Cron Job Generator & Expression Builder

Visually build cron expressions and get an instant plain-English schedule description — free, private, runs entirely in your browser.

100% FreeNo Sign-upRuns in BrowserPrivacy First

Generated Expression

* * * * *

Every minute

Minute

Hour

Day

Month

Weekday

Configure Fields

Minute

0–59 · */5 · 0,30

Hour

0–23 · */2 · 9-17

Day of Month

1–31 · */7 · 1,15

Month

1–12 · */3 · 1-6

Day of Week

0=Sun · 1–7 · 1-5

Quick Presets

What is a Cron Job?

A cron job is a time-based task scheduler built into Unix-like operating systems (Linux, macOS, BSD). It allows you to run scripts, commands, or programs automatically at specified times and intervals — without any manual intervention.

The name "cron" comes from the Greek word chronos (χρόνος), meaning "time." The configuration file where cron jobs are defined is called a crontab (short for "cron table").

Common uses include database backups, log rotation, sending scheduled emails, cache invalidation, API polling, report generation, and system monitoring. Modern platforms like AWS EventBridge, GitHub Actions, Kubernetes CronJobs, and Vercel Cron all use the same familiar cron syntax.

Understanding Cron Syntax

A standard cron expression consists of 5 space-separated fields, each representing a unit of time. They are evaluated from left to right:

* * * * *

MINUTE
(0–59)HOUR
(0–23)DAY/MONTH
(1–31)MONTH
(1–12)DAY/WEEK
(0–6)

Cron Syntax Cheat Sheet

Expression	Meaning	Example
*	Every / any value	* in minute = every minute
5	Exact value	5 in hour = at 5 AM
1-5	Range (inclusive)	1-5 in DOW = Mon–Fri
*/15	Step value (every N)	*/15 in minute = every 15 min
0,30	List of values	0,30 in minute = :00 and :30
0 9 * * 1-5	Full expression	9 AM every weekday
0 0 1 * *	Full expression	Midnight on the 1st of every month

Field Reference: Minute, Hour, Day, Month, Weekday

Minute0–59

Supports *, ranges, steps, and lists.

Hour0–23

0 = midnight, 12 = noon, 23 = 11 PM.

Day of Month1–31

Not all months have 31 days — use with care.

Month1–12

1 = January, 12 = December. Some parsers accept JAN–DEC.

Day of Week0–6 (or 7)

0 and 7 both = Sunday. 1 = Monday … 6 = Saturday.

How to Use This Cron Job Generator

1Use the Quick Presets grid to instantly load a common schedule (Every Hour, Every Day at Midnight, Weekdays at 9 AM, etc.).
2Fine-tune each field using the Configure Fields section. Type a value directly or use the dropdown to pick a specific minute, hour, day, month, or weekday.
3The Generated Expression at the top updates in real time, and the plain-English description tells you exactly when the job will run.
4Click Copy to copy the cron expression to your clipboard, then paste it into your crontab, CI/CD config, or cloud scheduler.
5Hit Reset to start fresh from * * * * * (every minute).

FAQ

What is the difference between cron and crontab?

Cron is the background daemon (service) that runs scheduled tasks on Unix/Linux systems. A crontab (cron table) is the configuration file containing the list of cron jobs and their schedules. You edit crontabs with the `crontab -e` command.

Does * * * * * really run every minute?

Yes. When all five fields are set to *, the job fires every minute of every hour of every day. This is the most permissive expression. Use it for testing, but be careful in production as it generates high load.

Can I use this for AWS EventBridge or GitHub Actions?

AWS EventBridge uses a slightly different syntax (6 fields with a year field). GitHub Actions schedules use standard 5-field cron syntax — expressions from this tool work directly. Always verify timezone: most cron runners default to UTC.