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Cron Expression Helper

Explain schedules in English and preview the next five runs.

Runs 100% in your browser. No upload.

Builder

In plain English

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Next 5 run times

    Read cron without memorizing fields

    Cron expressions are compact and easy to misread under pressure. A leading * in the wrong field can mean “every minute” when you meant “every day.” This helper turns the five fields into an English sentence and lists upcoming fire times so you can sanity-check before deploying.

    Use presets for common ops schedules, or the builder dropdowns when you think in “weekdays at nine” rather than in asterisks. Everything runs locally — schedule drafts with secrets in nearby comments stay on your machine.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which cron format do you use?

    Standard 5-field cron: minute, hour, day-of-month, month, day-of-week. (Not the optional seconds field used by some libraries.)

    Are next run times in my local timezone?

    Next run times are computed in your browser’s local timezone. Server cron may use UTC — always compare TZ assumptions before changing production schedules.

    What does “L” or “?” mean?

    Some engines support extensions. Stick to *, ranges, lists, and steps for maximum portability across Linux cron, GitHub Actions, and cloud schedulers.

    Is my expression uploaded?

    No. Explanation and next-run previews are computed client-side with cronstrue and cron-parser.

    Why don’t my next runs match production?

    Server cron often runs in UTC while your laptop uses local time. Compare timezone assumptions before changing production schedules.

    Can I use presets?

    Yes — every 5 minutes, nightly at 2am, Mondays at 9am, and a few other common patterns fill the expression box for you.