A comprehensive tool for creating, validating, and explaining cron expressions through interactive CLI scripts.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install cron-expression-helper
2. Manual Installation
Copy the skill folder to one of these locations
~/.openclaw/skills/ <project>/skills/ Priority: Workspace > Local > Bundled
3. Prompt Installation
Copy this prompt to OpenClaw to install it automatically.
Help me install cron-expression-helper using Clawhub. If Clawhub is not installed, install it first (npm i -g clawhub).
Prefer to download?
Get the raw skill files in a ZIP archive.
What is Cron Expression Helper?
Cron Expression Helper is a specialized utility designed to simplify the complexities of cron scheduling. Part of the Openclaw Skills ecosystem, it allows developers to build expressions from scratch, verify syntax accuracy, and preview upcoming execution times. Whether you are dealing with standard 5-field formats or extended syntax, this skill ensures your scheduled tasks run exactly when intended.
By translating cryptic cron strings into natural language, the skill bridges the gap between technical requirements and human understanding. It provides immediate feedback on scheduling logic, helping to prevent common pitfalls such as timezone mismatches or day-of-week conflicts.
Cron Expression Helper Use Cases
- Creating complex scheduling patterns through interactive prompts
- Validating existing cron syntax to prevent runtime errors in production
- Debugging scheduled tasks by viewing the next 10 predicted execution times
- Translating legacy cron expressions into readable English for documentation
How Cron Expression Helper Works
- The user initiates a request via an Openclaw Skills session or direct CLI execution.
- The skill collects timing parameters (minutes, hours, days, etc.) through either interactive questions or command-line arguments.
- A validation engine checks the input against standard cron constraints (e.g., minutes 0-59, months 1-12).
- For visualization requests, the tool calculates the specific timestamps for the next N occurrences based on the system's local timezone.
- The explanation module parses the expression and generates a natural language description of the schedule.
Cron Expression Helper Setup
To use this tool within your Openclaw Skills environment, ensure you have Python installed and the script directory available. Use the following commands:
# Navigate to the scripts directory
cd scripts/
# Run the interactive creator
python create_cron.py --interactive
# Or explain a specific expression
python explain_cron.py "0 0 * * 0"
Cron Expression Helper Data Schema & Taxonomy
The skill processes timing data based on the following field structure:
| Field | Allowed Values | Special Characters |
|---|---|---|
| Minute | 0-59 | * , - / |
| Hour | 0-23 | * , - / |
| Day | 1-31 | * , - / ? |
| Month | 1-12 or JAN-DEC | * , - / |
| Day of Week | 0-6 or SUN-SAT | * , - / ? |
Note: 0 and 7 both represent Sunday.
Cron Expression Helper Advanced Features
- Multi-format support including standard 5-field and extended cron syntax
- Timezone-aware execution previews converted to local user time
- Interactive prompt mode for error-free expression building
- Direct integration with Openclaw sessions using the
execcommand - Conflict resolution guidance for Day-of-Month and Day-of-Week parameters using the
?character
SKILL.md
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