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Convert Crontab cron to GitHub Actions
Crontab expressions look similar to GitHub Actions, but the differences matter. Paste yours below; the result is checked against the original run times.
What changes from Crontab to GitHub Actions
- Crontab and GitHub Actions use the same five-field layout and weekday numbering, so most expressions convert unchanged.
Worked examples
| Schedule | Crontab | GitHub Actions |
|---|---|---|
| every minute | * * * * * | * * * * * |
| every 5 minutes | */5 * * * * | */5 * * * * |
| every 10 minutes | */10 * * * * | */10 * * * * |
| every 15 minutes | */15 * * * * | */15 * * * * |
| every 30 minutes | */30 * * * * | */30 * * * * |
| every hour | 0 * * * * | 0 * * * * |
| every 2 hours | 0 */2 * * * | 0 */2 * * * |
| every 3 hours | 0 */3 * * * | 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.
minute (0-59), hour (0-23), day-of-month (1-31), month (1-12), day-of-week (0-6, 0 = Sunday).
GitHub Actions schedules are always UTC. Convert your local time to UTC before writing the expression.
Go the other way
Convert GitHub Actions to Crontab, or open the Crontab builder or the GitHub Actions builder.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a Crontab cron expression to GitHub Actions?
Paste it into the converter above with Crontab as the source and GitHub Actions as the target. For example, * * * * * becomes * * * * *.
Is every Crontab expression convertible to GitHub Actions?
Yes for the common schedules we tested (27 of 27), though unusual expressions with special characters might need manual review.
Does GitHub Actions 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.