Some applications may require that certain actions are automatically executed by schedule.
In UNIX-like operating systems such actions are managed by the cron daemon.
Periodically executed actions are described by means of special instructions added to crontab configuration files. Each instruction must contain a specially formatted description and the command to be executed as shown below:
* * * * * executed command - - - - - | | | | | | | | | ----- Day of the week (0 - 7) (Sunday = 0 or 7) | | | ------- Month (1 - 12) | | --------- Date (1 - 31) | ----------- Hour (0 - 23) ------------- Minute (0 - 59)
Examples of cron job descriptions
# Executed every 10 minutes */10 * * * * $HOME/bin/every10min # Executed every day at 06:30 30 6 * * * $HOME/bin/daily # Executed each hour on working days 0 * * * 1-5 $HOME/bin/hourly # Executed at 01:00 from Saturday to Sunday 0 1 * * 7 $HOME/bin/weekly
Read more about cron and its configuration in an article in Wikipedia.
Setting up a cron job in the cPanel
cPanel offers a user-friendly web interface for cron job management.
To add a new job, follow the steps listed below.
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In the main cPanel screen click on "Cron jobs" in section "Advanced":
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On the next page complete the "Add New Cron Job" form:
The picture shows adding a job to be executed every 10 minutes.
After the form has beem completed, click on "Add New Cron Job" button.
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The newly added job will appear in the job list at the page bottom:
