Cron Expression Parser

Free · Browser-based

Enter a cron expression

Five fields: Linux/Unix cron. Six fields: seconds-first format. Example: 0 */5 * * * *.

Ready to parse.

Human-readable explanation

Your schedule means

Every 5 minutes

Standard five-field Linux cron expression

Field-by-field breakdown

Minute*/5Every 5 minutes

Hour*Every hour

Day*Every day

Month*Every month

Weekday*Every weekday

Next scheduled execution times

Upcoming times will appear here.

Times are calculated using your browser's local timezone.

Cron expression builder

Create a standard five-field Linux cron expression by entering values for each field.

Minute

0–59

Hour

0–23

Day

1–31

Month

1–12

Weekday

0–7

Generated expression

*/5 * * * *

Common cron expressions

Select an example to load and parse it.

Cron syntax reference

Standard Linux cron expressions contain five fields in this order: minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week.

Field	Allowed values	Meaning
Minute	`0–59`	Minute of the hour
Hour	`0–23`	Hour of the day
Day of month	`1–31`	Calendar day
Month	`1–12`, JAN–DEC	Month of the year
Day of week	`0–7`, SUN–SAT	Day of the week

Special characters

Character	Meaning	Example
`*`	Every permitted value	`* * * * *`
`,`	List of values	`1,15 * * * *`
`-`	Inclusive range	`1-5 * * * *`
`/`	Step interval	`/10 * * *`

Common cron macros

Macro	Equivalent expression	Meaning
`@hourly`	`0 * * * *`	Every hour
`@daily`	`0 0 * * *`	Every day at midnight
`@midnight`	`0 0 * * *`	Every day at midnight
`@weekly`	`0 0 * * 0`	Every Sunday at midnight
`@monthly`	`0 0 1 * *`	First day of every month
`@yearly`	`0 0 1 1 *`	January 1st at midnight
`@annually`	`0 0 1 1 *`	January 1st at midnight

What Is a Cron Expression?

A cron expression is a compact scheduling instruction used by Unix-like systems and many software platforms. It specifies when a scheduled task should run, such as every five minutes, once a day, or on selected weekdays.

Cron is commonly used for database backups, automated reports, cleanup scripts, recurring maintenance, data synchronization, and other scheduled server tasks.

How to Read a Five-Field Cron Expression

A standard cron expression contains five space-separated fields: minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week. For example, 30 9 * * 1-5 means 09:30 every Monday through Friday.

What Does the Asterisk Mean?

The asterisk means every permitted value in a field. An asterisk in the minute field means every minute. An asterisk in the month field means every month.

What Does the Slash Mean?

The slash specifies a step interval. For example, */15 in the minute field means every 15 minutes. In the hour field, */2 means every two hours.

What Is the Difference Between Five and Six Fields?

Traditional Linux cron uses five scheduling fields. Some other schedulers use a leading seconds field, producing six fields. The order is different from the standard five-field format: seconds, minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week. Always check the syntax supported by the scheduler where you intend to use the expression.

Does Cron Use My Local Timezone?

Cron execution depends on the timezone configured for the scheduler or server. This page calculates upcoming times using your browser's local timezone. That may differ from the timezone used by your hosting provider or production server.

Does This Tool Execute Cron Jobs?

No. It only parses and explains expressions and calculates upcoming times. To execute a task, you must configure the expression in the appropriate scheduler, hosting control panel, or application.

Why Might a Cron Job Not Run When Expected?

The server uses a different timezone.
The expression contains a field in the wrong position.
The selected day does not exist in a particular month.
The scheduler does not support the syntax used.
The command or script has incorrect permissions or paths.
The hosting provider restricts cron frequency or execution.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is this cron parser free?

Yes. You can parse and build cron expressions without registration or payment.

2. Does it support five-field cron expressions?

Yes. The parser supports standard five-field Linux-style cron expressions.

3. Does it support six-field cron expressions?

Yes. It also accepts a seconds-first six-field format. Its syntax should be checked against the target scheduler.

4. Can I use ranges and lists?

Yes. The parser supports ranges such as 1-5 and lists such as 1,15.

5. What does */5 mean?

It means every five permitted values. In the minute field, it means every five minutes.

6. Can I see the next execution times?

Yes. The parser calculates upcoming matches using your browser's local clock and timezone.

7. Does it support month and weekday names?

Yes. Three-letter month names such as JAN and weekday names such as MON are supported.

8. Does it install a cron job on my server?

No. It is an explanatory tool, not a server scheduler. You must configure the job separately.