Automating Duties with Cron Jobs in cPanel & WHM

Final modified: 2024 Might 6

Overview

Cron jobs are scheduled duties that the system runs at predefined instances or intervals. Sometimes, a cron job incorporates a sequence of easy duties that the system runs from a script file.

Add a cron e mail

The Cron Electronic mail part of the interface lets you enter an e mail tackle for the system to ship notifications when your cron jobs run. To set an e mail tackle, carry out the next steps:

1. Within the Electronic mail textual content field, enter the e-mail tackle at which you want to obtain the notifications.
2. Click on Replace Electronic mail.

Disable e mail notifications

To disable e mail notifications for all cron jobs, take away the e-mail tackle.

To disable e mail notifications for a single cron job, carry out the next steps:

1. Find the cron job for which to disable e mail notifications within the Present Cron Jobs desk and click on Edit.
2. Within the Command textual content field, add the /dev/null 2>&1 line to the top of the command. For instance:

   /usr/native/cpanel/bin/is_script_stuck /dev/null 2>&1

3. Save your modifications.

Add a cron job

To create a cron job, carry out the next steps:

1. Choose the interval at which you want to run the cron job from the suitable menus, or enter the values within the textual content containers.
   • Frequent Settings — Choose a commonly-used interval. The system will configure the suitable settings within the Minute, Hour, Day, Month, and Weekday textual content containers for you.
   • Minute — The variety of minutes between every time the cron job runs, or the minute of every hour on which you want to run the cron job.
   • Hour — The variety of hours between every time the cron job runs, or the hour of every day on which you want to run the cron job.
   • Day — The variety of days between every time the cron job runs, or the day of the month on which you want to run the cron job.
   • Month — The variety of months between every time the cron job runs, or the month of the yr during which you want to run the cron job.
   • Weekday — The times of the week on which you want to run the cron job.
2. Within the Command textual content field, enter the command that you just want the system to run.

   Essential:

   • You should specify settings for the Minute, Hour, Day, Month, Weekday, and Command textual content containers.
   • Train excessive warning if you use the rm command in a cron job. For those who do not declare the proper choices, it’s possible you’ll delete your own home listing’s knowledge.
   • In case your cron job runs a customized script, the script requires the execute permission. For extra data, learn Purple Hat’s Linux Permissions documentation.

   Observe:

   Specify absolutely the path to the command that you just want to run. For instance, if you happen to want to run the public_html/index.php file in your house listing, enter the next command:

   /house/consumer/public_html/index.php

3. Click on Add New Cron Job.

Cron job instance

To run a script that resides in your house listing as soon as an hour, carry out the next steps:

1. Within the Frequent Settings menu, choose the As soon as Per Hour(0 * * * *) choice.
2. Within the Command textual content field, enter the script’s title. For instance:

   Bear in mind:

   You have to set the proper file permissions to permit a script to execute.

3. Click on Add New Cron Job. The interface will show successful message.

View current cron jobs

The Present Cron Jobs desk shows your current cron jobs.

Edit a cron job

To edit a cron job, carry out the next steps:

1. Find the cron job that you just want to edit and click on Edit.
2. Edit the settings that you just want to change and click on Edit Line.

Delete a cron job

To delete a cron job, carry out the next steps:

1. Click on Delete subsequent to the cron job that you just want to delete.
2. Click on Delete.