Cron Expression Parser

Translate any standard cron expression into plain-English schedule and a list of upcoming run times.

Parses locally in your browser — your expression never leaves this tab

How to use

Type a five-field cron expression such as "*/5 8-17 * * 1-5" into the input box and click Parse. The tool reads the standard Unix fields — minute, hour, day-of-month, month and day-of-week — and expands every range, comma-separated list and step value into a single plain-English sentence. It also computes the next several upcoming execution times so you can confirm the schedule behaves as expected. Anything the parser cannot interpret is reported clearly rather than silently guessed, which makes it useful for checking cron lines before you commit them to a server.

Example

*/5 8-17 * * 1-5
→ Every 5 minutes, 8:00–17:55, Monday to Friday

FAQ

What cron syntax is supported?

The five-field Unix cron format: minute, hour, day-of-month, month and day-of-week, with ranges, lists, steps and wildcards.

Is my expression sent anywhere?

No. Parsing happens in your browser; nothing is uploaded.

Where is cron actually used?

Cron schedules recurring jobs on Unix-like systems and platforms: Linux servers, CI pipelines, container orchestrators, and hosting control panels. The same five-field syntax appears in crontab, Kubernetes CronJobs and GitHub Actions schedule events.

How are timezones handled?

A cron expression is interpreted in a specific timezone, usually the system timezone. This tool shows upcoming runs in your browser's local time, so compare against the environment where the job really runs if that differs.

What about day-of-month versus day-of-week?

In standard Vixie cron, when both day-of-month and day-of-week are restricted, the job runs when either field matches. This tool follows that either/or rule and states it in the description.

What does an asterisk mean?

An asterisk in any field means "every" value for that unit, so a bare "* * * * *" runs every minute of every day. Pair it with a step such as "*/15" to run every fifteenth unit instead of every one.

How do I schedule a weekday at 9am?

Use "0 9 * * 1-5": minute 0, hour 9, any day of month, any month, Monday through Friday. A fixed hour with a weekday range is the pattern behind most business-hour jobs.

Can cron run every N minutes?

Yes. A step after a slash repeats the field: "*/10 * * * *" fires every ten minutes, and "0 */2 * * *" fires on the hour every two hours. Steps work in any field, not just minutes.