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Cron Expression: Every Monday at 8:00 AM (0 8 * * 1)

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Cron Expression: Every Monday at 8:00 AM (0 8 * * 1)

The cron expression 0 8 * * 1 executes a task every Monday at 8:00 AM, making it ideal for start-of-workweek operations, weekly reports, and tasks that should run when the business week begins.

Expression Breakdown

bash
0 8 * * 1
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ └─── Day of week: 1 (Monday)
│ │ │ └───── Month: * (every month)
│ │ └─────── Day of month: * (every day)
│ └───────── Hour: 8 (at hour 8, 8:00 AM)
└─────────── Minute: 0 (at minute 0)

Field Values

FieldValueMeaning
Minute0At minute 0
Hour8At hour 8 (8:00 AM)
Day of Month*Every day (1-31)
Month*Every month (1-12)
Day of Week1Monday

Execution Time

This expression runs once per week at:

  • Monday 08:00 (8:00 AM)

Common Use Cases

1. Weekly Reports

bash
0 8 * * 1 /usr/bin/python3 /scripts/generate-weekly-report.py

Generate and send weekly reports at the start of the workweek.

2. Weekly Data Sync

bash
0 8 * * 1 /usr/bin/python3 /scripts/sync-weekly-data.py

Sync data from external systems or APIs at the start of the week.

3. Weekly Cache Refresh

bash
0 8 * * 1 /usr/bin/python3 /scripts/refresh-weekly-cache.py

Refresh cached data or pre-computed values for the week ahead.

4. Weekly Notifications

bash
0 8 * * 1 /usr/bin/node /app/send-weekly-digest.js

Send weekly digest emails or notifications to users.

Example Implementations

Weekly Report Script

python
# generate-weekly-report.py
import json
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
import sqlite3

def generate_weekly_report():
    conn = sqlite3.connect('/var/data/app.db')
    cursor = conn.cursor()
    
    # Get data from last week
    end_date = datetime.now()
    start_date = end_date - timedelta(days=7)
    
    cursor.execute('''
        SELECT 
            COUNT(*) as total_requests,
            AVG(response_time) as avg_response_time,
            COUNT(DISTINCT user_id) as unique_users
        FROM requests
        WHERE timestamp >= ? AND timestamp < ?
    ''', (start_date, end_date))
    
    metrics = cursor.fetchone()
    
    report = {
        'week_start': start_date.strftime('%Y-%m-%d'),
        'week_end': end_date.strftime('%Y-%m-%d'),
        'generated_at': datetime.now().strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'),
        'metrics': {
            'total_requests': metrics[0],
            'avg_response_time': round(metrics[1], 2) if metrics[1] else 0,
            'unique_users': metrics[2]
        }
    }
    
    with open(f'/var/reports/weekly_{start_date.strftime("%Y%m%d")}.json', 'w') as f:
        json.dump(report, f, indent=2)
    
    print(f"{datetime.now()}: Weekly report generated")
    conn.close()

if __name__ == '__main__':
    generate_weekly_report()

Best Practices

  1. Workweek Start: Monday 8 AM aligns with typical business day start
  2. Error Handling: Implement comprehensive error handling and logging
  3. Locking: Use file locks to prevent concurrent execution
  4. Monitoring: Set up alerts for failed weekly jobs
  5. Performance: Optimize tasks to complete quickly during business hours

When to Use

Good for:

  • Weekly reports
  • Weekly data sync
  • Weekly cache refresh
  • Start-of-workweek operations
  • Weekly notifications

Avoid for:

  • Real-time critical operations
  • Very long-running processes during business hours

Related Patterns

PatternExpressionDescription
Every Monday at midnight0 0 * * 1Start of week
Every Monday at 8 AM0 8 * * 1Start of workweek
Every Friday at 5 PM0 17 * * 5End of workweek

Conclusion

The 0 8 * * 1 expression is perfect for weekly operations that should run at the start of the workweek. It's commonly used for weekly reports, data synchronization, and tasks that prepare systems for the business week ahead.

Need to generate a cron expression?

Use CronOS to generate any cron expression you wish with natural language. Simply describe what you need, and we'll create the perfect cron expression for you. It's completely free!

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