Cron Expression Parser
Parse cron expressions into plain English field-by-field explanations.
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How to Parse a Cron Expression
Paste a crontab schedule like */15 9-17 * * 1-5 and the parser explains each field in plain English - every 15 minutes, hours 9 through 17, Monday through Friday. Macros like @daily are expanded to their 5-field equivalents first.
Cron Field Reference
Use this reference when writing schedules by hand.
| Input | Output | Note |
|---|---|---|
| * * * * * | every minute | All wildcards |
| 0 * * * * | hourly at :00 | @hourly |
| 0 0 * * * | daily at midnight | @daily |
| */5 * * * * | every 5 minutes | Step value |
| 0 9 * * 1-5 | 9 AM on weekdays | Day-of-week range |
| 0 0 1 * * | first of each month | @monthly |
Common Use Cases
Developers parse cron expressions when reviewing CI schedules, debugging why a job runs at unexpected times, translating requirements into crontab lines, and documenting scheduled tasks for teammates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cron syntax is supported?
Standard 5-field crontab syntax (minute hour day-of-month month day-of-week) with wildcards (*), lists (1,15), ranges (9-17), steps (*/15), and the common macros @daily, @hourly, @weekly, @monthly, and @yearly.
What do the five fields mean?
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).
Does it validate my expression?
Yes. Out-of-range values, malformed ranges, and invalid syntax produce a specific error naming the field and the problem.
What does */15 mean?
A step value: */15 in the minute field means every 15 minutes (at :00, :15, :30, :45). Steps can also apply to ranges, like 9-17/2 for every 2 hours between 9 AM and 5 PM.