Cron Parse API - Free Expression Translator
Send a cron expression and receive a human-readable description of its schedule. Supports standard 5-field syntax (minute, hour, day-of-month, month, day-of-week) including ranges, steps, and lists.
Code examples
curl -X POST https://api.botoi.com/v1/cron/parse \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"expression":"0 9 * * 1-5"}'When to use this API
Cron expression builder UI
Build a visual cron editor that shows users a plain-English description as they adjust the fields, reducing scheduling errors.
CI/CD pipeline documentation
Auto-generate human-readable descriptions for cron-triggered pipelines in your deployment dashboards.
Audit logging for scheduled tasks
When users create scheduled tasks, store both the raw expression and the parsed description for readable audit trails.
Frequently asked questions
Does this support 6-field cron (with seconds)?
No. The API supports the standard 5-field cron format. Seconds are not part of the POSIX cron specification.
Are named days and months supported?
Yes. You can use MON-FRI instead of 1-5 and JAN-DEC instead of 1-12.
What does the L modifier mean?
L stands for "last." For example, "L" in the day-of-month field means the last day of the month. This is a Quartz extension and may not be supported.
Can I validate a cron expression without parsing it?
The response includes an isValid field. If the expression is invalid, you get isValid: false with an error message.
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