1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,400 Welcome to another deep dive, everybody. 2 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:04,040 And today we're going to be talking about ntfy. 3 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:06,880 This is a tool that lets you send custom notifications 4 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:08,760 straight to your phone or computer. 5 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:10,720 And I'm very excited to learn more about it. 6 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:13,160 Oh, and before we dive in, a quick shout out 7 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:15,160 to our sponsor, Safe Server. 8 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:17,240 They're experts in digital transformation. 9 00:00:17,240 --> 00:00:18,640 And they also, believe it or not, 10 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:20,680 handle the hosting for this amazing tool. 11 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:22,880 If you're interested in leveling up your tech game, 12 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:26,840 you can head over to www.safeserver.de. 13 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:31,000 That's awesome, yeah, and ntfy is a simple, but really 14 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:32,520 powerful notification service. 15 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,440 So it's perfect for anyone who wants 16 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:37,880 to stay informed about the things they care about, 17 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:41,580 like website updates, server alludes, or even fun things 18 00:00:41,580 --> 00:00:43,760 like getting a notification when your laundry's done, 19 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:44,640 or anything like that. 20 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:45,640 So it's very versatile. 21 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,560 I love that no more checking the dryer every five minutes. 22 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:50,800 OK, well, we've got a bunch of documents here about ntfy. 23 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:52,520 But let's start with the basics. 24 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:55,800 What exactly is ntfy, and how does it work? 25 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,880 So imagine ntfy as like your own personal messaging system. 26 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:02,720 It uses something called HTTP, which is basically 27 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:03,920 like the language of the web. 28 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,080 Like every time you visit a website or send an email, 29 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,560 your device uses HTTP to communicate 30 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:11,440 with the servers out there. 31 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:14,520 OK, so it's like using the same technology as browsing the web. 32 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:15,280 Exactly. 33 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:17,640 But instead of sending web pages or emails, 34 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:19,720 ntfy sends small messages. 35 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:21,240 We call these notifications. 36 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:23,520 And you create specific channels for different types 37 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:25,840 of notifications, and we call those topics. 38 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:26,960 Ooh, OK, I like that. 39 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:28,880 So let's say I want to get notified whenever 40 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,920 there's a new post on my favorite blog. 41 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:34,160 I would create a blog updates topic. 42 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:34,880 Precisely. 43 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:37,880 Then you could set up the blog to send a notification 44 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:41,080 to that topic whenever a new post is published. 45 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:43,560 And how do I actually receive these notifications? 46 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:45,080 Do I have to be constantly checking 47 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:46,240 some website or something? 48 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:47,200 No, not at all. 49 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,720 That's actually where the beauty of ntfy comes in. 50 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:51,880 You can use their free app for your phone, 51 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:54,940 a web app on your computer, or even set up your own server 52 00:01:54,940 --> 00:01:56,720 if you want, like full control. 53 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:00,920 So there's like an option for every level of tech savviness. 54 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:01,840 Absolutely. 55 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:02,720 OK, I love that. 56 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:04,080 Now, I know some of our listeners 57 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,340 might be new to this whole notification thing, right? 58 00:02:06,340 --> 00:02:08,600 Could you give us like a super, super simple example 59 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,480 of how ntfy works in practice? 60 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:12,280 Yeah, for sure. 61 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,580 So imagine you have a script on your computer 62 00:02:14,580 --> 00:02:17,400 that backs up your important files every night, right? 63 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:19,040 You could add a simple line of code 64 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,880 to that script that sends an ntfy notification 65 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,320 to your phone once the backup is complete. 66 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:26,680 Ah, OK, so instead of wondering if that backup worked, 67 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:29,160 I'd get a little ping on my phone saying backup successful. 68 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,360 Exactly, and that's just like scratching the surface. 69 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,240 ntfy lets you customize these notifications 70 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,120 with different priority levels. 71 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:38,220 So like a critical server alert would 72 00:02:38,220 --> 00:02:41,280 sound different from a reminder to water your plants. 