cron
| cron | |
|---|---|
Example usage of cron utility | |
| Developer | AT&T Bell Laboratories |
| Initial release | May 1975 |
| Written in | C |
| Operating system | Unix and Unix-like, Plan 9, Inferno |
| Type | Job scheduler |
cron is a time-based job scheduler. A scheduled job is known as a cron job. Although typically used to automate system maintenance and administration it can be used to automate any task. cron is most suitable for scheduling repetitive tasks as scheduling a one-time task can be accomplished via at.
The daemon name originates from Chronos, the Greek word for time.
cron is generally available on Unix-like operating systems.