watcher, config: no Record Change or Inconsistency for listed names (closes #255)

DNSWATCHER_SKIP_RECORD_NOTIFICATIONS takes a comma-separated list of
names from DNSWATCHER_TARGETS, read as the targets are (letter case,
trailing dot, repeats). For a listed name no Record Change and no
Inconsistency notification is sent; its records are still checked and
saved, and its other notifications are sent. A listed name that is not
a target stops startup with an error naming it.

The two detections return early for a listed name. Apex domains are
covered too: their own records go through the same detection.

Live DNS cannot be made to disagree on purpose, so the Inconsistency
test feeds records to the change detection directly, as the existing
inconsistency tests do; the live test covers Record Change.

Model: opus-5-5

README.md

@@ -139,7 +139,10 @@ notification endpoint set, changes show only on the dashboard; see
 - Any observable change in any nameserver's response triggers a notification.
   This includes:
     - **Record change**: A nameserver returns different records than it did on
-      the previous check (additions, removals, value changes).
+      the previous check (additions, removals, value changes). For a domain or
+      hostname listed in `DNSWATCHER_SKIP_RECORD_NOTIFICATIONS`, neither a
+      record change nor an inconsistency is notified; its records are still
+      checked and saved, and its other notifications are sent.
     - **NS query failure**: A nameserver that previously responded becomes
       unreachable (timeout, SERVFAIL, REFUSED, network error). This is distinct
       from "responded with no records": a nameserver that answers NXDOMAIN or
@@ -410,11 +413,12 @@ following precedence (highest to lowest):
 ### Environment Variables
 
 | Variable                               | Description                                                                                                                           | Default               |
-| ----------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- |
+| -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- |
 | `PORT`                                 | HTTP listen port                                                                                                                      | `8080`                |
 | `DNSWATCHER_DEBUG`                     | Enable debug logging                                                                                                                  | `false`               |
 | `DNSWATCHER_DATA_DIR`                  | Directory for state file                                                                                                              | `/var/lib/dnswatcher` |
 | `DNSWATCHER_TARGETS`                   | Comma-separated DNS names (auto-classified via PSL)                                                                                   | `""`                  |
+| `DNSWATCHER_SKIP_RECORD_NOTIFICATIONS` | Comma-separated names from `DNSWATCHER_TARGETS` for which no record change or inconsistency is notified; any other name stops startup | `""`                  |
 | `DNSWATCHER_SLACK_WEBHOOK`             | Slack incoming webhook URL                                                                                                            | `""`                  |
 | `DNSWATCHER_MATTERMOST_WEBHOOK`        | Mattermost incoming webhook URL                                                                                                       | `""`                  |
 | `DNSWATCHER_NTFY_TOPIC`                | ntfy topic URL                                                                                                                        | `""`                  |

TODO.md

@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ trial run of the finished image: https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/dnswatcher/issues/149
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-10-05: a name listed in `DNSWATCHER_SKIP_RECORD_NOTIFICATIONS` gets no
+  Record Change or Inconsistency notification; a name listed there that is not
+  in `DNSWATCHER_TARGETS` stops startup (closes #255).
 - 2026-10-02: a nameserver whose query for one record type failed while the
   others answered with no records is `ok`, not `nodata` (closes #253).
 - 2026-10-02: a domain that does not exist is shown so, with no nameservers; no

internal/config/config.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -35,6 +36,10 @@ var ErrInvalidInterval = errors.New(
 	"interval must be a positive duration such as 30m or 1h",
 )
 
+// ErrNotInTargets is returned when DNSWATCHER_SKIP_RECORD_NOTIFICATIONS
+// lists a name that is not in DNSWATCHER_TARGETS.
+var ErrNotInTargets = errors.New("name is not in DNSWATCHER_TARGETS")
+
 // Params contains dependencies for Config.
 type Params struct {
 	fx.In
@@ -50,6 +55,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	DataDir                 string
 	Domains                 []string
 	Hostnames               []string
+	SkipRecordNotifications []string
 	SlackWebhook            string
 	MattermostWebhook       string
 	NtfyTopic               string
@@ -103,6 +109,7 @@ func setupViper(name string) {
 	viper.SetDefault("DEBUG", false)
 	viper.SetDefault("DATA_DIR", "/var/lib/"+name)
 	viper.SetDefault("TARGETS", "")
+	viper.SetDefault("SKIP_RECORD_NOTIFICATIONS", "")
 	viper.SetDefault("SLACK_WEBHOOK", "")
 	viper.SetDefault("MATTERMOST_WEBHOOK", "")
 	viper.SetDefault("NTFY_TOPIC", "")
@@ -147,12 +154,20 @@ func buildConfig(
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	skipRecordNotifications, err := parseSkipRecordNotifications(
+		domains, hostnames,
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	cfg := &Config{
 		Port:                    viper.GetInt("PORT"),
 		Debug:                   viper.GetBool("DEBUG"),
 		DataDir:                 viper.GetString("DATA_DIR"),
 		Domains:                 domains,
 		Hostnames:               hostnames,
+		SkipRecordNotifications: skipRecordNotifications,
 		SlackWebhook:            viper.GetString("SLACK_WEBHOOK"),
 		MattermostWebhook:       viper.GetString("MATTERMOST_WEBHOOK"),
 		NtfyTopic:               viper.GetString("NTFY_TOPIC"),
@@ -204,6 +219,36 @@ func parseAndValidateTargets() ([]string, []string, error) {
 	return domains, hostnames, nil
 }
 
