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node-cron cron expression: every 10 seconds
To run a node-cron job every 10 seconds, use:
*/10 * * * * *Every 10 seconds.
Your week at a glance
Upcoming runs
| # | Local | UTC | From now |
|---|
Copy-ready code
Why use this schedule
Sub-minute scheduling is only possible in dialects with a seconds field. In Java apps that means Quartz or Spring; node-cron and Azure Functions timers have one too.
- Fast polling of an in-process queue
- Short-lived monitoring loops
- Demo and test schedulers
First runs, as an example
Starting from 1 January 2027, evaluated in UTC:
| # | Date and time (UTC) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fri, 01 Jan 2027, 00:00:00 |
| 2 | Fri, 01 Jan 2027, 00:00:10 |
| 3 | Fri, 01 Jan 2027, 00:00:20 |
| 4 | Fri, 01 Jan 2027, 00:00:30 |
| 5 | Fri, 01 Jan 2027, 00:00:40 |
| 6 | Fri, 01 Jan 2027, 00:00:50 |
Every 10 seconds in every dialect
| System | Expression |
|---|---|
| node-cron (this page) | */10 * * * * * |
| Quartz | 0/10 * * * * ? |
| Spring | */10 * * * * * |
| Azure Functions | */10 * * * * * |
Need to translate a different expression? Use the cron converter.
Ready-to-use node-cron config
Drop this into your project. The expression is the one above.
import cron from 'node-cron';
cron.schedule('*/10 * * * * *', () => {
console.log('running a task');
}, { timezone: 'UTC' });The node-cron fields, in order: second (0-59), minute (0-59), hour (0-23), day-of-month (1-31), month (1-12), day-of-week (0-7, 0 and 7 = Sunday).
Things to watch out for in node-cron
- node-cron accepts an optional leading seconds field. With five fields the task runs at second 0; with six you get second precision.
- Steps restart at the top of each unit, as in standard cron, so */7 in minutes runs at 0, 7 ... 56 and then at 0 again.
- node-cron uses the server time zone unless you pass { timezone: "Asia/Kolkata" }. Its documentation advises timezone: "UTC" for jobs that must not skip or repeat when clocks change.
The common mistake with this schedule
Kubernetes, GitHub Actions, Jenkins, Airflow, Google Cloud Scheduler and EventBridge cannot go below one minute. For those, run a long-lived process with its own loop.
Frequently asked questions
How do I run a node-cron job every 10 seconds?
Use */10 * * * * *. Every 10 seconds.
What is the every 10 seconds cron expression in other systems?
Quartz: 0/10 * * * * ?; Spring: */10 * * * * *; Azure Functions: */10 * * * * *. The table on this page lists every dialect.
Which time zone does node-cron use for this schedule?
node-cron uses the server time zone unless you pass { timezone: "Asia/Kolkata" }. Its documentation advises timezone: "UTC" for jobs that must not skip or repeat when clocks change.