Cron Generator
Build standard Cron schedule strings and explain them in clear English.
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Quick Presets
What is this tool?
The Cron Generator and Schedule Parser compiles standard 5-field cron expressions and explains them in plain English. Configure minute, hour, day of the month, month, and day of the week to create schedules for Linux crontabs, AWS EventBridge, GitHub Actions, and backend background tasks.
How to generate and parse cron expressions
- Select your schedule values for Minute, Hour, Day of Month, Month, and Day of Week.
- Watch the compiled 5-field cron string (e.g., '0 12 * * 1-5') update in real time.
- Read the generated plain English sentence explaining exactly when the task will trigger.
- Click the copy button to copy the cron expression to your crontab or job configuration.
Key Features
- Standard 5-part POSIX cron expression generation (Minute, Hour, Day, Month, Day of Week)
- Real-time schedule parser that translates cron syntax into clear English sentences
- Presets for common cron schedules (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly)
- Single-click copy to clipboard for fast terminal and CI/CD pasting
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the 5 fields in a cron expression mean?
In standard 5-part cron syntax, the fields from left to right represent: Minute (0-59), Hour (0-23), Day of the Month (1-31), Month (1-12 or JAN-DEC), and Day of the Week (0-6 or SUN-SAT).
What does an asterisk (*) mean in a cron expression?
An asterisk is a wildcard that means 'every' or 'any' value. For example, an asterisk in the minute field means the cron job will execute every minute.
How do I schedule a cron job to run every day at midnight?
Set Minute to 0, Hour to 0, and the remaining three fields to wildcard asterisks: '0 0 * * *'.
Is this cron generator compatible with Linux crontab and GitHub Actions?
Yes. It creates standard POSIX cron expressions fully compatible with Linux/Unix crontab, systemd timers, AWS EventBridge, Kubernetes CronJobs, and GitHub Actions workflows.
Privacy First
All cron strings are generated and parsed locally in your browser. No schedules are logged or uploaded.