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Convert Crontab cron to Azure Functions
Crontab expressions look similar to Azure Functions, but the differences matter. Paste yours below; the result is checked against the original run times.
What changes from Crontab to Azure Functions
- Azure Functions has a leading seconds field. The converter adds
0in front so the job fires at the start of the minute. - Crontab runs when day-of-month or day-of-week matches, but Azure Functions requires both. If you set both fields, the converter warns you.
Worked examples
| Schedule | Crontab | Azure Functions |
|---|---|---|
| every minute | * * * * * | 0 * * * * * |
| every 5 minutes | */5 * * * * | 0 */5 * * * * |
| every 10 minutes | */10 * * * * | 0 */10 * * * * |
| every 15 minutes | */15 * * * * | 0 */15 * * * * |
| every 30 minutes | */30 * * * * | 0 */30 * * * * |
| every hour | 0 * * * * | 0 0 * * * * |
| every 2 hours | 0 */2 * * * | 0 0 */2 * * * |
| every 3 hours | 0 */3 * * * | 0 0 */3 * * * |
Field layout and time zones
minute (0-59), hour (0-23), day-of-month (1-31), month (1-12), day-of-week (0-7, 0 and 7 = Sunday).
Cron runs in the server's local time zone. Check it with the date command, or put CRON_TZ=Asia/Kolkata above the line on cronie-based systems.
second (0-59), minute (0-59), hour (0-23), day-of-month (1-31), month (1-12), day-of-week (0-6, 0 = Sunday).
Azure Functions evaluates NCRONTAB in UTC unless the WEBSITE_TIME_ZONE app setting is set; with it, the schedule adjusts for daylight saving. The setting is not supported on Linux Consumption or Flex Consumption plans.
Go the other way
Convert Azure Functions to Crontab, or open the Crontab builder or the Azure Functions builder.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a Crontab cron expression to Azure Functions?
Paste it into the converter above with Crontab as the source and Azure Functions as the target. For example, * * * * * becomes 0 * * * * *.
Is every Crontab expression convertible to Azure Functions?
Yes for the common schedules we tested (27 of 27), though unusual expressions with special characters might need manual review.
Does Azure Functions run in the same time zone as Crontab?
Not necessarily. Conversion changes the syntax, not the time zone. Check where each system evaluates the schedule before you rely on the same clock times.