Cron Expression Explainer
Paste any cron expression and read exactly when it runs — field by field, in plain English.
Runs 100% in your browser — nothing is ever uploaded.
What is Cron Explainer?
Reading */15 2-6 * * 1-5 should not require a manual. This free explainer decodes any 5-field cron expression into a field-by-field breakdown — minute, hour, day of month, month, day of week — and then writes out a single plain-English sentence describing exactly when the job runs. It understands steps, ranges, lists and the @daily, @hourly, @weekly, @monthly and @yearly shortcuts, and shows the final crontab line ready to paste.
How to use Cron Explainer
- Open the tool — no signup, no upload, everything runs in your browser.
- Fill in the options in the form; sensible defaults are pre-selected.
- The cron explainer output updates instantly with every change you make.
- Copy the result or download it as a ready-to-use file.
Frequently asked questions
Is this cron explainer free to use?
Yes — this cron explainer is completely free with no signup, no limits, and no watermarks. Use it as often as you like.
Why does my cron job run on unexpected days?
The classic trap: day-of-month and day-of-week are combined with OR, not AND. An expression like 0 0 1 * 1 runs on the 1st of the month AND every Monday. To restrict to one condition, set the other field to * — the explainer's sentence makes this behavior visible instantly.
Is my data private?
Completely. Everything you type stays in your browser — nothing is uploaded to any server, so commands, keys and data never leave your machine.
Do these tools touch my servers?
No. OpsForge tools are pure calculators and generators that run in your browser — they never connect to your infrastructure. You copy the result and apply it yourself.
Is the chmod calculator accurate for all systems?
Yes — octal permission notation is a POSIX standard, so the results apply identically on Linux, macOS and BSD.
Will more DevOps tools be added?
Yes — Dockerfile, docker-compose, nginx and CI config generators are on the roadmap. Everything will stay free and client-side.