﻿---
title: Inputs
description: When a watch is triggered, its input loads data into the execution context. This payload is accessible during the subsequent watch execution phases. For...
url: https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4057/explore-analyze/alerts-cases/watcher/input
products:
  - Elasticsearch
---

# Inputs
When a watch is triggered, its *input* loads data into the execution context. This payload is accessible during the subsequent watch execution phases. For example, you can base a watch’s condition on the data loaded by its input.
Watcher supports four input types:
- [`simple`](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4057/explore-analyze/alerts-cases/watcher/input-simple): load static data into the execution context.
- [`search`](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4057/explore-analyze/alerts-cases/watcher/input-search): load the results of a search into the execution context.
- [`http`](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4057/explore-analyze/alerts-cases/watcher/input-http): load the results of an HTTP request into the execution context.
- [`chain`](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4057/explore-analyze/alerts-cases/watcher/input-chain): use a series of inputs to load data into the execution context.

<note>
  If you don’t define an input for a watch, an empty payload is loaded into the execution context.
</note>