dashboard, status API and notifications tell apex domains from hostnames (closes #224)

An apex domain's own records are still saved with the hostnames'
records, under the domain's name, so the port and TLS checks find its
addresses. Notifications about them now start `Domain:`, decided by the
configured domains. The dashboard and /api/v1/status, which read only
the saved state, take a hostname entry whose name also has a domain
entry as that domain's own records: the dashboard shows them in a second
table under Domains, the API in the domain's `recordsByNameserver`, and
neither lists or counts them as hostnames. The startup notification
counts domains and hostnames from the configuration. README says which
of a domain's own records are watched and how their changes are
notified.

Model: opus-5-5

README.md

@@ -81,6 +81,12 @@ notification endpoint set, changes show only on the dashboard; see
       removed gets only the NS change notification. When the lookup of a
       nameserver's addresses fails or finds none, its previous addresses are
       kept and nothing is sent.
+- Also watches the domain's own records as a hostname's are watched (see DNS
+  Hostname Monitoring below): its A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SRV, CAA and NS
+  records, stored per nameserver. Their changes are notified as a hostname's
+  are, as a record change, NS query failure, NS recovery, inconsistency or CNAME
+  address change, in a message that starts `Domain:` where a hostname's starts
+  `Hostname:`.
 
 ### DNS Hostname Monitoring (Subdomains)
 
@@ -183,18 +189,18 @@ Supported notification backends:
 All configured endpoints receive every notification. Notification content
 includes:
 
-- **DNS record changes**: Which hostname, which nameserver, what record type,
-  old values, new values.
+- **DNS record changes**: Which hostname or domain, which nameserver, what
+  record type, old values, new values.
 - **DNS NS changes**: Which domain, which nameservers were added/removed.
 - **NS address changes**: Which domain, which nameserver, its old and new
   addresses.
-- **CNAME address changes**: Which hostname, the old and new addresses at the
-  end of its CNAME chain.
+- **CNAME address changes**: Which hostname or domain, the old and new addresses
+  at the end of its CNAME chain.
 - **NS query failures**: Which nameserver failed, error type (timeout, SERVFAIL,
   REFUSED, network error), which hostname/domain affected.
 - **NS recoveries**: Which nameserver recovered, which hostname/domain.
 - **NS inconsistencies**: Which nameservers disagree, what each one returned,
-  which hostname affected.
+  which hostname or domain affected.
 - **Port changes**: Which IP:port, its new state, all associated hostnames.
 - **TLS expiry warnings**: Expiry date and days remaining, CN, associated
   hostname and IP.
@@ -229,7 +235,8 @@ dnswatcher includes an unauthenticated, read-only web dashboard at the root URL
 (`/`). It displays:
 
 - **Summary counts** for monitored domains, hostnames, ports, and certificates.
-- **Domains** with their discovered nameservers.
+- **Domains** with their discovered nameservers, and each domain's own records
+  per nameserver and status, shown as a hostname's are.
 - **Hostnames** with per-nameserver DNS records and status. For a nameserver
   whose query failed, the reason is shown in place of the records.
 - **Ports** with open/closed state and associated hostnames.
@@ -263,7 +270,9 @@ dnswatcher exposes a lightweight HTTP API for operational visibility:
 
 In `/api/v1/status`, each nameserver entry and certificate entry whose `status`
 is `error` also has `error`, the reason, as in the state file (see State File
-Format).
+Format). A domain's own records are in its entry in `domains`, under
+`recordsByNameserver`, in the form a hostname's entry in `hostnames` has them
+under `nameservers`; `hostnames` and `counts.hostnames` hold no domain.
 
 `/metrics` is served only when `DNSWATCHER_METRICS_USERNAME` is set, behind
 Basic Auth. It has the Prometheus Go client's default metrics only (Go runtime,
@@ -455,7 +464,8 @@ resolver: the HTTP client looks up the webhook's or Sentry's host name with it.
