Tool Forge
Free
Client-Side
Cron Expression Parser
Decode any cron expression into plain English and preview the next 10 scheduled run times. Supports 5-field and 6-field (seconds) syntax. Runs entirely in your browser.
Cron Expression
Presets
Field Breakdown
Schedule Description
Next 10 Run Times
Cron Syntax Reference
| Field | Range | Operators | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minute | 0–59 | * , - / | 0, 30, */15, 0,30 |
| Hour | 0–23 | * , - / | 0, 9, 8-17, 8,20 |
| Day of Month | 1–31 | * , - / ? | 1, 15, 1,15, */7 |
| Month | 1–12 | * , - / | 1, 6, 1,7, */3 |
| Day of Week | 0–7 (0,7=Sun) | * , - / ? | 0, 1-5, 1,3,5 |
* — any value
, — list (1,3,5)
- — range (1-5)
/ — step (*/15)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cron expression?
A cron expression is a string of five (or six) space-separated fields that defines a recurring schedule for automated tasks. Each field specifies a unit of time: minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week. The asterisk (
*) wildcard means "every", so * * * * * runs every minute.
What does */5 mean in a cron field?
The slash (
/) specifies a step value. */5 in the minute field means "every 5 minutes" — matching minutes 0, 5, 10, 15 … 55. You can also write 10-50/10 to step by 10 starting at minute 10 (matches 10, 20, 30, 40, 50).
Are cron times UTC or local time?
It depends on the system. Linux
crond uses the server's local timezone. GitHub Actions, AWS EventBridge, and most cloud schedulers default to UTC. This tool previews run times in your browser's local timezone — shown in the results header.
Where do cron expressions show up in a self-hosted AI workflow?
Mostly in the schedule trigger that starts the run. In a self-hosted n8n stack the Schedule Trigger node takes the same five-field syntax this tool parses, and the surrounding container maintenance — backups, pruning old executions — is driven by ordinary system cron on the host. The timezone caveat above applies twice over there: the container clock and the host clock are set separately.
Day-of-month vs day-of-week — which takes priority?
When both are set to non-wildcard values, traditional Unix cron uses OR logic — the job fires if either condition matches. When one is
*, only the other applies. Use ? (Quartz-style) to explicitly say "don't care" for one field — this tool treats ? the same as *.
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