> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.agentlinkops.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Update link watch

> Pause/resume a placement or update cadence and expectations.

`update_link_watch`

Pause/resume a placement or update cadence and expectations.

<Note>Hosted MCP registration verified. These schemas describe the development contract; confirm supported inputs with tools/list. Generic CLI/HTTP calls require a matching development server. Configure LINKTRAIL\_API\_URL; production does not expose these command routes.</Note>

| Access          | Behavior                                                   |
| --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| `watches:write` | Writes or admits work; can change or remove existing state |

Reading saved data does not start a verification job. Mutations can change saved records or access; the effects below apply.

## Example request

Connect through [MCP](/guides/connect-mcp), [CLI](/guides/connect-cli), or [HTTP](/guides/connect-http). Replace example identifiers with records from your workspace.

<CodeGroup>
  ```json MCP theme={null}
  {
    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
    "id": 1,
    "method": "tools/call",
    "params": {
      "name": "update_link_watch",
      "arguments": {
        "watchId": "watch_example"
      }
    }
  }
  ```

  ```bash CLI theme={null}
  linktrail call update_link_watch --args '{"watchId":"watch_example"}'
  ```

  ```bash HTTP theme={null}
  curl "$LINKTRAIL_API_URL/v1/commands/update_link_watch" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $LINKTRAIL_API_KEY" \
    -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
    --data '{"watchId":"watch_example"}'
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Returned result

Illustrative data validated against the documented response schema. IDs and dates are examples, not a live account capture. MCP returns this data in `structuredContent` and in a text content block; generic HTTP and CLI return the JSON result directly.

