Last updated
When to Use the Parser
- Before deploying a new cron job — verify it runs when you expect
- When inheriting a codebase — understand what existing cron jobs do
- When debugging a job that isn't running — check if the expression is valid
- When migrating between platforms — verify the expression works in the new format
- When a job runs too often or not often enough — see the actual execution times
Examples
Example 1: Parsing Simple Expressions
Expression: 0 * * * *
Parsed: "At minute 0 of every hour"
Next runs: 2026-03-17 14:00:00
2026-03-17 15:00:00
2026-03-17 16:00:00
Expression: 0 0 * * *
Parsed: "At midnight every day"
Next runs: 2026-03-18 00:00:00
2026-03-19 00:00:00
2026-03-20 00:00:00
Expression: */15 * * * *
Parsed: "Every 15 minutes"
Next runs: 2026-03-17 14:15:00
2026-03-17 14:30:00
2026-03-17 14:45:00Example 2: Parsing Business Hours Expressions
Expression: 0 9-17 * * 1-5
Parsed: "At minute 0, every hour from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday"
Next runs: 2026-03-18 09:00:00 (Monday)
2026-03-18 10:00:00
2026-03-18 11:00:00
...
2026-03-18 17:00:00
2026-03-19 09:00:00 (Tuesday)
Expression: 0,30 9-17 * * 1-5
Parsed: "At minutes 0 and 30, every hour from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday"
(Runs twice per hour during business hours on weekdays)Example 3: Parsing Complex Expressions
Expression: 0 0,12 1 */2 *
Parsed: "At midnight and noon, on the 1st day, every 2 months"
Meaning: Runs on January 1, March 1, May 1, July 1, September 1, November 1
at both 00:00 and 12:00
Expression: 30 4 1,15 * *
Parsed: "At 4:30 AM on the 1st and 15th of every month"
Expression: 0 2 * * 0
Parsed: "At 2:00 AM every Sunday"