BytePane

Cron Expression Regex Pattern

Validates standard 5-field cron expressions (minute, hour, day, month, weekday) with wildcards and ranges.

Date & Time
Advanced
Difficulty
Universal
Language
none
Flags
// Regular Expression
/^(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)(\s+(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)){4}$/

Live Regex Tester

Pattern Breakdown

^(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)(\s+(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)){4}$
Character class [ ]
Group ( )
Quantifier { }
Anchor ^ $
Repetition * + ?
Escape \
Alternation |
Any char .

Code Examples

JavaScript

const regex = /^(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)(\s+(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)){4}$/;
const test = "0 */6 * * *";
console.log(regex.test(test)); // true

// Extract matches
const matches = test.match(regex);
console.log(matches);

Python

import re

pattern = r'^(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)(\s+(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)){4}$'
test = "0 */6 * * *"
match = re.search(pattern, test)
print(match)  # Found!

Go

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "regexp"
)

func main() {
    re := regexp.MustCompile(`^(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)(\s+(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)){4}$`)
    fmt.Println(re.MatchString("0 */6 * * *")) // true
}

Common Use Cases

Task schedulingCI/CD pipelinessystem administration

Match Examples

InputResult
0 */6 * * *Match
0 0No Match

About the Cron Expression Regex

Validates standard 5-field cron expressions (minute, hour, day, month, weekday) with wildcards and ranges.

Regular expressions (regex) are powerful pattern matching tools used across virtually all programming languages. The cron expression pattern is classified as advanced difficulty in the date & time category. It works in all major programming languages.

When using this regex, always consider edge cases and test thoroughly with real-world data. Use the interactive tester above to validate the pattern against your specific inputs before deploying to production.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Cron Expression regex pattern?

Validates standard 5-field cron expressions (minute, hour, day, month, weekday) with wildcards and ranges.

How do I use the Cron Expression regex?

Use the pattern /^(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)(\s+(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)){4}$/ in your code. In JavaScript: new RegExp('^(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)(\s+(\*|\d+|\d+-\d+|\d+\/\d+)){4}$', ''). Test it above with your own input.

What does this Cron Expression regex match?

This pattern matches: "0 */6 * * *". It does NOT match: "0 0". Task scheduling, CI/CD pipelines, system administration.

Is the Cron Expression regex beginner-friendly?

This pattern is rated Advanced. It uses advanced features like lookaheads, backreferences, or complex alternation.

What languages support the Cron Expression regex?

This pattern works in all major programming languages including JavaScript, Python, Java, C#, Go, Ruby, PHP, and more. Syntax may vary slightly between regex engines.

Can I modify the Cron Expression regex for my use case?

Yes! Use the interactive tester above to modify the pattern and test with your own data. Common modifications include making it case-insensitive (add 'i' flag), matching globally (add 'g' flag), or adjusting character classes.

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