How do I set a cron script for every 5 minutes without using the minutes divisible by 5?

Use 2-59/5 * * * *: it runs at :02, :07, :12 … :57, the same 5-minute cadence as */5 shifted by two minutes. In general m-59/n starts at m and steps by n.

I want to execute a task every 20 minutes, starting at 5 past the hour, is it possible to achieve this with Cron?

Use 5-59/20 * * * *: the minute range starts at 5 and steps by 20, so it runs at :05, :25 and :45 every hour. A bare */20 would run at :00, :20 and :40 instead.

Can I set up a cron job to run every 15 minutes throughout the day, except for 3:00 AM? I have another task that I want to run at 3:00 AM and don't want these two conflicting.

Use three lines: */15 0-2,4-23 * * * outside the 3 AM hour, 15-45/15 3 * * * for 3:15-3:45, and 0 3 * * * for the other job. Cron has no 'except'.

I am looking to have a script run every 5 minutes, beginn… - Cron answer & example

Q: I am looking to have a script run every 5 minutes, beginning at 13:02, and another script to run every 5 minutes starting at 13:04, so the second script runs two minutes after the start of the first job. How can I accomplish this?

Use 2-59/5 * * * * for the first script and 4-59/5 * * * * for the second. The offset follows the first start, not its finish; chain with && for that.

Question

I am looking to have a script run every 5 minutes, beginning at 13:02, and another script to run every 5 minutes starting at 13:04, so the second script runs two minutes after the start of the first job. How can I accomplish this?

Answer

Use 2-59/5 * * * * for the first script and 4-59/5 * * * * for the second when you want fixed starts at :02/:07/:12 and :04/:09/:14 of every hour. This places each second-script start two minutes after the preceding first-script start. It does not wait for the first script to finish. If completion order matters, schedule one wrapper command and run the scripts sequentially, such as first-command && second-command; use && when the second should run only after the first succeeds.

crontab

# first script every five minutes, offset to minute 2
2-59/5 * * * *

crontab

# second script every five minutes, offset to minute 4
4-59/5 * * * *

Read the first cron from left to right: 2-59/5 selects every fifth minute from minute 2 through 59, and the four wildcards allow every hour and date. The second expression works the same way but starts its minute range at 4. Both expressions run all day, including before 13:02. If 13:02 is a daily lower boundary, restrict the hour field to 13-23:

crontab

# first script from 13:02 through the end of each day
2-59/5 13-23 * * *
# second script from 13:04 through the end of each day
4-59/5 13-23 * * *

Cron cannot encode a one-time start date in these recurring five fields.

Run 2-59/5 * * * * on Crontap

Why this matters

A two-minute clock offset is not a dependency guarantee. If the first script takes longer than two minutes, the second starts while it is still running; if the first fails immediately, the second still starts on schedule. That can expose partially written files, duplicate updates, or inconsistent state. Chaining the commands or using a workflow system makes completion the trigger. Restricting the hours also matters if 13:02 is a real boundary, because the wildcard-hour expressions begin firing shortly after midnight.

Read the dedicated guide: Cron every 5 minutes.

Cron schedules used

What it does

2-59/5 * * * * — command

Every 5 minutes, minutes 2 through 59 past the hour, every hour, every day.

Run in Crontap Cheatsheet

4-59/5 * * * * — command

Every 5 minutes, minutes 4 through 59 past the hour, every hour, every day.

Run in Crontap Cheatsheet

See this cron expression on the calendar view example

Offset two five-minute cron schedules by two minutes

What it does

Point Crontap at any URL. Pick any cron. Done.

What it does

Related questions

I am looking to have a script run every 5 minutes, beginning at 13:02, and another script to run every 5 minutes starting at 13:04, so the second script runs two minutes after the start of the first job. How can I accomplish this?

How do I set a cron script for every 5 minutes without using the minutes divisible by 5?

I want to execute a task every 20 minutes, starting at 5 past the hour, is it possible to achieve this with Cron?

Can I set up a cron job to run every 15 minutes throughout the day, except for 3:00 AM? I have another task that I want to run at 3:00 AM and don't want these two conflicting.

Related cron questions

How do I set a cron script for every 5 minutes without using the minutes divisible by 5?

I want to execute a task every 20 minutes, starting at 5 past the hour, is it possible to achieve this with Cron?

Can I set up a cron job to run every 15 minutes throughout the day, except for 3:00 AM? I have another task that I want to run at 3:00 AM and don't want these two conflicting.

I am trying to create a Cron expression that runs every day at 8:00 AM and 3:30 PM. I understand how to create an expression that runs once a day, but not at multiple set times.

Point Crontap at any URL. Pick any cron. Done.