Crontab Descriptor

Overview

Crontab Descriptor is a lightweight Java tool that translates crontab strings into human-readable descriptions. If you've ever wondered what a crontab expression like * * * * * actually means, this tool is for you. It dissects the crontab format and gives a plain language explanation of when your cron job is scheduled to run.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Installation
• Usage
• Examples

Features

• Full Crontab Support: Handles all standard fields in a crontab expression (minute, hour, day of the month, month, day of the week).
• No External Libraries: Built purely with Java, using no third-party libraries.
• Interactive Interface: Command-line based input and output.
• Error Validation: Ensures the input crontab string is correctly formatted before processing.

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/nofil-zahid/Crontab-Descriptor.git

2. Navigate to the project directory:

   cd Crontab-Descriptor

3. Compile the Java files:

   javac Main.java

Usage

1. Run the compiled Java program:

   java Main.java

2. Enter a crontab string when prompted:

   Enter a crontab string: * * * * *

3. The program will output a detailed explanation of the crontab string.

Examples

• Input: * * * * *

  • Output: "At every minute"

• Input: 0 12 * * 1-5

  • Output: "At 12:00 on every day-of-week from Monday through Friday"

• Input: 3 2 * 1,4,5 1-5

  • Output: "At 02:03 on every day-of-week from Monday through Friday in January, April and May"