Cron Expression Parser
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Enter a cron expression to decode its schedule, get upcoming run times, and a field-by-field explanation.
Human-Readable Description
Every 5 minute(s)
Next 10 Run Times
| # | Date & Time | Day | From Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2026-06-21 15:35:00 | Sunday | 6 seconds from now |
| 2 | 2026-06-21 15:40:00 | Sunday | 5 minutes from now |
| 3 | 2026-06-21 15:45:00 | Sunday | 10 minutes from now |
| 4 | 2026-06-21 15:50:00 | Sunday | 15 minutes from now |
| 5 | 2026-06-21 15:55:00 | Sunday | 20 minutes from now |
| 6 | 2026-06-21 16:00:00 | Sunday | 25 minutes from now |
| 7 | 2026-06-21 16:05:00 | Sunday | 30 minutes from now |
| 8 | 2026-06-21 16:10:00 | Sunday | 35 minutes from now |
| 9 | 2026-06-21 16:15:00 | Sunday | 40 minutes from now |
| 10 | 2026-06-21 16:20:00 | Sunday | 45 minutes from now |
Field Breakdown
| Field | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Minute | */5 | Every 5 minute(s) |
| Hour | * | Every hour |
| Day of Month | * | Every day of the month |
| Month | * | Every month |
| Day of Week | * | Every day of the week |
What is a Cron Expression?
A cron expression is a string of five space-separated fields that define a schedule for automated tasks on Unix-like systems. The five fields represent minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week. Each field can contain specific values, ranges, lists, step values, or an asterisk (*) meaning "every".
For example, */5 * * * * means "every 5 minutes", while 0 0 * * * means "daily at midnight".
How to Read Cron Syntax
| Field | Range | Special Values |
|---|---|---|
| Minute | 0 — 59 | * every, */5 every 5 |
| Hour | 0 — 23 | * every, 0,12 midnight & noon |
| Day of Month | 1 — 31 | * every, 1-15 range |
| Month | 1 — 12 | * every, 1,6,12 specific months |
| Day of Week | 0 — 6 (0=Sun) | * every, 1-5 weekdays |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cron expression used for?
Cron expressions are used to schedule automated tasks on Unix-like operating systems. The cron daemon reads these expressions from crontab files and executes the associated commands at the specified times.
What do the five fields in a cron expression mean?
The five fields are: minute (0-59), hour (0-23), day of month (1-31), month (1-12), and day of week (0-6, where 0 = Sunday). An asterisk (*) means "every possible value" for that field.
How do I run a task every 10 minutes?
Use the expression */10 * * * *. The */10 in the minute field means "every 10 minutes".
What is the difference between */5 and 0-59/5?
Both */5 and 0-59/5 mean the same thing: every 5 minutes. The */n syntax is shorthand for first-last/n.
Can I use both day of month and day of week?
Yes, but they are treated as an OR condition. The task will run when either the day of month matches OR the day of week matches. If you want to restrict to a specific combination, you would need to use multiple cron entries or add conditional logic in your script.
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