 
 The state file (`DATA_DIR/state.json`) contains the complete monitoring
 snapshot. Hostname records are stored **per authoritative nameserver**, not as a
-merged view, to enable inconsistency detection.
+merged view, to enable inconsistency detection. `hostnames` also holds each
+domain's own records, under the domain's name.
 
 ```json
 {

TODO.md

@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ trial run of the finished image: https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/dnswatcher/issues/149
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-10-02: an apex domain is not counted or listed as a hostname; its records
+  show under Domains, and notifications about them say `Domain:` (closes #224).
 - 2026-10-02: the dashboard lists each nameserver's record types in one fixed
   order, the README's, then any other type, not a random one (closes #226).
 - 2026-10-02: the dashboard and `/api/v1/status` show why a nameserver query or

internal/handlers/dashboard.go

@@ -43,12 +43,16 @@ func newDashboardTemplate() *template.Template {
 	)
 }
 
-// dashboardData is the data passed to the dashboard template.
+// dashboardData is the data passed to the dashboard template. Hostnames
+// and DomainRecords split the records in Snapshot.Hostnames, which also
+// holds the apex domains' own (see splitHostnames).
 type dashboardData struct {
-	Snapshot    state.Snapshot
-	Alerts      []notify.AlertEntry
-	StateAge    string
-	GeneratedAt string
+	Snapshot      state.Snapshot
+	Hostnames     map[string]*state.HostnameState
+	DomainRecords map[string]*state.HostnameState
+	Alerts        []notify.AlertEntry
+	StateAge      string
+	GeneratedAt   string
 }
 
 // HandleDashboard returns the dashboard page handler.
@@ -61,12 +65,15 @@ func (h *Handlers) HandleDashboard() http.HandlerFunc {
 	) {
 		snap := h.state.GetSnapshot()
 		alerts := h.notifyHistory.Recent()
+		hostnames, domainRecords := splitHostnames(snap)
 
 		data := dashboardData{
-			Snapshot:    snap,
-			Alerts:      alerts,
-			StateAge:    relTime(snap.LastUpdated),
-			GeneratedAt: time.Now().UTC().Format("2006-01-02 15:04:05"),
+			Snapshot:      snap,
+			Hostnames:     hostnames,
+			DomainRecords: domainRecords,
+			Alerts:        alerts,
+			StateAge:      relTime(snap.LastUpdated),
+			GeneratedAt:   time.Now().UTC().Format("2006-01-02 15:04:05"),
 		}
 
 		writer.Header().Set(

internal/handlers/dashboard_test.go

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package handlers_test
 
 import (
+	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -154,3 +155,53 @@ func TestDashboardShowsFailureReasons(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("row of %s does not show %q", certKey, certFailedReason)
 	}
 }
+
+// dashboardSection returns the section of page under heading.
+func dashboardSection(t *testing.T, page string, heading string) string {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	for section := range strings.SplitSeq(page, "<section") {
+		words := strings.Join(strings.Fields(section), " ")
+		if strings.Contains(words, "> "+heading+" </h2>") {
+			return section
+		}
+	}
+
+	t.Fatalf("dashboard has no section headed %q", heading)
+
+	return ""
+}
+
+// TestDashboardShowsDomainRecordsUnderDomains checks that the dashboard
+// shows an apex domain's own records in the Domains section, and
+// neither lists nor counts the domain as a hostname.
+func TestDashboardShowsDomainRecordsUnderDomains(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	page := get(t, newHandlersWithFailures(t).HandleDashboard())
+
+	domains := dashboardSection(t, page, "Domains")
+	if !strings.Contains(dashboardRow(t, domains, domainAddress), testDomain) {
+		t.Errorf("row of %s does not name %s", domainAddress, testDomain)
+	}
+
+	if strings.Contains(dashboardSection(t, page, "Hostnames"), testDomain) {
+		t.Errorf("Hostnames section lists the domain %s", testDomain)
+	}
+
+	words := strings.Join(strings.Fields(page), " ")
+
+	footer := "monitoring 1 domains + 1 hostnames"
+	if !strings.Contains(words, footer) {
+		t.Errorf("dashboard does not say %q", footer)
+	}
+
+	// With the tags taken out, the summary bar starts "Domains 1
+	// Hostnames 1".