+// parseSkipRecordNotifications reads DNSWATCHER_SKIP_RECORD_NOTIFICATIONS,
+// a comma-separated list of names from the targets. Each name is written
+// as ClassifyTargets writes a target, in lower case without a trailing
+// dot, and a name listed more than once is kept once. A name that is
+// not one of domains or hostnames is an error naming it.
+func parseSkipRecordNotifications(
+	domains, hostnames []string,
+) ([]string, error) {
+	value := viper.GetString("SKIP_RECORD_NOTIFICATIONS")
+
+	var names []string
+
+	for _, listed := range parseCSV(value) {
+		name := strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSuffix(listed, "."))
+
+		if !slices.Contains(domains, name) && !slices.Contains(hostnames, name) {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf(
+				"invalid DNSWATCHER_SKIP_RECORD_NOTIFICATIONS %q: %w",
+				listed, ErrNotInTargets,
+			)
+		}
+
+		if !slices.Contains(names, name) {
+			names = append(names, name)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return names, nil
+}
+
 func parseCSV(input string) []string {
 	if input == "" {
 		return nil

internal/config/config_test.go

@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ func TestNew_DefaultValues(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Empty(t, cfg.MetricsUsername)
 	assert.Empty(t, cfg.MetricsPassword)
 	assert.False(t, cfg.SendTestNotification)
+	assert.Empty(t, cfg.SkipRecordNotifications)
 }
 
 func TestNew_EnvironmentOverrides(t *testing.T) {
@@ -235,6 +236,33 @@ func TestNew_TargetsWithTrailingComma(t *testing.T) {
 		"trailing comma should be ignored")
 }
 
+func TestNew_SkipRecordNotifications(t *testing.T) {
+	viper.Reset()
+	t.Setenv("DNSWATCHER_TARGETS", "example.net,www.example.net,example.org")
+	t.Setenv("DNSWATCHER_SKIP_RECORD_NOTIFICATIONS",
+		" WWW.Example.net. , example.net,www.example.net")
+
+	cfg, err := config.New(nil, newTestParams(t))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t,
+		[]string{"www.example.net", "example.net"},
+		cfg.SkipRecordNotifications,
+		"names are written as targets are, each once",
+	)
+}
+
+func TestNew_SkipRecordNotificationsNotInTargetsStopsStartup(t *testing.T) {
+	viper.Reset()
+	t.Setenv("DNSWATCHER_TARGETS", "example.net")
+	t.Setenv("DNSWATCHER_SKIP_RECORD_NOTIFICATIONS",
+		"example.net,www.example.net")
+
+	_, err := config.New(nil, newTestParams(t))
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, config.ErrNotInTargets)
+	require.ErrorContains(t, err, "DNSWATCHER_SKIP_RECORD_NOTIFICATIONS")
+	require.ErrorContains(t, err, `"www.example.net"`)
+}
+
 func TestNew_CustomDNSIntervalDuration(t *testing.T) {
 	viper.Reset()
 	t.Setenv("DNSWATCHER_TARGETS", "example.com")

