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At 00:00 on Sunday
* | * | * | * | * |
---|---|---|---|---|
minute (0-59) | hour (0 - 23) | day of the month (1 - 31) | month (1 - 12) | day of the week (0 - 6) |
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 |
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!
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.
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.
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.