Free Cron Generator
Visually build cron schedules, decode any cron string into plain English, and preview the next run times — all in your browser. Supports standard 5-field and 6-field (with seconds / Quartz) cron.
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What is cron?
Cron is the time-based job scheduler that ships with Unix-like systems. A cron expression is the compact string you hand it to describe when a job should run. Each space-separated field maps to a unit of time — minute, hour, day of month, month and day of week — so a single line such as 0 3 * * 1 means "at 03:00 every Monday".
The classic Unix/Vixie format uses five fields with minute resolution. Many modern schedulers — Quartz, Spring, and a host of Node.js libraries — add a leading seconds field, making the expression six fields long. This tool understands both, and lets you switch between a visual builder and a decoder that explains any expression in plain English or German.
Special characters
Asterisk
Matches every value of the field — "every minute", "every day", and so on.
Comma
A list of specific values, e.g. "1,15,30" in the minute field.
Hyphen
An inclusive range, e.g. "1-5" in the day-of-week field means Monday through Friday.
Slash
A step value, e.g. "*/15" in the minute field fires every 15 minutes.
How to use this cron generator
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1
Pick a Mode
Use the Builder to assemble an expression field by field, or switch to the Decoder to paste an existing cron string and read it back in plain language.
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2
Set the Schedule
In the Builder, choose values for minute, hour, day, month and weekday. Tick "Add seconds field" for 6-field Quartz cron, or start from a preset like Hourly or Every Monday 9am.
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3
Read the Translation
Every change updates the human-readable summary live — switch the Decoder between English and German to suit your team.
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4
Preview & Copy
Check the "Next run times" list to confirm the schedule fires when you expect, then copy the expression straight into your crontab or scheduler config.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cron expression? +
A cron expression is a compact string that defines a recurring schedule for automated jobs. Each field stands for a unit of time, so a single line like "0 3 * * 1" tells a scheduler when to run a task — in this case every Monday at 03:00.
What do the 5 fields mean? +
A standard cron expression has five space-separated fields, in order: 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). An asterisk in any field means "every" value of that unit.
What is the 6-field (seconds) cron format? +
Some schedulers — such as Quartz, Spring and many Node.js cron libraries — support an extra leading seconds field (0-59), making the expression six fields long. Classic Unix/Vixie cron only supports the 5-field minute-resolution format. This tool lets you toggle between both.
What do the special characters mean? +
The asterisk (*) matches every value. A comma (1,15,30) lists specific values. A hyphen (1-5) defines an inclusive range. A slash (*/15) defines a step, e.g. "*/15" in the minute field means every 15 minutes. Combining them lets you express schedules like "0 9-17/2 * * 1-5".
Are my schedules sent anywhere? +
No. The entire generator and decoder run client-side in your browser using vanilla JavaScript. Nothing you type is uploaded, logged or stored on a server — your cron expressions never leave your device.