internal/watcher/skiprecordnotifications_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+package watcher_test
+
+import (
+	"slices"
+	"testing"
+
+	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/config"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/state"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/watcher"
+)
+
+// TestSkipRecordNotificationsAlerts runs the hostname change detection
+// for two names on the same check: nsA's address changes, so that nsA
+// now differs from nsB, and nsC stops answering. The name in
+// SkipRecordNotifications gets only the NS Failure; the other name also
+// gets the Record Change and the Inconsistency.
+func TestSkipRecordNotificationsAlerts(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const skipped = "skipped.example.net"
+
+	prev := saved(map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
+		nsA: answered(map[string][]string{"A": {ip1}}),
+		nsB: answered(map[string][]string{"A": {ip1}}),
+		nsC: answered(map[string][]string{"A": {ip1}}),
+	})
+	current := saved(map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
+		nsA: answered(map[string][]string{"A": {ip2}}),
+		nsB: answered(map[string][]string{"A": {ip1}}),
+		nsC: failed(),
+	})
+
+	cfg := &config.Config{
+		Hostnames:               []string{host, skipped},
+		SkipRecordNotifications: []string{skipped},
+	}
+
+	// The hostname change detection uses only the configuration and the
+	// notifier.
+	notifier := &mockNotifier{}
+	w := watcher.NewForTest(cfg, nil, nil, nil, nil, notifier)
+
+	w.DetectHostnameChanges(t.Context(), host, prev, current)
+	w.DetectHostnameChanges(t.Context(), skipped, prev, current)
+
+	sent := notifier.getNotifications()
+	titles := make([]string, 0, len(sent))
+
+	for _, n := range sent {
+		titles = append(titles, n.Title)
+	}
+
+	slices.Sort(titles)
+
+	want := []string{
+		"Inconsistency: " + host,
+		"NS Failure: " + skipped,
+		"NS Failure: " + host,
+		"Record Change: " + host,
+	}
+
+	if !slices.Equal(titles, want) {
+		t.Errorf("sent %v, want %v", titles, want)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestSkipRecordNotificationsCheck checks testHost, which is in
+// SkipRecordNotifications, from a saved state in which every nameserver
+// live DNS lists answered with an address live DNS never returns. No
+// Record Change and no Inconsistency is sent, and the check still saves
+// what the nameservers answer.
+func TestSkipRecordNotificationsCheck(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{testHost}
+	cfg.SkipRecordNotifications = []string{testHost}
+
+	nameservers := lookupNameservers(t, testHost)
+
+	_, deps := runChecks(t, cfg, func(deps *testDeps) {
+		byNameserver := make(map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState)
+		for _, ns := range nameservers {
+			byNameserver[ns] = answered(map[string][]string{"A": {oldIP}})
+		}
+
+		deps.state.SetHostnameState(testHost, saved(byNameserver))
+	})
+
+	for _, title := range []string{
+		"Record Change: " + testHost,
+		"Inconsistency: " + testHost,
+	} {
+		if n := countNotifications(deps, title); n != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("sent %d %q, want 0", n, title)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// A nameserver whose query for A failed keeps oldIP, so the check
+	// is that some address live DNS gave was saved.
+	hs, _ := deps.state.GetHostnameState(testHost)
+	fromLiveDNS := func(ip string) bool { return ip != oldIP }
+
+	if !slices.ContainsFunc(addresses(hs), fromLiveDNS) {
+		t.Errorf("saved addresses %v, want those live DNS gave", addresses(hs))
+	}
+}

internal/watcher/watcher.go

@@ -730,12 +730,16 @@ func (w *Watcher) detectCNAMEAddressChanges(
 // failed on either check has no records to compare. The records kept
 // for a record type whose query failed are compared too, but not those
 // of a type in UnknownTypes on either check, which the message leaves
-// out as well.
+// out as well. Nothing is sent for a name in SkipRecordNotifications.
 func (w *Watcher) detectRecordChanges(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	hostname string,
 	prev, current *state.HostnameState,
 ) {
+	if slices.Contains(w.config.SkipRecordNotifications, hostname) {
+		return
+	}
+
 	for ns, cur := range current.RecordsByNameserver {
 		prevNS, ok := prev.RecordsByNameserver[ns]
 		if !ok || prevNS.Status != statusOK || cur.Status != statusOK {
@@ -835,11 +839,18 @@ func (w *Watcher) detectNSFailures(
 	}
 }
 
+// detectInconsistencies notifies each pair of nameservers that newly
+// disagree (see newlyDisagreeingPairs). Nothing is sent for a name in
+// SkipRecordNotifications.
 func (w *Watcher) detectInconsistencies(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	hostname string,
 	prev, current *state.HostnameState,
 ) {
+	if slices.Contains(w.config.SkipRecordNotifications, hostname) {
+		return
+	}
+
 	for _, pair := range newlyDisagreeingPairs(prev, current) {
 		ns1, ns2 := pair[0], pair[1]
 		state1 := current.RecordsByNameserver[ns1]