Cron facts for kids

Cron is like a helpful robot for computers! It's a special computer program that makes computers do tasks automatically at certain times. Imagine you want your computer to do something every day at 5 PM, like backing up your important files or checking for new emails. Cron can do that for you!

It's mostly used on computer operating systems called UNIX and Linux. These are types of software that control how a computer works, similar to Windows or macOS, but often used for big servers or more technical jobs.

The name "Cron" comes from the Greek word chronos, which means "time." This makes sense because Cron is all about scheduling things based on time!

To tell Cron what to do, you edit a special file called a crontab. Think of a crontab as a to-do list or a schedule for Cron. This file lists all the tasks the computer needs to run and exactly when they should happen.

What Cron Does

Cron is super useful for many jobs that need to be done over and over again. It's often used to help keep computers and computer networks running smoothly.

Examples of Cron Tasks

• Cleaning up: Deleting old, temporary files that a computer doesn't need anymore.
• Backing up: Making copies of important files so they aren't lost.
• Downloading: Getting files from the Internet or checking for new emails at specific times.
• Reports: Creating daily or weekly reports automatically.

Cron is like having a reliable assistant that never forgets to do its chores!

How Cron Works

Cron uses the crontab file to know what to do. Each line in the crontab is a different task.

Setting Up a Crontab

A crontab entry usually looks a bit like a secret code, but it's actually just a set of instructions. It tells Cron:

• When to run the task (like every minute, every hour, every day, or on a specific day of the week).
• What computer command or program to run.

For example, a crontab entry might say: "Run this backup program every Sunday at 3 AM."

See also

• In Spanish: Cron (Unix) para niños

Images for kids

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  A robot helping with tasks, like Cron helps computers.