Cron Expression Generator
Writing cron by hand is error-prone. Pick a preset or fill in the five fields here and get a valid expression, a plain-words reading of the schedule, and the next five run times computed from your own clock before you paste it into crontab.
Meaning: —
Next 5 run times (your local time)
How to use
- Pick a preset or type the five fields yourself using star, lists (1,2), ranges (1-5) and steps (*/5).
- Read the plain-words meaning to confirm the schedule.
- Check the next five run times before pasting the expression into crontab.
Tips
- Start from a preset when you are unsure; edit one field at a time and re-read the plain-words meaning.
- Avoid running heavy jobs exactly on the hour - pick an odd minute like 7 or 23 to dodge load spikes.
- Test with the next run times shown, then watch the first real run in your logs.
- Remember daylight-saving changes can shift or skip local-time schedules twice a year.
Note: Day of week uses 0 or 7 for Sunday through 6 for Saturday. When both day-of-month and day-of-week are restricted, standard cron runs when either matches — this tool follows that rule.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What does it do?
It builds a five-field cron expression, covering minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week, from visual inputs.
How do I build a schedule?
Pick a preset or type the five fields yourself using star, lists, ranges, and steps, then read the plain-words meaning to confirm.
Can I verify the schedule before using it?
Yes. It shows the next five run times computed from your own clock, so you can check before pasting the expression into crontab.
Is it free?
Yes, it is free with no signup.