* * * * *Every minute
Quick Presets
Next 10 Execution Times
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cron expression?
A cron expression is a string of five fields separated by spaces that defines a recurring schedule. The fields are: minute (0-59), hour (0-23), day of month (1-31), month (1-12), and day of week (0-7, where 0 and 7 both represent Sunday). Cron is the standard scheduling format used in Unix/Linux systems, CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI), cloud schedulers (AWS CloudWatch, Google Cloud Scheduler), and task runners like Kubernetes CronJobs.
How do I use the visual cron builder?
Use the Visual Builder tab to configure each field individually. For each field you can choose "Every" (wildcard), "Specific values" (click to select), "Range" (from-to), or "Interval" (every N starting from). The cron expression updates in real time at the top, along with a plain English description and the next 10 run times. You can also click a Quick Preset to instantly set common schedules.
What does the asterisk (*) mean in cron?
The asterisk means "every possible value" for that field. For example, * in the minute field triggers every minute, and * in the hour field means every hour. You can combine it with a step operator like */5 (every 5th value) or use a range like 1-5 and comma lists like 1,3,5.
Can I validate an existing cron expression?
Yes. Switch to the Manual Input tab and paste or type your expression. The tool validates it instantly, showing a green checkmark for valid expressions or a detailed error message explaining what went wrong. Valid expressions also display a human-readable description and the next 10 execution times so you can verify the schedule is what you expect.
What are common cron schedule examples?
Some frequently used schedules: * * * * * runs every minute, 0 * * * * runs at the start of every hour, 0 0 * * * runs daily at midnight, 0 9 * * 1-5 runs weekdays at 9 AM, and 0 0 1 * * runs on the first day of every month. Use the Quick Presets above to apply any of these with a single click.