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Convert GitHub Actions cron to Crontab
GitHub Actions expressions look similar to Crontab, but the differences matter. Paste yours below; the result is checked against the original run times.
What changes from GitHub Actions to Crontab
- GitHub Actions and Crontab use the same five-field layout and weekday numbering, so most expressions convert unchanged.
Worked examples
| Schedule | GitHub Actions | Crontab |
|---|---|---|
| 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 * * * |
| every 6 hours | 0 */6 * * * | 0 */6 * * * |
Field layout and time zones
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.
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.
Go the other way
Convert Crontab to GitHub Actions, or open the GitHub Actions builder or the Crontab builder.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a GitHub Actions cron expression to Crontab?
Paste it into the converter above with GitHub Actions as the source and Crontab as the target. For example, */5 * * * * becomes */5 * * * *.
Is every GitHub Actions expression convertible to Crontab?
Yes for the common schedules we tested (26 of 26), though unusual expressions with special characters might need manual review.
Does Crontab run in the same time zone as GitHub Actions?
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.