Cron Expression Parser
Type a standard 5-field cron expression and instantly get a plain-English description of its schedule, plus validation that catches malformed syntax.
🔒 Processed locally in your browser
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How to use
- Type or paste a standard 5-field cron expression into the input — the fields are minute, hour, day-of-month, month, and day-of-week.
- The tool validates the expression live as you type and flags malformed syntax or out-of-range values right away.
- Once the expression is valid, a plain-English description of the schedule appears below the input.
- Click any of the example chips to fill the input with a common schedule pattern and see how it's described.
Features
- Parses all 5 standard cron fields: minute, hour, day-of-month, month, and day-of-week
- Supports wildcards (*), specific values, ranges (1-5), lists (1,3,5), and step values (*/15)
- Produces a plain-English description of the schedule as you type
- Validates syntax and out-of-range values with a clear, specific error message
- 100% client-side — your cron expression never leaves your browser
Frequently asked questions
What is cron syntax?
Cron is a time-based job scheduler used on Unix-like systems. A cron expression is a compact 5-field pattern (minute hour day-of-month month day-of-week) that describes when a job should run. It's used in Linux crontab files, CI/CD pipeline schedules, and Kubernetes CronJobs, among many other places.
What do the 5 fields in a cron expression mean?
In order: minute (0-59), hour (0-23), day-of-month (1-31), month (1-12), and day-of-week (0-6, where 0 is Sunday). A job runs when the current time matches all 5 fields.
What does an asterisk (*) mean in a cron field?
An asterisk means "any value" for that field — the field places no restriction on when the job runs. For example, * in the hour field means the job isn't restricted to any particular hour.
How do ranges, lists, and steps work?
A range like 1-5 matches every value from 1 to 5 inclusive. A list like 1,3,5 matches only those specific values. A step like */15 means "every 15 units" starting from the field's minimum value; it can also be combined with a range, like 1-31/2.
Does this tool support @daily, @hourly, or seconds/year fields?
No. This tool focuses on the classic 5-field Unix cron format. Shorthand aliases like @daily and extended 6- or 7-field formats (with seconds or years) aren't parsed here.