A comprehensive tool for managing, scheduling, and backing up cron jobs on macOS and Linux systems.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install openclaw-skill-cron-scheduler
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 openclaw-skill-cron-scheduler 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 Scheduler?
The Cron Scheduler is a robust management interface for system-level task automation. Built to streamline the complexities of crontab manipulation, it provides a safe and efficient way for developers and system administrators to handle recurring tasks. By integrating with Openclaw Skills, this tool ensures that scheduling logic is validated and system services are managed correctly across different platforms.
Whether you are managing a local development environment or a remote Linux server, this skill provides a unified command set to list, add, remove, and monitor jobs without manually editing delicate configuration files. It bridges the gap between manual CLI administration and automated agent-driven workflows.
Cron Scheduler Use Cases
- Scheduling daily database or file system backups at specific times.
- Automating recurring maintenance scripts or system health checks.
- Managing complex cron patterns for periodic API polling or data synchronization.
- Creating safety nets for crontab edits with automated backup and restore points.
- Monitoring next execution times for time-sensitive scheduled workflows.
How Cron Scheduler Works
- The user initiates a command through the Openclaw Skills interface to list, add, or modify a cron job.
- The skill validates the provided cron schedule format to ensure it meets standard UNIX requirements before any changes are applied.
- For modifications, the skill performs atomic updates using temporary files to prevent crontab corruption during the write process.
- On macOS, it interfaces with launchctl to manage service status, while on Linux, it utilizes systemctl for service-level control.
- The tool maintains a local backup repository to allow for instant recovery in case of accidental deletions or misconfigurations.
Cron Scheduler Setup
# Make the core helper script executable
chmod +x ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/cron-scheduler/scripts/cron-helper.sh
# Optional: Add the scripts directory to your shell PATH for easier access
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.openclaw/workspace/skills/cron-scheduler/scripts:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc
Cron Scheduler Data Schema & Taxonomy
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Crontab Entries | Standard UNIX cron format: Minute, Hour, Day of Month, Month, Day of Week. |
| Backups | Stored in ~/.cron-backups/ with timestamped filenames (e.g., crontab_20240315_143022.bak). |
| Temp Files | Used during atomic writes to ensure crontab integrity. |
| Path Config | The skill assumes paths relative to the Openclaw Skills workspace for script execution. |
Cron Scheduler Advanced Features
- Pattern-based removal for cleaning up multiple related cron jobs simultaneously based on search strings.
- Next-run prediction capability to visualize exactly when scheduled tasks will trigger next.
- Platform-aware service management that detects and handles OS-specific daemon controls.
- Built-in schedule templates for common tasks like daily, weekly, or 5-minute intervals.
- Safety-first restoration logic that lists available backups before performing a roll-back.
SKILL.md
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