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Cron Expression Parser

Parse and describe cron expressions in plain English. See the next 5 scheduled run times for any cron job.

What is a Cron Expression Parser?

A cron expression parser translates cron schedule syntax into human-readable descriptions and shows upcoming execution times. Cron is the standard job scheduler in Unix/Linux systems, and its five-field syntax (* * * * *) can be confusing — especially for complex schedules like “every 15 minutes on weekdays” or “at 3 AM on the first Monday of each month.”

Our cron parser instantly explains what any cron expression means, shows the next scheduled runs, and helps you build new expressions with confidence. Whether you’re scheduling database backups, log rotation, or CI/CD pipelines, getting the cron syntax right the first time prevents missed jobs and late-night debugging.

How to Use This Cron Parser

  1. Enter a cron expression in the standard five-field format (minute, hour, day-of-month, month, day-of-week)
  2. Read the human-friendly description to confirm it matches your intent
  3. Review the next execution times to verify the schedule works as expected
  4. Adjust the expression and see changes in real time

Common Use Cases

  • Scheduling backups — Verify your database backup cron runs at the right time (e.g., 0 3 * * * for 3 AM daily)
  • CI/CD pipelines — Configure scheduled builds in GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Jenkins
  • Log rotation — Set up periodic log cleanup with correct timing
  • Monitoring alerts — Schedule health checks at appropriate intervals
  • Batch processing — Verify data processing jobs run during off-peak hours

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the asterisk (*) mean in cron?

The asterisk means “every” — it matches all possible values for that field. For example, * in the hour field means “every hour,” and * * * * * means “every minute of every day.”

How do I schedule a cron job to run every 5 minutes?

Use */5 * * * *. The /5 means “every 5th value.” Similarly, */15 means every 15 minutes, and */2 in the hour field means every 2 hours.

What’s the difference between cron and crontab?

cron is the daemon (background service) that executes scheduled commands. crontab is the file that contains the list of cron jobs, and also the command used to edit that file (crontab -e).