```json theme={null}
{
  "workspace_id": "ws_example",
  "project_id": "pr_example",
  "status": "paused",
  "cadence_seconds": 86400,
  "state": "unknown",
  "observation_state": {},
  "created_at": "2026-09-13T12:00:00.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-09-13T12:00:00.000Z",
  "last_attempt_at": null,
  "last_success_at": null,
  "last_observation_id": null,
  "next_check_at": "2026-09-13T12:00:00.000Z",
  "overdue_reason": null,
  "id": "watch_example",
  "source_url": "https://publisher.example.org/article",
  "target_url": "https://example.com/",
  "target_scope": "exact",
  "expected_anchor": null,
  "expected_rel": null,
  "local_reference": "ledger:example",
  "last_successful_observation_id": null
}
```

## Input fields

Omit optional fields when you do not want to supply them. Null is accepted only where listed. Unknown input properties are rejected.

| Field            | Type          | Presence | Meaning and constraints                                                                                          |
| ---------------- | ------------- | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `watchId`        | string        | Required | Identifier of the watch returned by its create or list operation. minLength: 1; maxLength: 200                   |
| `status`         | string        | Optional | Lifecycle status filter or requested status; this is separate from observation state. values: "active", "paused" |
| `cadenceSeconds` | integer       | Optional | Scheduled check interval in seconds, from 3600 to 2592000. minimum: 3600; maximum: 2592000                       |
| `expectedAnchor` | string / null | Optional | Expected link anchor text; null clears the expectation.                                                          |
| `expectedRel`    | array / null  | Optional | Expected rel tokens; null clears the expectation.                                                                |
| `localReference` | string        | Optional | Customer-owned reference to associate this record with a local ledger entry. maxLength: 200                      |

### Validation and omitted values

Supply at least one update field besides watchId. Omitted status, cadence and expectation fields preserve their existing values. Explicit null clears expectedAnchor or expectedRel.

Lengthening cadence can postpone an existing due slot after a prior attempt; it does not shorten a stored retry floor. Resuming a paused watch can make its first check due now.

Relation expectations allow at most twenty tokens, each one to forty letters, digits, `_` or `-`.

## Output fields

Fields inside optional or nullable parents apply only when that parent exists. [Common schema conventions](/reference/schemas) explain evidence states, empty lists and extensions.

| Field                                                                      | Type          | Presence | Meaning and constraints                                                              |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `id`                                                                       | string        | Required | Resource identifier returned by the operation.                                       |
| `workspace_id`                                                             | string        | Required | Workspace that owns this record.                                                     |
| `project_id`                                                               | string        | Required | Project that owns this record.                                                       |
| `status`                                                                   | string        | Required | Resource lifecycle status. values: "active", "paused"                                |
| `cadence_seconds`                                                          | number        | Required | cadence seconds recorded for this result.                                            |
| `state`                                                                    | string        | Required | Saved lifecycle or evidence state, as enumerated for this record.                    |
| `observation_state`                                                        | object        | Required | Saved observation state. Before the first check, this object can be empty.           |
| `observation_state.state`                                                  | string        | Optional | Saved lifecycle or evidence state, as enumerated for this record.                    |
| `observation_state.uncertain`                                              | boolean       | Optional | uncertain recorded for this result.                                                  |
| `observation_state.checked_at`                                             | string        | Optional | UTC timestamp of the saved check.                                                    |
| `observation_state.lastChangedAt`                                          | string / null | Optional | last Changed At recorded for this result.                                            |
| `observation_state.firstAbsentAt`                                          | string / null | Optional | first Absent At recorded for this result.                                            |
| `observation_state.consecutiveAbsent`                                      | number        | Optional | consecutive Absent recorded for this result.                                         |
| `observation_state.nextCheckAt`                                            | string / null | Optional | next Check At recorded for this result.                                              |
| `observation_state.reason`                                                 | string / null | Optional | Recorded explanation; null when no explanation applies.                              |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt`                                          | object / null | Optional | latest Attempt recorded for this result.                                             |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.state`                                    | string        | Optional | Saved lifecycle or evidence state, as enumerated for this record.                    |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.reason`                                   | string / null | Optional | Recorded explanation; null when no explanation applies.                              |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.checkedAt`                                | string        | Optional | checked At recorded for this result.                                                 |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.httpStatus`                               | number / null | Optional | http Status recorded for this result.                                                |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.occurrenceCount`                          | number        | Optional | occurrence Count recorded for this result.                                           |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.occurrences`                              | array         | Optional | occurrences recorded for this result.                                                |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.occurrences[].href`                       | string / null | Optional | href recorded for this result.                                                       |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.occurrences[].targetUrl`                  | string / null | Optional | target Url recorded for this result.                                                 |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.occurrences[].anchor`                     | string / null | Optional | anchor recorded for this result.                                                     |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.occurrences[].rel`                        | array         | Optional | rel recorded for this result.                                                        |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.occurrences[].context`                    | string / null | Optional | context recorded for this result.                                                    |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.occurrences[].locator`                    | object / null | Optional | locator recorded for this result.                                                    |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.occurrences[].locator.line`               | number / null | Optional | line recorded for this result.                                                       |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.occurrences[].locator.column`             | number / null | Optional | column recorded for this result.                                                     |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.occurrences[].locator.offset`             | number / null | Optional | offset recorded for this result.                                                     |