+	text := regexp.MustCompile(`<[^>]*>`).ReplaceAllString(page, " ")
+	summary := "Domains 1 Hostnames 1"
+
+	if !strings.Contains(strings.Join(strings.Fields(text), " "), summary) {
+		t.Errorf("summary bar does not say %q", summary)
+	}
+}

internal/handlers/status.go

@@ -9,9 +9,12 @@ import (
 )
 
 // statusDomainInfo holds status information for a monitored domain.
+// RecordsByNameserver holds the domain's own records, in the form a
+// hostname's Nameservers holds the hostname's.
 type statusDomainInfo struct {
-	Nameservers []string  `json:"nameservers"`
-	LastChecked time.Time `json:"lastChecked"`
+	Nameservers         []string                         `json:"nameservers"`
+	RecordsByNameserver map[string]*statusHostnameNSInfo `json:"recordsByNameserver"`
+	LastChecked         time.Time                        `json:"lastChecked"`
 }
 
 // statusHostnameNSInfo holds per-nameserver status for a hostname.
@@ -100,8 +103,10 @@ func buildStatusResponse(
 		Certificates: make(map[string]*statusCertificateInfo),
 	}
 
-	buildDomains(snap, resp)
-	buildHostnames(snap, resp)
+	hostnames, domainRecords := splitHostnames(snap)
+
+	buildDomains(snap, domainRecords, resp)
+	buildHostnames(hostnames, resp)
 	buildPorts(snap, resp)
 	buildCertificates(snap, resp)
 	buildCounts(resp)
@@ -109,8 +114,30 @@ func buildStatusResponse(
 	return resp
 }
 
+// splitHostnames returns the records saved in snap.Hostnames in two
+// maps: the hostnames' and the apex domains' own. The watcher saves a
+// domain's own records there under the domain's name, which has an
+// entry in snap.Domains too.
+func splitHostnames(
+	snap state.Snapshot,
+) (map[string]*state.HostnameState, map[string]*state.HostnameState) {
+	hostnames := make(map[string]*state.HostnameState)
+	domainRecords := make(map[string]*state.HostnameState)
+
+	for name, hs := range snap.Hostnames {
+		if _, isDomain := snap.Domains[name]; isDomain {
+			domainRecords[name] = hs
+		} else {
+			hostnames[name] = hs
+		}
+	}
+
+	return hostnames, domainRecords
+}
+
 func buildDomains(
 	snap state.Snapshot,
+	domainRecords map[string]*state.HostnameState,
 	resp *statusResponse,
 ) {
 	for name, ds := range snap.Domains {
@@ -118,41 +145,54 @@ func buildDomains(
 		copy(ns, ds.Nameservers)
 		sort.Strings(ns)
 
+		records := make(map[string]*statusHostnameNSInfo)
+		if hs, ok := domainRecords[name]; ok {
+			records = nameserverInfo(hs)
+		}
+
 		resp.Domains[name] = &statusDomainInfo{
-			Nameservers: ns,
-			LastChecked: ds.LastChecked,
+			Nameservers:         ns,
+			RecordsByNameserver: records,
+			LastChecked:         ds.LastChecked,
 		}
 	}
 }
 
 func buildHostnames(
-	snap state.Snapshot,
+	hostnames map[string]*state.HostnameState,
 	resp *statusResponse,
 ) {
-	for name, hs := range snap.Hostnames {
-		info := &statusHostnameInfo{
-			Nameservers: make(map[string]*statusHostnameNSInfo),
+	for name, hs := range hostnames {
+		resp.Hostnames[name] = &statusHostnameInfo{
+			Nameservers: nameserverInfo(hs),
 			LastChecked: hs.LastChecked,
 		}
+	}
+}
 
-		for ns, nsState := range hs.RecordsByNameserver {
-			recs := make(map[string][]string, len(nsState.Records))
-			for rtype, vals := range nsState.Records {
-				copied := make([]string, len(vals))
-				copy(copied, vals)
-				recs[rtype] = copied
-			}
+// nameserverInfo copies each nameserver's answer saved in hs.