73 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:43,520 You can even attach images or files. 74 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:44,440 Wait, attach files? 75 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:46,440 Like I could get a notification with a snapshot 76 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:47,440 from my security camera? 77 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,760 Exactly, or a notification, like when your 3D printer finishes 78 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,800 a job, complete with a photo of the finished product. 79 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:54,960 This is blowing my mind. 80 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:55,760 OK, hold on. 81 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:57,960 And you said I can even set up my own ntfy server. 82 00:02:57,960 --> 00:02:59,720 What are the benefits of doing that? 83 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:02,160 So self-hosting gives you complete control 84 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,160 over your data and allows you to integrate ntfy 85 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,800 into your own systems, like a little bit deeper. 86 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:10,760 Plus it can be a fun project for those who like to tinker. 87 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:12,640 I can already see the wheels turning for some 88 00:03:12,640 --> 00:03:14,040 of our techie listeners out there. 89 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:14,760 Yeah. 90 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,480 OK, so we've got a good handle on the basics of ntfy. 91 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:21,200 But what makes it stand out from other notification systems? 92 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:23,320 Couldn't I just use email for some of this stuff? 93 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:25,040 That's a good point, yeah. 94 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,600 While email is certainly useful for a lot of things, 95 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,600 ntfy is designed specifically for real-time notifications. 96 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,520 So it's lightweight, efficient, and super flexible. 97 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,720 Plus it offers features that email just can't match. 98 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:38,400 OK, like what? 99 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:39,400 Give me some examples. 100 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:40,200 I'm very curious. 101 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,520 For example, ntfy allows you to create action buttons 102 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:45,280 right within your notifications. 103 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,640 So let's say you get an alert that your website is down. 104 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:52,720 Instead of logging into your server to restart it, 105 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,200 you could have a button in the notification that does it 106 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,000 for you with a single tap. 107 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,320 Oh, wow, so that sounds incredibly convenient. 108 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:00,920 So I could manage my entire server 109 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,520 from my phone using ntfy. 110 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:05,120 Well, maybe not your entire server, 111 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:07,580 but you could certainly handle common tasks 112 00:04:07,580 --> 00:04:10,440 and get immediate feedback without interrupting 113 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:11,400 your workflow. 114 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:13,720 OK, OK, I'm starting to see the real power here. 115 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:15,880 But how do these action buttons actually work? 116 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,180 Is it like some complicated coding magic? 117 00:04:18,180 --> 00:04:18,960 No, not at all. 118 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,480 It's surprisingly straightforward, actually. 119 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:23,400 Essentially, when you create a notification 120 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:27,000 with an action button, you also specify a command or script 121 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,600 that should be executed when the button is pressed. 122 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:31,800 OK, so let's say I wanted to create a notification that 123 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,860 lets me approve a code deployment with a single tap. 124 00:04:34,860 --> 00:04:36,480 What would that look like in practice? 125 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:37,440 OK, let's break it down. 126 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:39,480 So you would send a notification to your phone 127 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:42,920 with a message like, new code deployment ready for approval. 128 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:44,360 And this notification would include 129 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:45,880 a button labeled approve. 130 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:47,080 OK, so far so good. 131 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:49,080 What happens when I tap that approve button? 132 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,240 When you tap approve, the Intify app 133 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:53,060 would send a signal back to your system, 134 00:04:53,060 --> 00:04:55,000 triggering a predefined script. 135 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:56,400 And this script could be something 136 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,000 as simple of running a command to deploy the new code. 137 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:00,680 Oh, so the button press on my phone 138 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:02,800 essentially kicks off a chain reaction that 139 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:04,320 automates the deployment process. 140 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:06,080 Precisely, and this same principle 141 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:08,400 can be applied to countless scenarios, 142 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,360 from managing your smart home devices 143 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:12,000 to controlling your media center. 