---
type: api
title: Watcher
description: You can use Watcher to watch for changes or anomalies in your data and perform the necessary actions in response.
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/group/endpoint-watcher
resource: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/group/endpoint-watcher
products:
  - Elasticsearch
---

# Watcher

`watcher`

You can use Watcher to watch for changes or anomalies in your data and perform the necessary actions in response.

[Learn more about Watcher.](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/8.19/xpack-alerting.html)

- [Acknowledge a watch
](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-watcher-ack-watch): `POST` (also `PUT`) `/_watcher/watch/{watch_id}/_ack/{action_id}`, `POST` (also `PUT`) `/_watcher/watch/{watch_id}/_ack`
- [Activate a watch
](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-watcher-activate-watch): `POST` (also `PUT`) `/_watcher/watch/{watch_id}/_activate`
- [Deactivate a watch
](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-watcher-deactivate-watch): `POST` (also `PUT`) `/_watcher/watch/{watch_id}/_deactivate`
- [Get a watch](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-watcher-get-watch): `GET` `/_watcher/watch/{id}`
- [Create or update a watch
](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-watcher-put-watch): `POST` (also `PUT`) `/_watcher/watch/{id}`
- [Delete a watch](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-watcher-delete-watch): `DELETE` `/_watcher/watch/{id}`
- [Run a watch
](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-watcher-execute-watch): `POST` (also `PUT`) `/_watcher/watch/{id}/_execute`, `POST` (also `PUT`) `/_watcher/watch/_execute`
- [Get Watcher index settings](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-watcher-get-settings): `GET` `/_watcher/settings`
- [Update Watcher index settings](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-watcher-update-settings): `PUT` `/_watcher/settings`
- [Query watches
](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-watcher-query-watches): `POST` (also `GET`) `/_watcher/_query/watches`
- [Start the watch service](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-watcher-start): `POST` `/_watcher/_start`
- [Get Watcher statistics
](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-watcher-stats): `GET` `/_watcher/stats/{metric}`, `GET` `/_watcher/stats`
- [Stop the watch service](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-watcher-stop): `POST` `/_watcher/_stop`