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Glossary / Lexicon

What is a cronjob and what is it used for?

03/26/2024 | by Patrick Fischer, M.Sc., Founder & Data Scientist: FDS

A Cronjob is a scheduled task program in Unix-based operating systems such as Linux. It's used to automatically execute specific commands or scripts at predetermined times or regular intervals.

A Cronjob consists of two main parts: the schedule and the command or script to be executed. The schedule is specified in what's called Cron syntax, which comprises five fields: minute, hour, day of the month, month, and day of the week. These fields allow the user to precisely specify when the Cronjob should be executed.

Cronjobs are used for a variety of tasks, including:

Data backups: Regular backups of files, databases, or entire systems can be automated using Cronjobs. System maintenance tasks: Cronjobs can be used to automatically perform system maintenance tasks such as cleaning up temporary files, updating software packages, or checking system logs.

Database maintenance: Database maintenance tasks such as deleting old records, optimizing tables, or running regular database backups can also be automated using Cronjobs.

Automated reporting: Cronjobs can be used to schedule scripts that automatically generate reports and send them via email.

Overall, Cronjobs enable the automation of recurring tasks, saving time and increasing efficiency.

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