and create it.
3. Leave the check page open. It shows your ping URL and "Listening for your first ping…".

2. Add the step

1. Open the workflow in the Pipedream builder.
2. Click the + below the last step.
3. Choose HTTP / Webhook, then Send any HTTP Request.

3. Copy these settings

Prefer code? A Node.js step does the same thing:

export default defineComponent({
  async run({ steps, $ }) {
    await fetch("https://ping.stepcanary.com/p/YOUR-TOKEN", {
      method: "POST",
      headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
      body: JSON.stringify({ status: "ok" }),
    });
  },
});

4. Test it

1. Click Test on the step.
2. Look at the StepCanary check page. Within a couple of seconds it changes to "Connected! First ping received".
3. Deploy the workflow.

StepCanary sends no alerts until the first ping has arrived.

Which settings should I pick?

If an earlier step ends the workflow early (for example with $.flow.exit() or a filter step), later steps do not run and no ping is sent for that event. Place the ping step where it runs for every case you count as "working."

Watch the data too (optional, Pro)

To be told when a field goes blank or missing, send the fields you care about in the body. In the HTTP step, switch the body to key/value fields and reference earlier steps, e.g. key email, value {{steps.trigger.event.body.email}}. In a code step:

body: JSON.stringify({
  email: steps.trigger.event.body.email,
  order_id: steps.trigger.event.body.id,
}),

Then edit the check in StepCanary and turn on "Alert me when the data it sends changes shape". StepCanary only looks at field names and whether each is filled in, blank or a different type. It never stores the values.

Report failures right away (optional)

In a Node.js step, wrap the risky part of the workflow and report the failure before rethrowing:

export default defineComponent({
  async run({ steps, $ }) {
    try {
      // ... your logic ...
    } catch (err) {
      await fetch("https://ping.stepcanary.com/p/YOUR-TOKEN/fail", { method: "POST" });
      throw err;
    }
  },
});

StepCanary then alerts immediately instead of waiting for pings to stop.

Troubleshooting