+func nameserverInfo(
+	hs *state.HostnameState,
+) map[string]*statusHostnameNSInfo {
+	info := make(map[string]*statusHostnameNSInfo)
 
-			info.Nameservers[ns] = &statusHostnameNSInfo{
-				Records:     recs,
-				Status:      nsState.Status,
-				Error:       nsState.Error,
-				LastChecked: nsState.LastChecked,
-			}
+	for ns, nsState := range hs.RecordsByNameserver {
+		recs := make(map[string][]string, len(nsState.Records))
+		for rtype, vals := range nsState.Records {
+			copied := make([]string, len(vals))
+			copy(copied, vals)
+			recs[rtype] = copied
 		}
 
-		resp.Hostnames[name] = info
+		info[ns] = &statusHostnameNSInfo{
+			Records:     recs,
+			Status:      nsState.Status,
+			Error:       nsState.Error,
+			LastChecked: nsState.LastChecked,
+		}
 	}
+
+	return info
 }
 
 func buildPorts(

internal/handlers/status_test.go

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
+	"slices"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -19,7 +20,8 @@ import (
 
 // The state the handler tests serve: www.example.com has one nameserver
 // that answered and one whose query failed, and its certificate check
-// failed.
+// failed. example.net is an apex domain, whose own records are saved
+// with the hostnames' records, as the watcher saves them.
 const (
 	testHostname     = "www.example.com"
 	answeringNS      = "ns1.example.com."
@@ -27,6 +29,9 @@ const (
 	nsFailureReason  = "server returned a referral"
 	certKey          = "192.0.2.1:443:www.example.com"
 	certFailedReason = "x509: certificate has expired or is not yet valid"
+	testDomain       = "example.net"
+	domainNS         = "a.iana-servers.net."
+	domainAddress    = "192.0.2.2"
 )
 
 // newHandlersWithFailures builds real Handlers whose state holds the
@@ -85,6 +90,22 @@ func newHandlersWithFailures(t *testing.T) *handlers.Handlers {
 		LastChecked: now,
 	})
 
+	st.SetDomainState(testDomain, &state.DomainState{
+		Nameservers: []string{domainNS},
+		LastChecked: now,
+	})
+
+	st.SetHostnameState(testDomain, &state.HostnameState{
+		RecordsByNameserver: map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
+			domainNS: {
+				Records:     map[string][]string{"A": {domainAddress}},
+				Status:      "ok",
+				LastChecked: now,
+			},
+		},
+		LastChecked: now,
+	})
+
 	hnd, err := handlers.New(nil, handlers.Params{
 		Logger:  log,
 		Globals: glob,
@@ -156,3 +177,43 @@ func TestStatusGivesFailureReasons(t *testing.T) {
 			got, certFailedReason)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestStatusGivesDomainRecordsUnderTheDomain checks that /api/v1/status
+// gives an apex domain's own records in its domain entry, and neither
+// lists nor counts the domain as a hostname.
