What does * * * * * mean?

`* * * * *` means every minute of every hour of every day — 1,440 executions per day. Practical examples: `0 * * * *` runs once every hour at minute 0. `0 2 * * *` runs once daily at 02:00. `*/5 * * * *` runs every 5 minutes. `0 9 * * 1-5` runs weekdays at 09:00. The five positions represent minute, hour, day-of-month, month, and day-of-week — in that order.

What is the difference between 5-field and 6-field cron?

Standard Unix cron (and most schedulers: Linux crontab, GitHub Actions, Vercel, Railway) uses 5 fields: minute, hour, day, month, weekday. AWS EventBridge and Quartz Scheduler extend this with a 6th field — seconds (placed before minute) or year (placed after weekday). This builder generates standard 5-field cron compatible with crontab, GitHub Actions, and Vercel cron configuration.

How do I run a job every 15 minutes?

Use `*/15 * * * *`. The step notation `*/N` means every Nth value in the range. `*/15` in the minute field runs at minutes 0, 15, 30, and 45 — four times per hour. More examples: `*/30 * * * *` runs every 30 minutes. `0 */6 * * *` runs every 6 hours at the top of the hour. `*/10 9-17 * * 1-5` runs every 10 minutes during business hours, Monday–Friday only.

Can cron run on a specific weekday?

Yes. Day-of-week values: 0 or 7 = Sunday, 1 = Monday, through 6 = Saturday. `0 9 * * 1` runs at 09:00 every Monday. `0 9 * * 1-5` runs Monday through Friday at 09:00. `0 9 * * 1,3,5` runs Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Important: if both day-of-month and day-of-week fields are set to non-`*` values, cron runs when either condition is true — not both.

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Free Cron Expression Builder — Visual Cron Schedule Generator

A cron expression is a string of five fields that defines a recurring schedule: minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week. This builder lets you set each field visually and generates the correct cron string with a plain-English explanation of when the job will run.

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How It Works

How to use Cron Expression Builder

Set each field

Choose values for minute, hour, day, month, and weekday using dropdowns or custom input.

See the expression

The cron string updates in real time. Copy it for use in Vercel, GitHub Actions, Linux crontab, or any scheduler.

Read the explanation

The plain-English summary tells you exactly when the job will run — e.g. "Every day at 02:00 UTC".

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

A cron expression is a space-separated string of five fields that defines a recurring schedule: minute (0–59), hour (0–23), day of month (1–31), month (1–12), and day of week (0–7, where both 0 and 7 represent Sunday). Special characters enable flexible patterns: `*` matches any value, `/` defines steps (every Nth), `,` separates multiple values, and `-` specifies ranges.

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Free Cron Expression Builder — Visual Cron Schedule Generator

How to use Cron Expression Builder

Frequently asked questions

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