diff --git a/src/hooks/useStatus.ts b/src/hooks/useStatus.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5345429
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/useStatus.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { useEffect, useState, useCallback } from "react";
+import { api, AppStatus, Host } from "../api";
+
+export function useStatus(pollMs = 3000) {
+  const [status, setStatus] = useState<AppStatus | null>(null);
+  const [hosts, setHosts] = useState<Host[]>([]);
+  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
+
+  const refresh = useCallback(async () => {
+    try {
+      const [s, h] = await Promise.all([api.getStatus(), api.getHosts()]);
+      setStatus(s);
+      setHosts(h);
+      setError(null);
+    } catch (e: unknown) {
+      setError(e instanceof Error ? e.message : "Backend unreachable");
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false);
+    }
+  }, []);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    refresh();
+    const id = setInterval(refresh, pollMs);
+    return () => clearInterval(id);
+  }, [refresh, pollMs]);
+
+  return { status, hosts, error, loading, refresh };
+}