+func TestStatusGivesDomainRecordsUnderTheDomain(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	body := get(t, newHandlersWithFailures(t).HandleStatus())
+
+	var resp struct {
+		Counts struct {
+			Hostnames int `json:"hostnames"`
+		} `json:"counts"`
+		Domains map[string]struct {
+			RecordsByNameserver map[string]struct {
+				Records map[string][]string `json:"records"`
+			} `json:"recordsByNameserver"`
+		} `json:"domains"`
+		Hostnames map[string]any `json:"hostnames"`
+	}
+
+	err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(body), &resp)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("decoding response: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if resp.Counts.Hostnames != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("counts.hostnames = %d, want 1", resp.Counts.Hostnames)
+	}
+
+	if _, listed := resp.Hostnames[testDomain]; listed {
+		t.Errorf("hostnames lists the domain %s", testDomain)
+	}
+
+	records := resp.Domains[testDomain].RecordsByNameserver[domainNS].Records
+	if !slices.Equal(records["A"], []string{domainAddress}) {
+		t.Errorf("domain %s records at %s = %v, want A %s",
+			testDomain, domainNS, records, domainAddress)
+	}
+}

internal/handlers/templates/dashboard.html

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
             Hostnames
           </div>
           <div class="text-2xl font-bold text-teal-400 mt-1">
-            {{ len .Snapshot.Hostnames }}
+            {{ len .Hostnames }}
           </div>
         </div>
         <div class="bg-surface-800 border border-slate-700/50 rounded-lg p-4">
@@ -94,6 +94,24 @@
             </tbody>
           </table>
         </div>
+        {{ if .DomainRecords }}
+        <div class="overflow-x-auto mt-4">
+          <table class="w-full text-left text-xs">
+            <thead>
+              <tr class="text-slate-500 uppercase tracking-wider">
+                <th class="py-2 px-3">Domain</th>
+                <th class="py-2 px-3">NS</th>
+                <th class="py-2 px-3">Status</th>
+                <th class="py-2 px-3">Records</th>
+                <th class="py-2 px-3">Checked</th>
+              </tr>
+            </thead>
+            <tbody class="divide-y divide-slate-800">
+              {{ template "records" .DomainRecords }}
+            </tbody>
+          </table>
+        </div>
+        {{ end }}
         {{ else }}
         <p class="text-slate-600 italic text-xs">
           No domains configured.
@@ -108,7 +126,7 @@
         >
           Hostnames
         </h2>
-        {{ if .Snapshot.Hostnames }}
+        {{ if .Hostnames }}
         <div class="overflow-x-auto">
           <table class="w-full text-left text-xs">
             <thead>
@@ -121,43 +139,7 @@
               </tr>
             </thead>
             <tbody class="divide-y divide-slate-800">
-              {{ range $name, $hs := .Snapshot.Hostnames }}
-              {{ range $ns, $nsr := $hs.RecordsByNameserver }}
-              <tr class="hover:bg-surface-800/50">
-                <td class="py-2 px-3 text-slate-200 font-medium">
-                  {{ $name }}
-                </td>
-                <td class="py-2 px-3 text-slate-400 break-all">
-                  {{ $ns }}
-                </td>
-                <td class="py-2 px-3">
-                  {{ if eq $nsr.Status "ok" }}
-                  <span
-                    class="inline-block px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded text-[10px] font-bold uppercase bg-teal-900/50 text-teal-400 border border-teal-700/30"
-                    >ok</span
-                  >
-                  {{ else }}
-                  <span
-                    class="inline-block px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded text-[10px] font-bold uppercase bg-red-900/50 text-red-400 border border-red-700/30"
-                    >{{ $nsr.Status }}</span
-                  >
-                  {{ end }}
-                </td>
-                <td
-                  class="py-2 px-3 text-slate-400 break-all max-w-xs"
-                >
-                  {{ if $nsr.Error }}
