Skip to content
0333 090 4540
Snappyhost

Create and monitor cron jobs

Schedule repeatable commands for maintenance, imports, queues and other application work.

Where Websites → your website → Advanced → Cron jobs

Enhance cron job management

What this is for

  • Schedule a command at a predictable interval.
  • Use the correct PHP or shell path.
  • Avoid overlapping or excessively frequent work.

Before you start

  • Test the complete command manually and use absolute paths.
  • Choose an interval that allows one run to finish before the next begins.

Take care

A bad or over-frequent command can consume resources, send duplicates or corrupt data. Test it once before scheduling it.

Steps

  1. 1

    Prepare the command or request URL and test it once manually in the website environment.

  2. 2

    Open Websites, select the website, open Advanced, choose Developer tools and then Cron jobs in the left-hand menu.

  3. 3

    Select Add cron job and choose whether the job runs a command or calls a request URL when that choice is offered.

  4. 4

    Enter the complete command using absolute paths. For WordPress WP-CLI jobs, include the correct --path value for the installation folder.

  5. 5

    Choose a preset interval or enter a custom schedule. In a five-part cron schedule the fields mean minute, hour, day of month, month and day of week.

  6. 6

    Save the job and check that the row shows the intended command and interval.

  7. 7

    Wait for the first due run and look for the expected application result or log entry. Use the three-dot row menu to edit or remove a bad job.

  8. 8

    Leave Allow editing of cron from website container off unless a trusted application genuinely needs to alter the crontab itself.

Check it worked

  • The cron job appears as enabled with the intended schedule and command.
  • After the first due time, the application or log contains one successful result rather than repeated or overlapping runs.

What the controls do

Control What it means
Run command / request URL The exact server command or web address executed by the scheduler.
Interval Defines how often the job runs. A custom five-part expression uses minute, hour, day of month, month and day of week.
Three-dot menu Opens actions for the existing cron row, such as editing or deleting it.
Allow editing from website container Lets website processes change cron themselves; keep it off unless there is a specific trusted need.