System and processes

The crontab command

Manages your scheduled tasks: commands the system runs on its own at certain times or days.

Syntax

crontab -l | crontab -e | crontab -r

Most useful options

-lLists your current tasks
-eEdits the tasks file
-rDeletes all your tasks

Copy-ready examples

$ crontab -lSee your scheduled tasks

You can try them in the browser terminal: it does not touch your computer.

Typical mistakes

  • The five fields are minute, hour, day of month, month and day of week, in that order.
  • crontab -r deletes everything without asking: use it carefully.

Related commands

atsystemctldate

FAQ

What does */5 * * * * mean?

Run every 5 minutes, every day.

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