About the Cron Explainer
Paste an existing cron expression to get a plain-English explanation, a per-field breakdown, and the next five scheduled run times in UTC, all computed locally.
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Cron Explainer
Explain cron syntax and show upcoming run times.
Valid
Every 15 minutes, between 09:00 AM and 05:59 PM, Monday through Friday
Minute
*/15
Hour
9-17
Day of month
*
Month
*
Day of week
1-5
Next 5 runs (UTC)
- Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:30:00 GMT
- Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:45:00 GMT
- Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:00:00 GMT
- Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:15:00 GMT
- Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:30:00 GMT
How the result is produced
The explainer parses each cron field, describes its ranges and lists, and calculates upcoming UTC occurrences using the same browser-side schedule logic as the builder.
Example: Paste `0 9 * * 1-5` to inspect the weekday and 09:00 fields before adding the expression to a job configuration.
Limitations and review notes
The explanation follows the supported cron dialect and should not be treated as universal documentation. Systems may apply local timezones, seconds fields, or platform-specific semantics that change execution.
How to use it
- 1. Paste a cron expression or choose a preset.
- 2. Read the plain-English description and per-field breakdown.
- 3. Check the next five scheduled run times in UTC.
- 4. Share the page link, which restores the expression.
FAQ
What timezone are the next run times shown in?
Next run times are calculated and displayed in UTC so they are consistent regardless of your local timezone.
Does this support 5-field cron expressions?
Yes. Minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week fields are supported, including ranges, steps, and lists such as */15 or 1-5.
Can I share an expression with a link?
Yes. The expression is stored in the URL query string so you can share a link that restores it.
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