[role="xpack"]
[[watcher-api-put-watch]]
=== Put Watch API

The PUT watch API either registers a new watch in {watcher} or update an
existing one.

[float]
==== Request

`PUT _xpack/watcher/watch/<watch_id>`

[float]
==== Description

When a watch is registered, a new document that represents the watch is added to
the `.watches` index and its trigger is immediately registered with the relevant
trigger engine. Typically for the `schedule` trigger, the scheduler is the
trigger engine.

IMPORTANT:  Putting a watch must be done via this API only. Do not put a watch
            directly to the `.watches` index using the Elasticsearch Index API.
            If {security} is enabled, make sure no `write` privileges are
            granted to anyone over the `.watches` index.

When adding a watch you can also define its initial
{xpack-ref}/how-watcher-works.html#watch-active-state[active state]. You do that
by setting the `active` parameter.

[float]
==== Path Parameters

`watch_id` (required)::
  (string) Identifier for the watch.

[float]
==== Query Parameters

`active`::
  (boolean) Defines whether the watch is active or inactive by default. The
  default value is `true`, which means the watch is active by default.

[float]
==== Request Body

A watch has the following fields:

[options="header"]
|======
| Name              | Description

| `trigger`         | The {xpack-ref}/trigger.html[trigger] that defines when
                      the watch should run.

| `input`           | The {xpack-ref}/input.html[input] that defines the input
                      that loads the data for the watch.

| `condition`       | The {xpack-ref}/condition.html[condition] that defines if
                      the actions should be run.

| `actions`         | The list of {xpack-ref}/actions.html[actions] that will be
                      run if the condition matches

| `metadata`        | Metadata json that will be copied into the history entries.

| `throttle_period` | The minimum time between actions being run, the default
                      for this is 5 seconds. This default can be changed in the
                      config file with the setting `xpack.watcher.throttle.period.default_period`.
|======

[float]
==== Authorization

You must have `manage_watcher` cluster privileges to use this API. For more
information, see {xpack-ref}/security-privileges.html[Security Privileges].

[float]
==== Examples

The following example adds a watch with the `my-watch` id that has the following
characteristics:

* The watch schedule triggers every minute.
* The watch search input looks for any 404 HTTP responses that occurred in the
  last five minutes.
* The watch condition checks if any search hits where found.
* When found, the watch action sends an email to an administrator.

[source,js]
--------------------------------------------------
PUT _xpack/watcher/watch/my-watch
{
  "trigger" : {
    "schedule" : { "cron" : "0 0/1 * * * ?" }
  },
  "input" : {
    "search" : {
      "request" : {
        "indices" : [
          "logstash*"
        ],
        "body" : {
          "query" : {
            "bool" : {
              "must" : {
                "match": {
                   "response": 404
                }
              },
              "filter" : {
                "range": {
                  "@timestamp": {
                    "from": "{{ctx.trigger.scheduled_time}}||-5m",
                    "to": "{{ctx.trigger.triggered_time}}"
                  }
                }
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "condition" : {
    "compare" : { "ctx.payload.hits.total" : { "gt" : 0 }}
  },
  "actions" : {
    "email_admin" : {
      "email" : {
        "to" : "admin@domain.host.com",
        "subject" : "404 recently encountered"
      }
    }
  }
}
--------------------------------------------------
// CONSOLE

When you add a watch you can also define its initial
{xpack-ref}/how-watcher-works.html#watch-active-state[active state]. You do that
by setting the `active` parameter. The following command adds a watch and sets
it to be inactive by default:

[source,js]
--------------------------------------------------
PUT _xpack/watcher/watch/my-watch?active=false
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: If you omit the `active` parameter, the watch is active by default.