---
id: cronex
version: "0.1.3.1"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# cronex — This module provides an easy to use interface for cron-like task scheduling.

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 100.4K/mo

## What it is and what it does

cronex is a cron expression parser and trigger checker. It takes a cron-format string (minute, hour, day, month, weekday plus optional command comment) and evaluates whether a given time tuple matches the schedule. The library implements Vixie Cron syntax fully and adds Java Quartz's non-standard L, W, and # operators for last-day-of-month, nearest-weekday, and nth-occurrence-of-weekday patterns. It also supports repeaters—a custom extension using % notation to fire at arbitrary intervals (e.g., every 9 hours) without the phase-drift issues of standard cron's slash notation.

The package has no runtime dependencies and is small enough to embed in a scheduler loop. Its main use case is checking whether a scheduled event should fire at a given moment, typically within a polling loop that reads crontab-like files. The library is abandoned and targets Python 2.x; modern Python compatibility is unverified.

Use it for:

- Check if a scheduled task should run at a specific time when building a custom task scheduler or cron daemon.
- Parse and validate cron expressions from user input or configuration files before storing them.
- Implement arbitrary-interval periodic triggers (e.g., every 9 hours) without the phase-drift of standard cron slash notation.
- Evaluate last-day-of-month or nth-occurrence-of-weekday patterns using Quartz-style L, W, and # operators.
- Migrate from a system cron to an in-process Python scheduler while preserving existing cron syntax.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Evaluates cron expressions to determine if a scheduled task should trigger at a given time, supporting standard Vixie Cron syntax plus Java Quartz extensions and arbitrary-interval repeaters.

No. The package is abandoned (last release November 2018, last commit November 2021) and targets Python 2.x; compatibility with modern Python is unverified. High install friction and no runtime dependencies suggest it may require compilation or manual setup. Unless you are maintaining legacy Python 2 code or have verified it works on your target Python version, use a maintained alternative.

## Install

pip install cronex
uv add cronex
poetry add cronex

## Installing cronex

Before you install: High install friction with no runtime dependencies. Package is abandoned—last release November 2018, last commit November 2021—and targets Python 2.4–2.7 primarily. Not maintained for modern Python versions.

License in practice: MIT license is permissive; you may use, modify, and distribute freely with attribution. No restrictions on commercial use.

Quickstart:

import cronex

job = cronex.CronExpression("0 0 * * 1-5 backup")
if job.check_trigger((2010, 5, 1, 7, 0)):
    print("Trigger fires")

Package classifiers indicate Python 2.4–2.7 and Python 3 support, but no requires_python constraint; compatibility with modern Python versions is unverified.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package actually works on Python 3.x despite being written for Python 2.x.
- Whether the package has been tested or used successfully in production since its last commit in November 2021.
- Whether the high install friction (source distribution only) reflects build or compilation requirements.

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: high
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 100.4K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

cron expression parser, cron trigger evaluation, cron schedule checker, task scheduling library, cron syntax validator, periodic task scheduler, cron job timing, scheduling, cron-compatible, legacy

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/cronex) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/cronex/)