npm package: @loopback/health
Description: An extension exposes health check related endpoints with LoopBack 4
Author: IBM Corp. and LoopBack contributors
Latest version: 0.15.11

# @loopback/health

This module contains a component to report health status using
[@cloudnative/health](https://github.com/CloudNativeJS/cloud-health).

## Installation

```sh
npm install --save @loopback/health
```

## Basic use

The component should be loaded in the constructor of your custom Application
class.

Start by importing the component class:

```ts
import {HealthComponent} from '@loopback/health';
```

In the constructor, add the component to your application:

```ts
this.component(HealthComponent);
```

By default, three routes are exposed at:

- `/health` - overall health status
- `/live` - liveness status
- `/ready` - readiness status

The paths can be customized via Health configuration as follows:

```ts
this.configure(HealthBindings.COMPONENT).to({
  healthPath: '/health',
  livePath: '/live',
  readyPath: '/ready',
});
```

{% include note.html content="*this.configure()* must be called before
*this.component()* to take effect. This is a
[known limitation](https://github.com/loopbackio/loopback-next/issues/4289#issuecomment-564617263)
." %}

http://localhost:3000/health returns health in JSON format, such as:

```json
{
  "status": "UP",
  "checks": [
    {"name": "readiness", "state": "UP", "data": {"reason": ""}},
    {"name": "liveness", "state": "UP", "data": {"reason": ""}}
  ]
}
```

It also has to be noted, that by default the OpenAPI spec is disabled and
therefore the endpoints will not be visible in the API explorer. The spec can be
enabled by setting `openApiSpec` to `true`.

```ts
this.configure(HealthBindings.COMPONENT).to({
  openApiSpec: true,
});
```

## Add custom `live` and `ready` checks

The health component allows extra
[`live` and `ready` checks](https://github.com/CloudNativeJS/cloud-health#readiness-vs-liveness)
to be added.

_Liveness probes_ are used to know when to restart a container. For example, in
case of a deadlock due to a multi-threading defect which might not crash the
container but keep the application unresponsive. A custom liveness probe would
detect this failure and restart the container.

_Readiness probes_ are used to decide when the container is available for
accepting traffic. It is important to note, that readiness probes are
periodically checked and not only at startup.

**Important:** It is recommended to avoid checking dependencies in liveness
probes. Liveness probes should be inexpensive and have response times with
minimal variance.

```ts
import {LiveCheck, ReadyCheck, HealthTags} from '@loopback/health';

const myLiveCheck: LiveCheck = () => {
  return Promise.resolve();
};
app.bind('health.MyLiveCheck').to(myLiveCheck).tag(HealthTags.LIVE_CHECK);

// Define a provider to check the health of a datasource
class DBHealthCheckProvider implements Provider<ReadyCheck> {
  constructor(@inject('datasources.db') private ds: DataSource) {}

  value() {
    return () => this.ds.ping();
  }
}

app
  .bind('health.MyDBCheck')
  .toProvider(DBHealthCheckProvider)
  .tag(HealthTags.READY_CHECK);

const myReadyCheck: ReadyCheck = () => {
  return Promise.resolve();
};
app.bind('health.MyReadyCheck').to(myReadyCheck).tag(HealthTags.READY_CHECK);
```

## Contributions

- [Guidelines](https://github.com/loopbackio/loopback-next/blob/master/docs/CONTRIBUTING.md)
- [Join the team](https://github.com/loopbackio/loopback-next/issues/110)

## Tests

Run `npm test` from the root folder.

## Contributors

See
[all contributors](https://github.com/loopbackio/loopback-next/graphs/contributors).

## License

MIT