Quick Answer: What Is Cron Job in Linux?
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Cron allows Linux and Unix users to run commands or scripts at a given date and time.

You can schedule scripts to be executed periodically.

Cron is one of the most useful tool in a Linux or UNIX like operating systems.

It is usually used for sysadmin jobs such as backups or cleaning /tmp/ directories and more.

What is Cron and who can use it?

The software utility cron is a time-based job scheduler in Unix-like computer operating systems. People who set up and maintain software environments use cron to schedule jobs (commands or shell scripts) to run periodically at fixed times, dates, or intervals. Cron is most suitable for scheduling repetitive tasks.

How does a cron job work?

cron is a Linux utility which schedules a command or script on your server to run automatically at a specified time and date. A cron job is the scheduled task itself. Cron jobs can be very useful to automate repetitive tasks. Scripts executed as a cron job are typically used to modify files or databases.

Sarah Jenkins

Sarah Jenkins

Senior Technology Editor & AI Specialist

Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.

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