Cron Expression "0 16 * * *" Meaning

At 16:00 every day

0 16 * * *

minute
(0-59)

hour
(0-23)

day of the month
(1-31)

month
(1-12) (or JAN-DEC)

day of the week
(0-7) (or MON-SUN)

Cron Syntax Meaning

*	*	*	*	*
minute (0-59)	hour (0 - 23)	day of the month (1 - 31)	month (1 - 12)	day of the week (0 - 6)

Examples of Cron Job Expressions

Cron expression	When will cron job run
* * * * *	Every minute
/5 * * *	Every 5 minutes
0 * * * *	Every hour
0 7 * * *	Every day at 7:00 AM
30 17 * * 1	Every Monday at 5:30 PM
15 10 15 * *	Every 15th of the month at 10:15 AM
30 17 2 3 *	Every 2nd of March at 5:30 PM
0 0 1 1 *	Every 1st of January at midnight
0 8 * * 5	Every Friday at 8:00 AM
45 16 3 7 *	Every 3rd of July at 4:45 PM
0 12 * * 3	Every Wednesday at noon
59 23 30 8 *	Every 30th of August at 11:59 PM

How Is Our Free Tool Useful?

You can use our online tool to translate cron expressions like "5 * * * *" to human-readable language like "Every hour on the 5th minute". Just enter the cron expression, and we will translate it to a real date, explaining when the cron will run. Understanding how cron works is so easy!

How To Use Our Cron Expression Descriptor

Enter the Cron Expression: Input the cron expression you want to translate.
Describe the Expression: The tool will describe a what a cron expression does and how often it runs in human-readable language.
Understand: Quickly understand the meaning of the cron expression.

How Cron Works?

What is Cron?

Cron is a time-based job scheduler for Unix-like operating systems. It allows users to set up scripts or commands to run automatically at specified times, such as daily, weekly, or monthly. Cron is commonly used for tasks like backups, running applications, system maintenance, and data processing.

What is Cron Job?

A cronjob is a specific task or command scheduled to run at regular intervals as defined in the crontab file. Each cronjob includes a cron expression that specifies when the job will run and the command to be executed. Cronjobs are important for automating routine tasks and making sure they run consistently without manual intervention.

What is Crontab?

Crontab, short for "cron table," is a configuration file that defines the schedule for cron jobs. Each line in a crontab file represents a cron job and contains a cron expression followed by the command to be executed. Users can edit their crontab file using the crontab -e command.

For more information, read our article How To Use Cron Jobs To Automate And Schedule Tasks.

For your convenience, you can find also generate cron expressions by using human language.

Cron Expression Descriptor

Enter the cron expression and we will describe in human-readable language what it does of when the job will run.