⏱ Cron Expression Parser

Parse a 5-field cron expression, explain the schedule, and preview next run times with dialect warnings.

Cron Expression (5 fields)

Human-readable

Next run times

Cron parser checks

Validates 5-field syntax, field ranges, steps/ranges/lists, next-run search, and scheduler dialect/timezone caveats.

Runs in your browser

Cron parsing runs locally. Always verify timezone and target scheduler dialect.

Include current input in shared/debug payload

What this tool does

Cron Parser explains cron expressions in plain language and shows expected schedule behavior.

Why it is useful

It helps developers and operators debug jobs, scheduled tasks, backups, reports, and automation timing.

How it works

The browser parses minute, hour, day, month, and weekday fields and searches upcoming matching local times.

Best input

Paste the exact cron expression from your scheduler and confirm its expected timezone.

Operations tip

Always verify timezone and scheduler-specific syntax before deploying production jobs.

Privacy note

Cron parsing happens locally in your browser.

Important limitation

Cron syntax varies between Unix cron, Quartz, GitHub Actions, Kubernetes, and cloud schedulers.

Quick answers

Why does my scheduler disagree?

It may use a different cron dialect or timezone.

Can it show next runs?

Yes, but confirm next-run behavior in the target scheduler.

API examples

Call the same deterministic core through Utilito’s compact API router. Send only data you intentionally submit to the server-side endpoint.

Try in API playground →Schema →

Parse cron with curl

curl

curl -X POST https://utilito.dev/api/run \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"tool_id":"cron-parser","input":{"expression":"*/15 9-17 * * 1-5","count":5}}'

Parse cron from JavaScript

javascript

const res = await fetch('https://utilito.dev/api/run', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    tool_id: 'cron-parser',
    input: { expression: '*/15 9-17 * * 1-5', count: 5 }
  })
});
const data = await res.json();
console.log(data.result.output.nextRuns);

Parse cron from Python

python

import requests
payload = {"tool_id": "cron-parser", "input": {"expression": "*/15 9-17 * * 1-5", "count": 5}}
print(requests.post("https://utilito.dev/api/run", json=payload).json()["result"]["output"]["nextRuns"])

Common Use Cases

Debug scheduled jobs

Check when a backup, report, or workflow should run next.

Review cron changes

Copy the parser report into PRs or runbooks.

Spot dialect risks

Flag expressions that may behave differently across schedulers.

View all in Developer →