Supports standard 5-field cron (minute, hour, day, month, weekday) and optional 6-field (with seconds). Handles all special syntax: * (any), , (list), - (range), / (step). Calculates next 10 execution times based on current time. Includes common presets (every minute, hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly) if you don't want to build from scratch.
Cron Expression
Generate and understand cron expressions visually. Support for minute, hourly, daily, weekly, monthly schedules. Free online cron editor.
Cron Expression Generator
Cron Expression:
* * * * *Meaning
Every minute
Next Runs
12/28/2026, 8:53:00 PM
22/28/2026, 8:54:00 PM
32/28/2026, 8:55:00 PM
42/28/2026, 8:56:00 PM
52/28/2026, 8:57:00 PM
Common Templates
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions
What is a cron expression?
A cron expression is a string representing a schedule in Unix time format. It consists of 5 or 6 fields separated by spaces: minute, hour, day of month, month, day of week, and optionally year.
How do I create a cron expression?
Use our visual cron generator by selecting when you want your task to run. You can choose specific values, ranges, intervals (*/5 for every 5 units), or use predefined schedules like 'daily', 'weekly', or 'monthly'.
What does '*/5 * * * *' mean?
The expression '*/5 * * * *' means 'run every 5 minutes'. The '*/5' in the minute field indicates every 5th minute. It's commonly used for frequent scheduled tasks.
Can I test my cron expression?
Yes! Enter your cron expression and our tool will show you the next 10 run times, helping you verify that your schedule is correct and understand when your task will execute.
What are some common cron examples?
Common examples include: '0 0 * * *' (daily at midnight), '0 0 * * 0' (weekly on Sunday), '0 0 1 * *' (monthly on the 1st), '0 */6 * * *' (every 6 hours), and '*/30 9-17 * * 1-5' (every 30 minutes during business hours).
View Complete Guide & Tutorials
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Use Cases
Discover how to integrate this tool into your workflow
Server Automation
Schedule recurring tasks on Unix/Linux servers.
- Database backups
- Log rotation
- Cache clearing
- System updates
Application Jobs
Schedule periodic application tasks.
- Email campaigns
- Data sync jobs
- Report generation
- Cleanup tasks
DevOps & CI/CD
Configure automated build and deployment schedules.
- Nightly builds
- Weekly deployments
- Health checks
- Monitoring alerts
About This Tool
Cron expressions are powerful but syntax is weird—who memorizes "15 14 1 * *" means "run at 2:15 PM on the first of every month"? This tool translates cron to plain English and vice versa. Test your cron expressions, see when they'll next fire, debug why your job didn't run when you expected. Real-time preview as you build your expression.
Technical Details
Algorithm
Cron parsing: each field defines when the job runs. * means "every", 5 means "at 5", */5 means "every 5". To calculate next run time, the algorithm checks current time against each field constraint, finds the next valid combination, and outputs the timestamp. Handles edge cases like February 30th (rolls to March) and weekday vs. day-of-month conflicts.
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