Cron Expression Explainer
Enter a cron expression to get a plain English explanation and see the next scheduled run times.
Format: minute hour day-of-month month day-of-week
At 00:00
0at minute 00at hour 0*every day*every month*every day of the weekAbout Cron Expression Explainer
Cron expressions define schedules for automated tasks on Unix-like systems. This free tool translates cron expressions into plain English so you can understand exactly when a job will run. It also calculates the next 5 scheduled run times and provides a field-by-field breakdown. All processing happens in your browser — no data is sent to any server.
How to Use
- Enter a 5-field cron expression (minute, hour, day-of-month, month, day-of-week) or select a common preset.
- Read the plain English explanation to understand the schedule.
- Review the field breakdown for details on what each field means.
- Check the next 5 run times to verify the schedule matches your expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cron expression?
A cron expression is a string of five fields separated by spaces that defines a schedule. The fields represent minute (0-59), hour (0-23), day of month (1-31), month (1-12), and day of week (0-6, where 0 is Sunday). Special characters like * (any), - (range), / (step), and , (list) allow flexible scheduling.
What does */5 mean in a cron field?
The */5syntax means "every 5 units." For example, */5 in the minute field means every 5 minutes (0, 5, 10, 15, ..., 55). You can also use step values with ranges, like 1-30/5 to step every 5 within minutes 1 through 30.
What is the difference between 5-field and 6-field cron?
Standard Unix cron uses 5 fields (minute, hour, day-of-month, month, day-of-week). Some systems add a 6th field for seconds at the beginning. This tool supports the standard 5-field format used by most crontab implementations.
Are the next run times accurate?
The run times are calculated based on your browser's local time zone and current system clock. They are accurate for standard cron syntax but may not account for daylight saving time transitions or system-specific cron implementations.
Can I use names for months and days?
This tool expects numeric values for all fields. Use 1-12 for months (January through December) and 0-6 for days of the week (Sunday through Saturday). Some cron implementations support names like MON or JAN, but this tool uses numeric values only.