144 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,200 This is truly next level stuff, but I have to admit, 145 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:16,160 all this talk about scripts and servers 146 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,680 might sound a bit intimidating to some of our listeners who 147 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:20,240 are new to the tech world. 148 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:23,120 Is Intify really accessible to beginners, 149 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:25,880 or do you need to be like a coding wizard to use it? 150 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:28,320 That's a valid concern, but rest assured, 151 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,680 Intify is actually designed with simplicity in mind. 152 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:33,920 You don't need to be a coding expert to get started. 153 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,480 In fact, you can experience the magic of Intify 154 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:38,320 without writing a single line of code. 155 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:38,920 Really? 156 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:39,920 How is that possible? 157 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:41,840 Remember those topics we talked about earlier? 158 00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:44,080 Well, there are tons of preexisting topics 159 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:47,000 that you can subscribe to for all sorts of useful notifications. 160 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,160 So instead of setting up my own scripts and commands, 161 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:51,920 I could just tap into these existing notification streams. 162 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:52,480 Exactly. 163 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,480 For example, there is a popular website monitoring service 164 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,520 called changedetection.io that uses Intify. 165 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,160 You can subscribe to a topic for a specific website, 166 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,120 and you'll get a notification whenever that website changes. 167 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:07,800 So I could get notified when a new episode, my favorite 168 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:11,440 podcast, is released, or when tickets go on sale for a concert. 169 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:12,160 Exactly. 170 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:14,360 And there are tons of other pre-made integrations 171 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,080 for things like server monitoring, weather alerts, 172 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:19,600 sports scores, and even stock prices. 173 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:21,200 Wow, the possibilities are endless. 174 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,080 OK, so we've covered a lot of ground here, 175 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:26,280 from simple notifications to really powerful automation 176 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:27,800 with these action buttons, right? 177 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:31,520 But I'm curious, what are some of the more unique or unexpected 178 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:33,360 ways people are using Intify out there? 179 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:34,720 I'm always curious to learn more. 180 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:36,640 Oh, yeah, one of my favorite things about the Intify 181 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:38,200 community is how creative they are. 182 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,240 People are constantly coming up with new and innovative ways 183 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,480 to use Intify, really pushing the boundaries 184 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:44,560 of what's possible. 185 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:46,160 Oh, wow, do you have any cool examples? 186 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:48,760 I'm always fascinated by how people hack these tools 187 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:50,160 to do really cool things. 188 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:50,720 Absolutely. 189 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,000 I've seen people use Intify for everything, 190 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,760 from tracking the progress of their sourdough starter 191 00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:58,600 to getting reminders about watering their plants. 192 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:00,960 Just very unique use cases. 193 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:02,880 Wait, sourdough starter notifications. 194 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:03,880 That's incredible. 195 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:05,520 I guess when you think about it, Intify 196 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:09,160 can be used for any event that triggers a change in a system, 197 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:11,520 whether it's a website update or a rise in dough. 198 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:13,560 Precisely, and that's what makes it so versatile. 199 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,400 It's not just limited to technical applications. 200 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:18,760 It can be used to enhance any aspect of your life 201 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,360 where timely notifications could be beneficial. 202 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaking of enhancing our lives, I 203 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,640 think this is a good time to bring up the Intify ecosystem. 204 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:30,440 We've talked about the apps and the possibility of self-hosting, 205 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,000 but there's more to it, right? 206 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:32,800 Absolutely. 207 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,880 Intify offers a range of options to suit 208 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:37,720 different needs and preferences. 209 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:40,840 There's the free public service at intify.sech, 210 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:42,640 which is a great starting point. 