Cron Expression Parser
Parse Cron expressions into readable schedule fields and validate their structure.
optional seconds · minute · hour · day of month · month · day of week
| Symbol | Meaning | Example | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
* | Any value | * * * * | Every minute |
- | Range of values | 1-10 * * * | Minutes 1 through 10 |
, | List of values | 1,10 * * * | At minutes 1 and 10 |
/ | Step values | */10 * * * | Every 10 minutes |
@yearly | Once every year at midnight of 1 January | @yearly | 0 0 1 1 * |
@annually | Same as @yearly | @annually | 0 0 1 1 * |
@monthly | Once a month at midnight on the first day | @monthly | 0 0 1 * * |
@weekly | Once a week at midnight on Sunday morning | @weekly | 0 0 * * 0 |
@daily | Once a day at midnight | @daily | 0 0 * * * |
@midnight | Same as @daily | @midnight | 0 0 * * * |
@hourly | Once an hour at the beginning of the hour | @hourly | 0 * * * * |
@reboot | Run at startup | @reboot |
Runs locally in your browser. Your input is not uploaded or stored. You can verify this in your browser’s network panel.
What does this tool solve?
Paste a 5- or 6-field cron expression, or an alias such as @daily, to get a plain-English description and the cron helper reference table.
Continue with Timestamp Converter, Regex Tester · Cron expressions, explained field by field
What examples should you start with?
Every minute
* * * * *Every minute.Weekday business hours
*/15 9-17 * * MON-FRIEvery 15 minutes between 09:00 and 17:59, Monday to Friday.Leap day
0 0 29 2 *At 00:00 on February 29 — runs only in leap years.How does it work?
Each field supports * (any), lists (1,15), ranges (9-17), and steps (*/15). Month and day-of-week accept three-letter names like JAN and MON. Day-of-week 0 and 7 both mean Sunday.
The description follows the selected Verbose, 24-hour, and day-of-week-index options. Five-field expressions and the optional leading seconds field are accepted.
What are the edge cases and limits?
- When both day-of-month and day-of-week are restricted, most cron implementations run when EITHER matches (OR semantics) — a classic surprise.
- Cron has no timezone field; servers interpret it in their local time. This parser focuses on expression meaning and helper references.
- Some systems add a sixth field for seconds; year fields are not part of this parser.
- February 29 combined with a day-of-week restriction may never run — verify the target scheduler's semantics.
Technical reference
Related tools
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- Regex TesterTest regular expressions against sample text with live matches.