Cron Expression for Three Times a Day
Run a cron job three times daily at 8 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM using 0 8,14,20 * * *. Provides morning, afternoon, and evening coverage.
Expression
0 8,14,20 * * * At 08:00, 14:00, and 20:00 every day
Use Cases
- • Sending morning, afternoon, and evening updates
- • Running data sync at three intervals through the day
- • Processing batch jobs during low-activity windows
- • Checking compliance status multiple times daily
Code Examples
Crontab
# At 08:00, 14:00, and 20:00 every day
0 8,14,20 * * * /path/to/your/script.shGitHub Actions
name: Scheduled Job
on:
schedule:
- cron: '0 8,14,20 * * *'
jobs:
run:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- run: echo "Running Three Times a Day"systemd Timer
[Unit]
Description=Three Times a Day timer
[Timer]
OnCalendar=*-*-* *:*:00
Persistent=true
[Install]
WantedBy=timers.targetnode-cron (Node.js)
import cron from 'node-cron'
// At 08:00, 14:00, and 20:00 every day
cron.schedule('0 8,14,20 * * *', () => {
console.log('Running Three Times a Day')
})Spring (@Scheduled, Java)
// At 08:00, 14:00, and 20:00 every day
@Scheduled(cron = "0 0 8,14,20 * * *")
public void run() {
// your task
}Spring cron has 6 fields (a leading seconds field), so a 0 is prepended to the standard 5-field expression.
Tips
- ✓ Spread times evenly across the day for consistent coverage
- ✓ Adjust hours to match shift changes or business milestones
- ✓ For even spacing, consider 0 0,8,16 * * * (every 8 hours)
- ✓ Each run should be independent and idempotent
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I run a cron job three times a day?
List three hours separated by commas: 0 8,14,20 * * *. You can choose any three hours that suit your schedule.
Is 0 */8 * * * the same as three times a day?
Not exactly. 0 */8 * * * runs at hours 0, 8, and 16, which is three times, but at different hours than 8, 14, 20.