Cron Expression Editor
Build cron expressions with preset patterns, see human-readable descriptions, and preview the next 5 execution times.
* * * * *Every minute
Next 5 Execution Times
Features
Visual Field Editor
Edit each cron field individually with clear labels and valid range hints.
Common Presets
Quickly apply common schedules like every minute, hourly, daily, or weekly patterns.
Human-Readable
See a plain-English description of what your cron expression means.
Execution Preview
View the next 5 scheduled execution times calculated from your expression.
Copy to Clipboard
Copy the generated cron expression with one click for use in crontab or CI/CD configs.
100% Client-side
All calculation happens in your browser. No server calls or data transmission.
About Cron Expressions
Cron is a time-based job scheduler used in Unix-like operating systems. A cron expression consists of five fields separated by spaces: minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week. Each field can contain a specific number, a range (1-5), a list (1,3,5), a step value (*/10), or a wildcard (*).
Cron expressions are widely used for scheduling automated tasks such as backups, log rotation, data synchronization, and periodic reports. They are supported by system crontab, CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI), and task scheduling libraries in most programming languages.
This editor helps you build valid cron expressions visually, understand what they mean in plain language, and verify the schedule by previewing the next execution times. All computation runs entirely in your browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the 5 cron fields represent?▼
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 is Sunday). Each field controls a different unit of time.
What does */5 mean in a cron field?▼
The */5 syntax means 'every 5 units'. For example, */5 in the minute field means the job runs every 5 minutes (at 0, 5, 10, 15, etc.).
How do day of month and day of week interact?▼
If both fields are restricted (not *), the job runs when EITHER condition is met. For example, '0 0 15 * 5' runs on the 15th of each month AND every Friday.
Can I use this for GitHub Actions or CI/CD?▼
Yes. GitHub Actions uses a 5-field cron format similar to standard cron. You can build your expression here and copy it to your workflow YAML file.
Why are my next execution times unexpected?▼
Make sure all five fields are valid. Common issues include using 7 for Sunday (use 0 instead) and forgetting that day of month starts at 1, not 0.