| `observation_state.latestAttempt.checkerVersion`                           | string        | Optional | checker Version recorded for this result.                                            |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation`                              | object / null | Optional | last Successful Observation recorded for this result.                                |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.state`                        | string        | Optional | Saved lifecycle or evidence state, as enumerated for this record.                    |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.reason`                       | string / null | Optional | Recorded explanation; null when no explanation applies.                              |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.checkedAt`                    | string        | Optional | checked At recorded for this result.                                                 |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.httpStatus`                   | number / null | Optional | http Status recorded for this result.                                                |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.occurrenceCount`              | number        | Optional | occurrence Count recorded for this result.                                           |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.occurrences`                  | array         | Optional | occurrences recorded for this result.                                                |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.occurrences[].href`           | string / null | Optional | href recorded for this result.                                                       |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.occurrences[].targetUrl`      | string / null | Optional | target Url recorded for this result.                                                 |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.occurrences[].anchor`         | string / null | Optional | anchor recorded for this result.                                                     |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.occurrences[].rel`            | array         | Optional | rel recorded for this result.                                                        |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.occurrences[].context`        | string / null | Optional | context recorded for this result.                                                    |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.occurrences[].locator`        | object / null | Optional | locator recorded for this result.                                                    |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.occurrences[].locator.line`   | number / null | Optional | line recorded for this result.                                                       |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.occurrences[].locator.column` | number / null | Optional | column recorded for this result.                                                     |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.occurrences[].locator.offset` | number / null | Optional | offset recorded for this result.                                                     |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservation.checkerVersion`               | string        | Optional | checker Version recorded for this result.                                            |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulObservationSameAsLatestAttempt`           | boolean       | Optional | last Successful Observation Same As Latest Attempt recorded for this result.         |
| `observation_state.confirmedState`                                         | string / null | Optional | confirmed State recorded for this result.                                            |
| `observation_state.lastSuccessfulAt`                                       | string / null | Optional | last Successful At recorded for this result.                                         |
| `observation_state.lastHealthyAt`                                          | string / null | Optional | last Healthy At recorded for this result.                                            |
| `observation_state.firstUnavailableAt`                                     | string / null | Optional | first Unavailable At recorded for this result.                                       |
| `observation_state.unavailableCount`                                       | number        | Optional | unavailable Count recorded for this result.                                          |
| `observation_state.wasEverHealthy`                                         | boolean       | Optional | was Ever Healthy recorded for this result.                                           |
| `observation_state.retryNotBefore`                                         | string / null | Optional | retry Not Before recorded for this result.                                           |
| `observation_state.ignored`                                                | boolean       | Optional | ignored recorded for this result.                                                    |
| `created_at`                                                               | string        | Required | UTC timestamp when the record was created.                                           |
| `updated_at`                                                               | string        | Required | UTC timestamp of the last record update.                                             |
| `last_attempt_at`                                                          | string / null | Required | last attempt at recorded for this result.                                            |
| `last_success_at`                                                          | string / null | Required | last success at recorded for this result.                                            |
| `last_observation_id`                                                      | string / null | Required | last observation id recorded for this result.                                        |
| `next_check_at`                                                            | string / null | Required | next check at recorded for this result.                                              |
| `overdue_reason`                                                           | string / null | Required | overdue reason recorded for this result.                                             |
| `source_url`                                                               | string        | Required | Publisher page URL recorded in this evidence.                                        |
| `target_url`                                                               | string        | Required | Destination URL recorded in this evidence.                                           |
| `target_scope`                                                             | string        | Required | target scope recorded for this result.                                               |
| `expected_anchor`                                                          | string / null | Required | expected anchor recorded for this result.                                            |
| `expected_rel`                                                             | array / null  | Required | expected rel recorded for this result.                                               |
| `local_reference`                                                          | string / null | Required | Customer reference for joining this record to a local ledger entry.                  |
| `last_successful_observation_id`                                           | string / null | Required | last successful observation id recorded for this result.                             |
| `history_compacted_before`                                                 | string / null | Optional | history compacted before recorded for this result.                                   |
| `created`                                                                  | boolean       | Optional | True when this request created the record; false when an existing record was reused. |
| `detail`                                                                   | string        | Optional | detail recorded for this result.                                                     |

[Download input schema](/schemas/update_link_watch.input.json) · [Download output schema](/schemas/update_link_watch.output.json)

## Errors and retries

This command is not annotated idempotent. After a timeout, inspect existing state before repeating a write.

See [error recovery](/reference/errors) for status, scope, cooldown, cursor and retry handling. Unknown observations are result data and do not establish loss.

## HTTP resource routes

These existing resource routes share the operation’s domain behavior. Their parameter placement, status and response envelope can differ from generic invocation. See [HTTP route details](/reference/http/routes).

| Method and route              | Success | Details                                       |
| ----------------------------- | ------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| `PATCH /v1/watches/{watchId}` | 200     | Remaining arguments go in a JSON object body. |

## Continue

[get\_link\_watch](/reference/commands/get_link_watch)

Follow the [related workflow](/guides/monitor-changes), inspect [capability status](/capability-status), or return to the [command index](/reference/index).