Cron Expression Parser

Parse, validate, and build cron expressions with a visual editor and next run time calculator.

MinuteHourDay (month)MonthDay (week)

Every every 15 minutes minutes

  1. Wed, Mar 18, 2026, 6:45:00 PM(in 13 minutes)
  2. Wed, Mar 18, 2026, 7:00:00 PM(in 28 minutes)
  3. Wed, Mar 18, 2026, 7:15:00 PM(in 43 minutes)
  4. Wed, Mar 18, 2026, 7:30:00 PM(in 58 minutes)
  5. Wed, Mar 18, 2026, 7:45:00 PM(in 1 hour)
  6. Wed, Mar 18, 2026, 8:00:00 PM(in 1 hour)
  7. Wed, Mar 18, 2026, 8:15:00 PM(in 2 hours)
  8. Wed, Mar 18, 2026, 8:30:00 PM(in 2 hours)
  9. Wed, Mar 18, 2026, 8:45:00 PM(in 2 hours)
  10. Wed, Mar 18, 2026, 9:00:00 PM(in 2 hours)

What is a Cron Expression?

A cron expression is a string of five or six fields that defines a schedule for recurring tasks. Used in Unix cron jobs, Kubernetes CronJobs, GitHub Actions, and CI/CD pipelines, cron expressions specify when a command should run using minute, hour, day-of-month, month, and day-of-week fields. This parser shows the next run times and provides a visual builder.

Common Use Cases

  • •Building cron schedules for CI/CD pipelines
  • •Verifying when a Kubernetes CronJob will next execute
  • •Converting human-readable schedules to cron syntax
  • •Debugging why a scheduled task isn't running as expected
  • •Understanding complex cron expressions from legacy systems

Frequently Asked Questions

What does */5 mean in a cron expression?

The */5 syntax means 'every 5 units.' In the minute field, */5 means every 5 minutes (0, 5, 10, 15...). In the hour field, */5 means every 5 hours (0, 5, 10, 15, 20).

What is the difference between 5-field and 6-field cron?

Standard Unix cron uses 5 fields (minute, hour, day, month, weekday). Some systems add a 6th field for seconds at the beginning. Quartz scheduler and Spring use 6-field cron expressions.