-                  <span class="text-red-400">{{ $nsr.Error }}</span>
-                  {{ else }}
-                  {{ formatRecords $nsr.Records }}
-                  {{ end }}
-                </td>
-                <td class="py-2 px-3 text-slate-500 whitespace-nowrap">
-                  {{ relTime $nsr.LastChecked }}
-                </td>
-              </tr>
-              {{ end }}
-              {{ end }}
+              {{ template "records" .Hostnames }}
             </tbody>
           </table>
         </div>
@@ -373,8 +355,48 @@
         class="text-[11px] text-slate-700 border-t border-slate-800 pt-4 mt-8"
       >
         dnswatcher &middot; monitoring {{ len .Snapshot.Domains }} domains +
-        {{ len .Snapshot.Hostnames }} hostnames
+        {{ len .Hostnames }} hostnames
       </div>
     </div>
   </body>
 </html>
+{{/* ---- One row per nameserver of each name in the map it is given ---- */}}
+{{ define "records" }}
+{{ range $name, $hs := . }}
+{{ range $ns, $nsr := $hs.RecordsByNameserver }}
+<tr class="hover:bg-surface-800/50">
+  <td class="py-2 px-3 text-slate-200 font-medium">
+    {{ $name }}
+  </td>
+  <td class="py-2 px-3 text-slate-400 break-all">
+    {{ $ns }}
+  </td>
+  <td class="py-2 px-3">
+    {{ if eq $nsr.Status "ok" }}
+    <span
+      class="inline-block px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded text-[10px] font-bold uppercase bg-teal-900/50 text-teal-400 border border-teal-700/30"
+      >ok</span
+    >
+    {{ else }}
+    <span
+      class="inline-block px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded text-[10px] font-bold uppercase bg-red-900/50 text-red-400 border border-red-700/30"
+      >{{ $nsr.Status }}</span
+    >
+    {{ end }}
+  </td>
+  <td
+    class="py-2 px-3 text-slate-400 break-all max-w-xs"
+  >
+    {{ if $nsr.Error }}
+    <span class="text-red-400">{{ $nsr.Error }}</span>
+    {{ else }}
+    {{ formatRecords $nsr.Records }}
+    {{ end }}
+  </td>
+  <td class="py-2 px-3 text-slate-500 whitespace-nowrap">
+    {{ relTime $nsr.LastChecked }}
+  </td>
+</tr>
+{{ end }}
+{{ end }}
+{{ end }}

internal/state/state.go

@@ -122,6 +122,8 @@ type CertificateState struct {
 }
 
 // Snapshot is the complete monitoring state persisted to disk.
+// Hostnames also holds each apex domain's own records, under the
+// domain's name, which has an entry in Domains too.
 type Snapshot struct {
 	Version      int                          `json:"version"`
 	LastUpdated  time.Time                    `json:"lastUpdated"`

internal/watcher/export_test.go

@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ import (
 	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/state"
 )
 
-// NewForTest creates a Watcher without fx for unit testing.
+// NewForTest creates a Watcher without fx for unit testing. A nil cfg
+// is an empty configuration.
 func NewForTest(
 	cfg *config.Config,
 	st *state.State,
@@ -19,6 +20,10 @@ func NewForTest(
 	tc TLSChecker,
 	n Notifier,
 ) *Watcher {
+	if cfg == nil {
+		cfg = &config.Config{}
+	}
+
 	return &Watcher{
 		log:       slog.Default(),
 		config:    cfg,
@@ -96,6 +101,12 @@ func (w *Watcher) DetectNSAddressChanges(
 	w.detectNSAddressChanges(ctx, domain, prev, current)
 }
 
+// MaybeSendTestNotification exports maybeSendTestNotification for
+// testing.
+func (w *Watcher) MaybeSendTestNotification(ctx context.Context) {
+	w.maybeSendTestNotification(ctx)
+}
+
 // CheckAllPorts exports checkAllPorts for testing.
 func (w *Watcher) CheckAllPorts(ctx context.Context) {
 	w.checkAllPorts(ctx)

internal/watcher/message_test.go

@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 package watcher_test
 
 import (
+	"maps"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/config"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/state"
 	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/watcher"
 )
 
@@ -64,3 +68,100 @@ b.ns.example.net.: 192.0.2.2`,
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// Every kind of notification about a configured apex domain's own
+// records names it as a domain.
