feat: add Monitor block signing using GnoWatch

content/english/articles/showcases/gnowatch/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+---
+title: Monitor block signing using GnoWatch
+publishDate: 2026-01-10T08:00:00-01:00
+translationKey: 'gnowatch'
+tags: ['gnoland', 'validator', 'gnowatch', 'observability', 'monitoring']
+level: Beginner
+author: RaulBernal
+summary: This guide explains how to monitor gnoland validator's block signing using GnoWatch.
+---
+
+## Overview
+
+In this guide, we take a look at `GnoWatch`, a simple real-time monitoring tool written in Go and designed to efficiently check the block signatures (_precommits_) generated by a `gnoland` validator node.
+
+GnoWatch actively polls the latest blockchain block at regular intervals (every 60 seconds) and checks whether your validators have signed it. If a validator misses a block, GnoWatch immediately sends an alert to a configured Telegram group or channel, tagging the relevant contacts.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+Before you start, make sure you have the following:
+
+- A running `gnoland` validator node (or the address of one you want to watch).
+- A **Telegram Bot** and its API token. You can create one via [@BotFather](https://t.me/BotFather).
+- The **Chat ID** of the Telegram group or channel where alerts should be sent (use a negative ID for groups/channels, e.g. `-1001234567890`).
+- **Go 1.21+** installed.
+
+## Installation
+
+Clone the repository:
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/RaulBernal/GnoWatch.git
+cd GnoWatch
+```
+
+No extra dependencies are needed beyond the standard Go toolchain. The module file (`go.mod`) lists everything required.
+
+## Configuration
+
+All monitoring settings live in `config.go`. Open it and replace the placeholder values with your own:
+
+```go
+package main
+
+// Telegram Bot configuration
+const (
+    TelegramBotToken = "123456789:AABBCCDDEEFFaabbccddeeff-1234567890"
+    TelegramChatID   = "-1001234567890" // use negative ID for groups/channels
+)
+
+// address monitoring variables
+var validatorsToMonGnoland = []Validator{
+    {Name: "Validator 1",       Address: "g1zmua93u53na9xsvtmlh5d8p7pm0w7p52ehewc9", Telegram: "@YourHandle"},
+    {Name: "Validator AviaOne", Address: "g1e5sxezpafa8lcv5xu3nmw4plz30mnepq2wv9xs", Telegram: "@HandleA @HandleB"},
+    {Name: "Validator 2",       Address: "g1k9cp2fz6n3fa4zftx7cz6wv2hwzaz6lkr0xk7z", Telegram: "@YourHandle"},
+}
+```
+
+| Field | Description |
+|---|---|
+| `TelegramBotToken` | The API token provided by @BotFather |
+| `TelegramChatID` | The target group/channel ID (must be negative for groups) |
+| `Name` | A human-readable label for the validator |
+| `Address` | The `g1…` bech32 address of the validator |
+| `Telegram` | One or more Telegram handles to tag in alert messages |
+
+You can add as many validators as you need — just append extra entries to the slice.
+
+## Running GnoWatch
+
+Run directly with:
+
+```bash
+go run .
+```
+
+Or build a binary first:
+
+```bash
+go build -o validator-monitor .
+./validator-monitor
+```
+
+Once started, GnoWatch will print a startup message and begin checking every 60 seconds:
+
+```
+Go Bot started, we are going to check some VALIDATORS every 60 seconds
+
+* Checking: g1zmua93u53na9xsvtmlh5d8p7pm0w7p52ehewc9 - Validator 1
+* Checking: g1e5sxezpafa8lcv5xu3nmw4plz30mnepq2wv9xs - Validator AviaOne
+* Checking: g1k9cp2fz6n3fa4zftx7cz6wv2hwzaz6lkr0xk7z - Validator 2
+
+👍 g1zmua93u53na9xsvtmlh5d8p7pm0w7p52ehewc9 is signing
+
+❌ Validator AviaOne is not signing!!
+g1e5sxezpafa8lcv5xu3nmw4plz30mnepq2wv9xs
+cc: @HandleA @HandleB
+
+👍 g1k9cp2fz6n3fa4zftx7cz6wv2hwzaz6lkr0xk7z is signing
+```
+
+When a validator misses a block, the same alert is forwarded to the configured Telegram group so the tagged contacts are notified immediately.
+
+## Running as a background service (optional)
+
+For production use you will want GnoWatch to run continuously in the background. A minimal `systemd` unit:
+
+```ini
+[Unit]
+Description=GnoWatch validator signing monitor
+After=network.target
+
+[Service]
+ExecStart=/path/to/validator-monitor
+Restart=always
+RestartSec=5
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
+```
+
+Save it to `/etc/systemd/system/gnowatch.service`, then enable and start it:
+
+```bash
+sudo systemctl daemon-reload
+sudo systemctl enable --now gnowatch
+```
+
+## Summary
+
+GnoWatch is a lightweight, zero-dependency way to gain immediate visibility into your `gnoland` validator's signing activity. With just a Telegram bot and a handful of config lines, you can ensure you are alerted the moment a precommit is missed — keeping your validator healthy and your delegators happy.
+
+- **Source code**: [github.com/RaulBernal/GnoWatch](https://github.com/RaulBernal/GnoWatch)
+- **License**: Apache 2.0