211 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,760 Then there are the mobile apps for Android and iOS, 212 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,000 which provide a really seamless notification experience 213 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:50,160 on your phone. 214 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:52,480 And for those who prefer a desktop experience, 215 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:53,960 there's the web app, too, right? 216 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:54,720 Exactly. 217 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:56,960 The web app lets you receive notifications right 218 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,500 in your browser, so you don't have to be constantly checking 219 00:07:59,500 --> 00:08:00,120 your phone. 220 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,600 And as we mentioned earlier, for ultimate control 221 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,320 and flexibility, you can self-host your own ntfy server. 222 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:07,240 Now, I know some of our listeners are probably 223 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:08,320 wondering about the cost. 224 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,800 Is ntfy completely free, or are there paid options available? 225 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:12,880 That's a great question. 226 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,960 The core functionality of ntfy is entirely free and open 227 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:17,080 source, however. 228 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,700 They do offer ntfy Pro plans for those 229 00:08:19,700 --> 00:08:22,400 who need additional features or want to support the project's 230 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:23,040 development. 231 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:24,200 OK, so what kind of features are we 232 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:25,680 talking about with these Pro plans? 233 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:29,040 The Pro plans offer things like reserved topic names, 234 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,040 more storage space for attachments, 235 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:32,540 and priority support. 236 00:08:32,540 --> 00:08:35,640 They're a great option for businesses or power users 237 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:37,720 who really heavily rely on ntfy. 238 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:39,560 But for the average user, the free tier 239 00:08:39,560 --> 00:08:41,260 is more than enough to get started 240 00:08:41,260 --> 00:08:43,960 and explore the wonderful world of notifications, right? 241 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:44,600 Absolutely. 242 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:47,280 And it's worth noting that even with the Pro plans, 243 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:49,720 ntfy remains super affordable. 244 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,000 Plans start at just a few dollars a month. 245 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,800 So no matter your budget or your technical expertise, 246 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:56,600 there's an ntfy option for you. 247 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,320 I think we've covered pretty much everything about ntfy, 248 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:02,120 from how it works to those really cool advanced features 249 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,660 like action buttons and self-hosting. 250 00:09:04,660 --> 00:09:07,080 Any final thoughts before we wrap up this deep dive? 251 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:09,400 I think the key takeaway here is that ntfy 252 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,200 is an incredibly powerful and versatile tool that 253 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:15,960 can be used to really simplify and enhance your digital life. 254 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,240 Whether you're using it for work, personal projects, 255 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:21,440 or just having fun, ntfy has the potential 256 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:24,200 to revolutionize the way you receive and interact 257 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:25,160 with information. 258 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:26,200 I couldn't agree more. 259 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,120 It's been such an eye-opening journey for me. 260 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:29,740 I'm already brainstorming all the ways 261 00:09:29,740 --> 00:09:32,600 I can integrate ntfy into my workflow. 262 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:34,360 And speaking of making things happen, 263 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,060 a huge thank you to Safe Server for sponsoring this deep dive 264 00:09:37,060 --> 00:09:38,600 and for their incredible dedication 265 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:40,320 to digital transformation. 266 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:43,560 You can head over to www.safeserver.de 267 00:09:43,560 --> 00:09:45,760 to learn more about all their innovative solutions. 268 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:47,200 Yeah, they're truly paving the way 269 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,440 for a more connected and efficient future for all of us. 270 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:52,440 So as we conclude our deep dive into ntfy, 271 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:54,520 I want to leave our listeners with a little challenge. 272 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:56,360 Think about all the information you wish you 273 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:57,960 had right at your fingertips. 274 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:00,640 What notifications would make your life easier, more 275 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:02,560 productive, or just more enjoyable. 276 00:10:02,560 --> 00:10:05,280 The possibilities really are endless with a tool like this. 277 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:06,600 That's the beauty of ntfy. 278 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:08,560 It really empowers you to create a world 279 00:10:08,560 --> 00:10:11,320 where you're always in the loop, never missing a beat. 280 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:13,040 So go forth, fellow learners, and start 281 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:15,640 exploring the exciting world of custom notifications 282 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:16,620 with ntfy. 283 00:10:16,620 --> 00:10:19,160 Until next time, happy notifying.