+func TestDomainRecordNotificationsNameTheDomain(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	notifier := &mockNotifier{}
+	w := watcher.NewForTest(
+		&config.Config{Domains: []string{domain}},
+		nil, nil, nil, nil, notifier,
+	)
+
+	// nsA's address changes, which also makes it differ from nsC; nsB
+	// fails; nsC answers again; nsD is gone.
+	nsD := "d.ns.example.net."
+	w.DetectHostnameChanges(t.Context(), domain,
+		saved(map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
+			nsA: answered(map[string][]string{"A": {ip1}}),
+			nsB: answered(map[string][]string{"A": {ip1}}),
+			nsC: failed(),
+			nsD: answered(map[string][]string{"A": {ip1}}),
+		}),
+		saved(map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
+			nsA: answered(map[string][]string{"A": {ip2}}),
+			nsB: failed(),
+			nsC: answered(map[string][]string{"A": {ip1}}),
+		}),
+	)
+
+	// The address at the end of its CNAME chain changes.
+	w.DetectHostnameChanges(
+		t.Context(), domain, cnameState(ip1), cnameState(ip2),
+	)
+
+	// NS Failure is sent for nsB failing and for nsD being gone.
+	want := map[string]int{
+		"Record Change":        1,
+		"Inconsistency":        1,
+		"NS Failure":           2,
+		"NS Recovery":          1,
+		"CNAME Address Change": 1,
+	}
+
+	sent := make(map[string]int)
+
+	for _, n := range notifier.getNotifications() {
+		kind, _, _ := strings.Cut(n.Title, ":")
+		sent[kind]++
+
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(n.Message, "Domain: "+domain+"\n") {
+			t.Errorf("%s message does not name the domain:\n%s",
+				n.Title, n.Message)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if !maps.Equal(sent, want) {
+		t.Errorf("sent %v, want %v", sent, want)
+	}
+}
+
+// The startup notification counts the configured domains and hostnames,
+// although the state's hostnames also hold the apex domain's own
+// records. Nothing is looked up: the watcher has no resolver.
+func TestStartupNotificationCountsConfiguredNames(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
+	cfg.SendTestNotification = true
+	cfg.Domains = []string{domain}
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{host}
+
+	deps := newTestDeps(t, cfg)
+	w := watcher.NewForTest(cfg, deps.state, nil, nil, nil, deps.notifier)
+
+	// The state a check of both names saves.
+	deps.state.SetDomainState(domain, &state.DomainState{
+		Nameservers: []string{nsA},
+	})
+
+	for _, name := range []string{domain, host} {
+		deps.state.SetHostnameState(name, saved(
+			map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
+				nsA: answered(map[string][]string{"A": {ip1}}),
+			},
+		))
+	}
+
+	w.MaybeSendTestNotification(t.Context())
+
+	notifications := deps.notifier.getNotifications()
+
+	counts := "\nMonitoring 1 domain(s) and 1 hostname(s).\n"
+	if len(notifications) != 1 ||
+		!strings.Contains(notifications[0].Message, counts) {
+		t.Errorf("sent %v, want one message with %q", notifications, counts)
+	}
+}

internal/watcher/watcher.go

@@ -271,8 +271,9 @@ func (w *Watcher) checkDomain(
 		LastChecked:         now,
 	})
 
-	// The apex domain's records are also checked as a hostname's, so
-	// that the port and TLS checks find its addresses.
+	// The apex domain's records are also checked and saved as a
+	// hostname's, so that the port and TLS checks find its addresses.
+	// Notifications about them name it as a domain (see nameLine).
 	w.checkHostname(ctx, domain)
 }
 
@@ -541,6 +542,17 @@ func (w *Watcher) detectHostnameChanges(
 	w.detectCNAMEAddressChanges(ctx, hostname, prev, current)
 }
 
+// nameLine is the line a notification about name's records starts with:
+// "Domain: " and the name for a configured apex domain, whose own
+// records are checked as a hostname's are, and "Hostname: " otherwise.
