Cron Expression to Run Every Hour
The cron expression to run every hour is 0 * * * *. Learn what it means, how it differs from @hourly and how to change the minute.
Part of the free Cron Expression Generator. Runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
Cron Expression to Run Every Hour
Setting the minute field to 0 and leaving the others as * runs the job at the start of every hour. Change the first number to run at a different minute past the hour, for example 30 for half past.
Worked example: Top of every hour
Cron expression
0 * * * *
In plain English
Every hour
Practical tip
If many jobs run at minute 0, they all start at once. Stagger heavy jobs by using different minutes, such as 7, 22 and 41.
How to use this Cron Generator
- 1Use the live tool above — it runs entirely in your browser and never uploads your data.
- 2Paste the sample from the worked example, or use your own input.
- 3Copy the result, then adapt the same steps in your editor, script, or pipeline.
Cron Expression to Run Every Hour FAQs
Is @hourly the same as 0 * * * *?
Yes. @hourly is a shortcut supported by Vixie cron and compatible implementations. It equals 0 * * * *.
What is the difference between * * * * * and 0 * * * *?
* * * * * runs every minute. 0 * * * * runs once an hour, at minute zero.
More Cron Generator pages
- Cron Expression for Every 5 MinutesThe cron expression for every 5 minutes is */5 * * * *. See what it means, test variations and copy it into crontab, Kubernetes or GitHub Actions.
- Cron Expression for Daily at MidnightThe cron expression for every day at midnight is 0 0 * * *. See what it means, how timezones affect it and how to schedule other daily times.
- Cron Expression for Every Monday at 9 AMThe cron expression for every Monday at 9 AM is 0 9 * * 1. Understand the day-of-week field and adapt it for other weekdays and times.
- Cron Expression for Weekdays During Business HoursSchedule a cron job every 30 minutes from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Friday, with */30 9-17 * * 1-5. See how ranges and steps combine.
- Cron Expression for the First Day of Every MonthThe cron expression for the first day of the month is 0 0 1 * *. Use it for monthly billing, reports and cleanup, and learn how to handle the last day.
- GitHub Actions Cron ScheduleWrite a GitHub Actions schedule trigger with cron syntax. Build and verify expressions for daily and hourly workflows. Remember: GitHub runs them in UTC.
- Kubernetes CronJob Schedule SyntaxWrite the schedule field of a Kubernetes CronJob. Build and verify a cron expression such as a weekly backup, then paste it into your manifest.
- Cron Expression for Every 30 MinutesThe cron expression for every 30 minutes is */30 * * * *, or 0,30 * * * * for the same result. Compare both forms and test your own schedule.
- Cron Expression for Every QuarterSchedule a cron job once a quarter with 0 0 1 1,4,7,10 *. See how month lists work and when quarterly reports will run.