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Cron Expression Generator

Generate and explain cron expressions with a visual builder. Create cron job schedules for Linux, AWS EventBridge, GitHub Actions, and more.

Used 54.9K times today

* * * * *
Every minute
1. 4/1/2026, 5:56:00 PM
2. 4/1/2026, 5:57:00 PM
3. 4/1/2026, 5:58:00 PM
4. 4/1/2026, 5:59:00 PM
5. 4/1/2026, 6:00:00 PM

How to Use Cron Expression Generator

  1. 1

    Use the visual builder

    Select minute, hour, day, month, and weekday values using the dropdown controls and toggle presets.

  2. 2

    Review the expression

    The generated cron expression is shown in real time along with a plain-English description of the schedule.

  3. 3

    Copy and use

    Copy the cron expression to use in crontab, GitHub Actions workflow schedules, AWS EventBridge rules, or Kubernetes CronJobs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cron expression?
A cron expression is a string of 5 or 6 fields (minute, hour, day of month, month, day of week, and optionally year) that defines a recurring schedule. For example, "0 9 * * 1" means "every Monday at 9:00 AM".
What is the difference between 5-field and 6-field cron?
5-field cron (standard Unix) does not include seconds. 6-field cron (used by Quartz, Spring Scheduler, AWS) adds a seconds field at the start. This tool supports both formats.
Does "0 0 1 * *" run at midnight on the first of every month?
Yes. "0 0 1 * *" means minute 0, hour 0 (midnight), day 1 of the month, every month, any day of the week — so it runs at midnight on the 1st of each month.

About Cron Expression Generator

The Cron Expression Generator provides a visual interface for building cron schedules without memorising the dense cron syntax. Simply select your desired minute, hour, day, month, and weekday values, and the tool generates the correct expression along with a plain-English description so you can confirm the schedule is exactly what you intended.

The tool supports both 5-field (Unix crontab) and 6-field (Quartz, AWS EventBridge) cron formats. It also lists the next 5 scheduled run times, making it easy to verify that your schedule fires when expected before deploying to production.

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