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How to Use
- 1Enter a 5-field cron expression (minute, hour, day, month, weekday).
- 2Read the human-readable description of your schedule.
- 3View the field-by-field breakdown showing what each part means.
- 4Check the next 5 calculated run times in your local timezone.
- 5Use preset buttons for common schedules like hourly, daily, or weekly.
About Cron Expression Parser
The Cron Expression Parser breaks down standard 5-field cron expressions into a clear human-readable description and calculates the next 5 execution times. It supports wildcards (*), step values (/), ranges (-), and comma-separated lists.
Cron syntax is powerful but notoriously hard to read at a glance. This tool eliminates guesswork by translating expressions like '*/15 9-17 * * 1-5' into 'Every 15 minutes, between 9 AM and 5 PM, Monday through Friday' — so you can verify schedules before deploying.
Built for DevOps engineers, backend developers, and system administrators who configure cron jobs in Linux crontab, Kubernetes CronJobs, GitHub Actions, or CI/CD pipelines. All parsing runs locally in your browser with zero dependencies on external APIs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cron format does this tool support?
Standard 5-field cron: minute (0–59), hour (0–23), day of month (1–31), month (1–12), day of week (0–6, Sunday = 0). This is the format used by Linux crontab and most scheduling systems.
Does it support seconds or year fields?
No. This parser handles the standard 5-field format only. Extended 6-field (with seconds) or 7-field (with year) formats used by Quartz or Spring are not supported.
Are the next run times accurate?
Yes. Run times are calculated by iterating forward from the current moment in your local timezone. They match what your system's cron daemon would schedule.
Can I use this for Kubernetes CronJobs?
Yes. Kubernetes CronJobs use standard 5-field cron syntax, so this tool works perfectly for validating your schedule before applying the manifest.
What does */5 mean in a cron expression?
The */5 syntax means 'every 5 units.' In the minute field, */5 means every 5 minutes (0, 5, 10, 15, …). In the hour field, it means every 5 hours.