Cron Expression Explainer
Translate cron expressions to plain English.
MinuteHourDay (Month)MonthDay (Week)
Presets
Visual Editor
Syntax Reference
| Field | Range | Special Characters |
|---|---|---|
| Minute | 0-59 | * , - / |
| Hour | 0-23 | * , - / |
| Day of Month | 1-31 | * , - / |
| Month | 1-12 | * , - / |
| Day of Week | 0-7 (0,7=Sun) | * , - / |
| Character | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
* | Every value | * * * * * = every minute |
, | List of values | 1,15 * * * * = minute 1 and 15 |
- | Range of values | 1-5 = 1 through 5 |
/ | Step values | */5 = every 5 units |
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the five fields in a cron expression mean? +
From left to right: 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 mean Sunday). Each field can use numbers, ranges, lists, and step values.
How does the slash (/) work in cron? +
The slash defines step values. For example, */5 in the minute field means every 5 minutes. 10-30/5 means every 5 minutes between minutes 10 and 30. The number before the slash is the start, and the number after is the interval.
What is the difference between * and ? in cron? +
The asterisk (*) means every value in that field. The question mark (?) is only used in some cron implementations (like Quartz) for day-of-month and day-of-week to mean no specific value. Standard 5-field cron only uses *.
How do I run a job on weekdays only? +
Set the day-of-week field to 1-5. For example, 0 9 * * 1-5 runs at 9:00 AM Monday through Friday.