Cron Expression Parser & Generator
Parse any cron expression into plain English, preview the next execution times, or build new schedules with an interactive visual builder — all in your browser, no data sent anywhere.
Open Cron ParserCommon Cron Expressions
* * * * *Every minute*/5 * * * *Every 5 minutes0 * * * *Every hour (on the hour)0 9 * * *Every day at 9:00 AM0 9 * * 1-5Weekdays at 9:00 AM0 0 * * 0Every Sunday at midnight0 0 1 * *First day of every month30 2 * * *Every day at 2:30 AM0 */6 * * *Every 6 hours0 9,17 * * 1-5Weekdays at 9 AM and 5 PMFeatures
Human-Readable Output
Translates complex cron syntax into plain English descriptions you can understand at a glance.
Next Execution Times
See the next 5 scheduled run times to verify your cron expression fires when you expect.
Visual Builder
Construct cron expressions interactively — select fields and see the expression update live.
100% Private
Runs entirely in your browser. Your cron expressions are never sent to any server.
Instant Parsing
No network calls. Parse and validate expressions locally at full speed.
Works Offline
Built as a PWA — use the cron parser even without an internet connection.
Cron Expression Syntax Reference
A standard cron expression has five fields. Each field accepts numbers, ranges, lists, and step values.
┌───────────── minute (0-59) │ ┌───────────── hour (0-23) │ │ ┌───────────── day of month (1-31) │ │ │ ┌───────────── month (1-12) │ │ │ │ ┌───────────── day of week (0-6) │ │ │ │ │ * * * * *
*Any value (wildcard),List separator — e.g., 1,3,5 means values 1, 3, and 5-Range — e.g., 1-5 means 1 through 5/Step — e.g., */15 means every 15 units; 1-30/5 means every 5 from 1 to 30Where Cron Expressions Are Used
GitHub Actions
Schedule workflows with the schedule event trigger using cron syntax.
Kubernetes CronJobs
Run containerized tasks on a recurring schedule in your cluster.
AWS EventBridge
Trigger Lambda functions, Step Functions, and more on a cron schedule.
Linux Crontab
The original — schedule shell commands and scripts on Unix/Linux servers.
Google Cloud Scheduler
Trigger HTTP endpoints, Pub/Sub topics, and App Engine on a schedule.
CI/CD Pipelines
Run nightly builds, weekly deployments, and periodic tests automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cron expression?
A cron expression is a string of five space-separated fields (minute, hour, day-of-month, month, day-of-week) that defines a recurring schedule. Cron is used by Unix/Linux systems, CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI), cloud schedulers (AWS EventBridge, Google Cloud Scheduler), and task automation tools like Kubernetes CronJobs.
How do I read a cron expression?
Read each field left to right: minute (0-59), hour (0-23), day of month (1-31), month (1-12), day of week (0-6, Sunday=0). The expression "30 9 * * 1-5" means "at 9:30 AM, every weekday." Special characters include * (any), , (list), - (range), and / (step).
What does */5 mean in a cron expression?
The / character is a step operator. */5 in the minute field means "every 5 minutes" (0, 5, 10, 15, ..., 55). Similarly, */2 in the hour field means "every 2 hours." You can combine it with ranges: 1-30/5 means "every 5 minutes from minute 1 to 30."
How do I schedule a cron job for every Monday at 9 AM?
Use the expression "0 9 * * 1". This breaks down as: minute 0, hour 9, any day of month, any month, day of week 1 (Monday). Days of the week are numbered 0 (Sunday) through 6 (Saturday).
Is my data sent to a server?
No. ToolCove's cron parser runs 100% client-side in your browser using JavaScript. Your cron expressions are never transmitted to any server, ensuring complete privacy. The tool even works offline.
Does this tool support 6-field or 7-field cron expressions?
This tool supports the standard 5-field cron format used by most Unix cron daemons, Kubernetes CronJobs, GitHub Actions, and cloud schedulers. Some systems like Quartz use 6 fields (adding seconds) or 7 fields (adding year) — simply omit the extra fields when using this tool.
What is the difference between cron and crontab?
Cron is the scheduling daemon that runs tasks. Crontab (cron table) is the file that lists the scheduled tasks and their cron expressions. When people say "crontab expression," they mean the same 5-field cron expression format.
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Last updated: March 2026