Cron Job: 1 0 0 * * * Explained
Cron jobs are an essential part of Linux-based systems, allowing users to schedule tasks to run at specific times or intervals. One of the most commonly used cron job schedules is 1 0 0 * * *. In this article, we'll break down what this schedule means and how it works.
Understanding the Cron Syntax
Before we dive into the specifics of 1 0 0 * * *, let's review the basic syntax of a cron job:
minute hour day month day_of_week command
minute: specifies the minute of the hour (0-59)hour: specifies the hour of the day (0-23)day: specifies the day of the month (1-31)month: specifies the month of the year (1-12)day_of_week: specifies the day of the week (0-7), where 0 and 7 represent Sundaycommand: specifies the command to be executed
**Breaking Down 1 0 0 * * * **
Now, let's break down the 1 0 0 * * * schedule:
1: specifies the minute of the hour, which is 10: specifies the hour of the day, which is 0 (midnight)0: specifies the day of the month, which is not applicable in this case (more on this later)*: specifies the month of the year, which is any month (January to December)*: specifies the day of the week, which is any day (Monday to Sunday)*: command is not specified, as it's omitted for brevity in this example
What Does 1 0 0 * * * Mean?
In summary, 1 0 0 * * * means the following:
"The command will run at 00:01 (1 minute past midnight) every day, regardless of the month or day of the week."
*When Would You Use 1 0 0 * * ?
This schedule is useful when you want to run a command or script daily, at a specific time, to perform tasks such as:
- Daily backups
- Log Rotate
- Database maintenance
- Report generation
- And many other tasks that require a daily schedule
In conclusion, 1 0 0 * * * is a common cron job schedule that runs a command or script daily at 00:01. Understanding the syntax and breakdown of this schedule is essential for effective use of cron jobs in Linux-based systems.
