---
title: Manage your synthetic monitors
source: https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/examples/synthetics-api/overview
---

Synthetic monitors help you proactively check your applications, services, and endpoints to ensure they're working properly. You can automate the management of your [synthetic monitors](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/synthetics/synthetic-monitoring/using-monitors/add-edit-monitors/), [private locations](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/synthetics/synthetic-monitoring/private-locations/private-locations-overview-monitor-internal-sites-add-new-locations/), [secure credentials](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/synthetics/synthetic-monitoring/using-monitors/store-secure-credentials-scripted-browsers-api-tests/), and [monitor downtimes](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/synthetics/synthetic-monitoring/using-monitors/monitor-downtimes-disable-monitoring-during-scheduled-maintenance-times/) using [NerdGraph](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/get-started/introduction-new-relic-nerdgraph/).

With the appropriate permissions and access, you can programmatically manage your entire synthetic monitoring setup through queries and mutations in NerdGraph. Alternatively, you can perform these operations via the [New Relic UI](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/synthetics/synthetic-monitoring/using-monitors/add-edit-monitors/).

## Requirements [#requirements]

Requirements include:

-   A [New Relic account](https://newrelic.com/signup). You'll need your API user key from this account to authenticate [mutations and queries](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/get-started/introduction-new-relic-nerdgraph/).
-   [General NerdGraph requirements](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/get-started/introduction-new-relic-nerdgraph/#authentication).
-   Relevant user permissions: You need the same [synthetic monitoring permissions](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/synthetics/synthetic-monitoring/administration/user-roles-synthetic-monitoring) for NerdGraph as you do for the synthetics UI.

## Get started [#get-started]

To start using the NerdGraph API for synthetic monitoring:

1.  Go to the [NerdGraph GraphQL Explorer](https://one.newrelic.com/nerdgraph-graphiql)
2.  Obtain your [API user key](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/intro-apis/new-relic-api-keys/#user-key) for authentication
3.  Choose your monitor type or operation from the guides below
4.  Use the provided GraphQL mutations and queries to manage your synthetic monitoring infrastructure

## Monitor types [#monitor-types]

New Relic provides several monitor types to suit different testing needs. Each monitor type has specific capabilities and use cases:

### Browser-based monitors

| Monitor Type                                                                                                               | Description                                                               | Use Cases                                                                   |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Ping monitor](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/examples/synthetics-api/ping-monitor)                         | Simple availability checks that verify an endpoint is accessible          | Basic uptime monitoring, health checks, API availability                    |
| [Simple browser monitor](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/examples/synthetics-api/simple-browser-monitor)     | Browser-based page load test without custom scripting                     | Website availability, page load performance, basic user experience          |
| [Scripted browser monitor](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/examples/synthetics-api/scripted-browser-monitor) | Custom JavaScript to simulate complex user interactions in a real browser | Login flows, multi-step user journeys, complex web application testing      |
| [Step monitor](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/examples/synthetics-api/step-monitor)                         | Codeless, multi-step browser testing using predefined actions             | Common workflows without scripting, click-through testing, form submissions |

### API and certificate monitors

| Monitor Type                                                                                                                 | Description                                          | Use Cases                                                       |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Scripted API monitor](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/examples/synthetics-api/scripted-api-monitor)           | Custom JavaScript to test APIs without a browser     | REST API testing, GraphQL endpoints, backend service monitoring |
| [Certificate check monitor](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/examples/synthetics-api/certificate-check-monitor) | Monitors SSL/TLS certificate validity and expiration | SSL certificate expiration alerts, security compliance          |
| [Broken links monitor](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/examples/synthetics-api/broken-links-monitor)           | Crawls a website to identify broken links            | Website health checks, SEO maintenance, link validation         |

## Supporting entities [#supporting-entities]

In addition to monitors, you can manage supporting infrastructure and configuration:

-   [Private locations](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/examples/synthetics-api/private-locations) - Create monitoring locations behind your firewall for internal applications
-   [Secure credentials](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/examples/synthetics-api/secure-credentials) - Store sensitive information like passwords and API keys securely
-   [Monitor downtimes](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/examples/synthetics-api/monitor-downtimes) - Schedule maintenance windows when monitors should pause

## Query operations [#query-operations]

Use [query operations](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/examples/synthetics-api/query-synthetics-data) to retrieve information about your synthetic monitoring setup:

-   **General queries**: Query all monitors in your account with filtering options
-   **Monitor-specific queries**: Retrieve the script from a scripted monitor, or the ordered steps from a step monitor
-   **Supporting entity queries**: Retrieve private location configurations, secure credential metadata, and scheduled monitor downtimes
-   **Advanced queries**: Map legacy monitor IDs to entity GUIDs and check runtime upgrade status for legacy monitors

## Related resources [#related-resources]

-   [NerdGraph introduction](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/get-started/introduction-new-relic-nerdgraph/) - Learn about New Relic's GraphQL API
-   [NerdGraph Explorer](https://one.newrelic.com/nerdgraph-graphiql) - Interactive tool to build and test queries
-   [Synthetic monitoring documentation](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/synthetics/synthetic-monitoring/getting-started/get-started-synthetic-monitoring/) - Comprehensive guide to synthetic monitoring
-   [NerdGraph entities API](https://docs.newrelic.com/docs/apis/nerdgraph/examples/nerdgraph-entities-api-tutorial/) - Additional query capabilities for synthetic entities