**Cron Expression Meaning: Understanding 0 0/5 * * * **
Cron expressions are used to schedule tasks in Linux and Unix-like operating systems. They consist of five or six fields separated by spaces, which specify the timing of the task. In this article, we will break down the meaning of the cron expression 0 0/5 * * * and explain each field in detail.
Field 1: Minute (0)
The first field represents the minute of the hour. In this case, the value is 0, which means the task will run at the start of each hour (i.e., 0 minutes past the hour).
Field 2: Hour (0/5)
The second field represents the hour of the day. The value 0/5 is a special case, known as a "step value." It means the task will run every 5 hours, starting from 0. In other words, the task will run at 0:00, 5:00, 10:00, 15:00, and so on.
Field 3: Day of the Month (*)
The third field represents the day of the month. The asterisk (*) is a wildcard character, which means the task will run every day of the month.
Field 4: Month (*)
The fourth field represents the month of the year. Again, the asterisk (*) is used, which means the task will run every month of the year.
Field 5: Day of the Week (*)
The fifth field represents the day of the week. The asterisk (*) means the task will run every day of the week, regardless of whether it's a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on.
Summary
The cron expression 0 0/5 * * * can be read as: "Run the task at the start of every hour, every 5 hours, every day of the month, every month, and every day of the week."