+func (w *Watcher) nameLine(name string) string {
+	if slices.Contains(w.config.Domains, name) {
+		return "Domain: " + name
+	}
+
+	return "Hostname: " + name
+}
+
 // detectCNAMEAddressChanges notifies when the addresses at the end of
 // hostname's CNAME chain differ from those the previous check saved,
 // including a change from or to none. When the previous addresses are
@@ -557,8 +569,8 @@ func (w *Watcher) detectCNAMEAddressChanges(
 	}
 
 	msg := fmt.Sprintf(
-		"Hostname: %s\nOld: %s\nNew: %s",
-		hostname,
+		"%s\nOld: %s\nNew: %s",
+		w.nameLine(hostname),
 		strings.Join(old, ", "),
 		strings.Join(cur, ", "),
 	)
@@ -590,8 +602,8 @@ func (w *Watcher) detectRecordChanges(
 		}
 
 		msg := fmt.Sprintf(
-			"Hostname: %s\nNameserver: %s\n%s",
-			hostname, ns,
+			"%s\nNameserver: %s\n%s",
+			w.nameLine(hostname), ns,
 			recordDifferences(
 				"Old", prevNS.Records,
 				"New", cur.Records,
@@ -618,8 +630,8 @@ func (w *Watcher) detectNSDisappearances(
 		}
 
 		msg := fmt.Sprintf(
-			"Hostname: %s\nNameserver: %s disappeared",
-			hostname, ns,
+			"%s\nNameserver: %s disappeared",
+			w.nameLine(hostname), ns,
 		)
 
 		w.notify.SendNotification(
@@ -648,8 +660,8 @@ func (w *Watcher) detectNSFailures(
 		switch {
 		case prevNS.Status == statusOK && cur.Status == statusError:
 			msg := fmt.Sprintf(
-				"Hostname: %s\nNameserver: %s\nError: %s",
-				hostname, ns, cur.Error,
+				"%s\nNameserver: %s\nError: %s",
+				w.nameLine(hostname), ns, cur.Error,
 			)
 
 			w.notify.SendNotification(
@@ -660,8 +672,8 @@ func (w *Watcher) detectNSFailures(
 			)
 		case prevNS.Status == statusError && cur.Status == statusOK:
 			msg := fmt.Sprintf(
-				"Hostname: %s\nNameserver: %s recovered",
-				hostname, ns,
+				"%s\nNameserver: %s recovered",
+				w.nameLine(hostname), ns,
 			)
 
 			w.notify.SendNotification(
@@ -683,8 +695,8 @@ func (w *Watcher) detectInconsistencies(
 		ns1, ns2 := pair[0], pair[1]
 
 		msg := fmt.Sprintf(
-			"Hostname: %s\n%s",
-			hostname,
+			"%s\n%s",
+			w.nameLine(hostname),
 			recordDifferences(
 				ns1, current.RecordsByNameserver[ns1].Records,
 				ns2, current.RecordsByNameserver[ns2].Records,
@@ -1180,7 +1192,9 @@ func (w *Watcher) saveState() {
 // after the first full scan completes, if SEND_TEST_NOTIFICATION
 // is enabled. The message is informational, not an error or anomaly
 // alert. It is written before it reaches any endpoint, so it claims
-// nothing about whether the endpoints work.
+// nothing about whether the endpoints work. Domains and hostnames are
+// counted from the configuration: the state's hostnames also hold each
+// apex domain's own records.
 func (w *Watcher) maybeSendTestNotification(ctx context.Context) {
 	if !w.config.SendTestNotification {
 		return
@@ -1194,8 +1208,8 @@ func (w *Watcher) maybeSendTestNotification(ctx context.Context) {
 			"Tracking %d port endpoint(s) and %d TLS certificate(s).\n"+
 			"This is a test notification, sent to every configured "+
 			"notification endpoint.",
-		len(snap.Domains),
-		len(snap.Hostnames),
+		len(w.config.Domains),
+		len(w.config.Hostnames),
 		len(snap.Ports),
 		len(snap.Certificates),
 	)