# API Health Check Status Endpoints

> Design liveness, readiness, and startup health endpoints with dependency probes and application/health+json. Use when adding Kubernetes probes or platform health checks.

- Skill: `deangrant/api-health-check-status-endpoints` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add deangrant/api-health-check-status-endpoints`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/deangrant/api-health-check-status-endpoints/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: deangrant (https://skillmd.com/u/deangrant)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/deangrant/api-health-check-status-endpoints

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# Health Check and Status Endpoints

Use this skill when exposing **operational health** for orchestrators.

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## 1. Probe split

| Probe | Purpose | Dependencies |
| ----- | ------- | ------------ |
| **Liveness** `/health/live` | Process up | None (or minimal) |
| **Readiness** `/health/ready` | Can take traffic | Critical deps; **503** if fail |
| **Startup** `/health/startup` | Boot complete | Until ready |

Do not fail liveness on downstream blips — that causes restart storms.

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## 2. Format

Prefer `application/health+json` with component status. Keep checks fast and
capped.

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## 3. Quick checklist

- [ ] Separate live/ready/startup.
- [ ] Ready returns 503 when critical deps down.
- [ ] No auth required for probes (or platform-friendly auth).
- [ ] Checks cheap; no heavy queries.

See [reference.md](reference.md) and [examples.md](examples.md).