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Standard 5-field cron. Names (MON, JAN),
ranges (1-5), lists (1,15), steps
(*/10) and @shortcuts all work.
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cron syntax
A cron expression is five fields separated by spaces. Each field says when the job may run; a job fires when every field matches the current time. Paste any expression into the converter above to read it back in plain English.
| # | Field | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minute | 0–59 |
| 2 | Hour | 0–23 (24-hour clock) |
| 3 | Day of month | 1–31 |
| 4 | Month | 1–12, or JAN–DEC |
| 5 | Day of week | 0–7, or SUN–SAT (0 and 7 are Sunday) |
| Char | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| * | Any value | * * * * * — every minute |
| , | List of values | 0,30 * * * * — at :00 and :30 |
| - | Range of values | 0 9 * * 1-5 — 9 AM, Monday to Friday |
| / | Step value | */10 * * * * — every 10 minutes |
| @ | Named shortcut | @daily — same as 0 0 * * * |
common questions
What does */5 * * * * mean?
It runs every 5 minutes — at :00, :05, :10 and so on, every hour of every day. The */5 is a step value in the minute field.
How do I run a cron job every 15 minutes?
Use */15 * * * *. That fires at :00, :15, :30 and :45 of every hour. For every 30 minutes use */30 * * * *.
What are the five fields in a cron expression?
In order: minute (0–59), hour (0–23), day of month (1–31), month (1–12 or JAN–DEC) and day of week (0–7 or SUN–SAT, where both 0 and 7 mean Sunday).
What does 0 0 * * * mean?
It runs once a day at midnight, server time. Minute 0 of hour 0, on every day of every month. It is the same schedule as the @daily shortcut.
How do I schedule a cron job on weekdays only?
Put a range in the day-of-week field: 0 9 * * 1-5 runs at 9:00 AM Monday through Friday. Days 1 to 5 are Monday to Friday.
Is @daily the same as 0 0 * * *?
Yes. @daily and @midnight both expand to 0 0 * * *. The other shortcuts are @hourly, @weekly, @monthly and @yearly.
What time zone does cron use?
Cron uses the system time zone of the machine running it, not UTC and not the visitor's time zone. Check the server's clock before relying on an exact hour.