Cron Expression Generator & Parser
Build, parse, and validate standard 5-part cron schedule expressions with plain-English human translations.
Methodology & standardsRuns on your device
Inputs
Results update livePopular Schedules:
Generated Cron Expression
0 * * * *
Human-Readable Meaning:
Runs every hour at minute 0 (top of the hour)
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How the calculation works and where its limits are.
What is a Cron expression?
A standard cron expression is a string of 5 space-separated fields representing: Minute (0-59), Hour (0-23), Day of the Month (1-31), Month (1-12), and Day of the Week (0-6 where 0 is Sunday).
What do asterisks (*) and slashes (/) mean in cron?
An asterisk `*` means 'every value' (e.g. every minute or every hour). A step `/` specifies increments (e.g. `*/15` in the minute field means every 15 minutes).
Where are cron expressions used?
Cron expressions are used in Linux/Unix crontab schedulers, GitHub Actions workflows, AWS CloudWatch Events, Kubernetes CronJobs, and Node.js backend task queues.