Cron Parser Guide
Translate cron expressions into plain English schedules and preview the next 5 upcoming execution times.
Overview
Decode and verify standard UNIX cron expressions into plain English sentences, inspect individual time fields, and preview the next 5 scheduled execution times.
When to Use Cron Parser
Use Cron Parser when setting up scheduled tasks in Kubernetes CronJobs, Linux crontab, GitHub Actions, AWS EventBridge, or Celery to avoid schedule blunders.
Inputs, Formats & Specifications
- Accepted Inputs
- 5-field standard cron string (`minute hour day-of-month month day-of-week`)
- Output Formats
- Plain English description, field breakdown table, next 5 execution timestamps
- Supported Standards
- Standard UNIX/POSIX crontab format
- Browser Limits & Scope
- Evaluates standard 5-field syntax. Extended 6-field non-standard syntaxes (including seconds or years used in Quartz scheduler) should be translated to 5-field equivalents.
How to use Cron Parser
- Enter a 5-part standard cron expression (e.g. `*/15 * * * *` or `0 9 * * 1-5`) or choose a preset.
- Read the plain English explanation translating the expression into an unambiguous schedule.
- Inspect the field breakdown table (minute, hour, day of month, month, day of week).
- Review the upcoming run times preview showing the exact timestamps of the next 5 executions.
Real-World Examples
Frequently Asked Questions
What does `*/5 * * * *` mean?
It means 'Every 5 minutes, every hour, every day of the month, every month, every day of the week'.
How are days of the week numbered in cron?
In standard cron: 0 = Sunday, 1 = Monday, 2 = Tuesday, 3 = Wednesday, 4 = Thursday, 5 = Friday, 6 = Saturday (and 7 is also accepted as Sunday in many environments).
Does this parser take timezone into account?
The upcoming run preview calculates next run windows relative to your computer's local timezone unless your crontab daemon is specifically configured in UTC.
Privacy & Data Security
Cron Parser is designed to run in the browser. Review outputs before sharing them with any external service or workflow.