Overview

The cron skill lets you create time-based jobs that either remind you directly or run a task through the agent. Use every_seconds for fixed intervals or cron_expr for specific times. This automation reduces manual follow-ups and keeps repetitive work on track.

How This Skill Works

Two modes are supported: Reminder (the message is sent to you) and Task (the agent executes the task and reports results). Jobs are created with cron(action='add', message='...', every_seconds=...) for fixed intervals or cron_expr for calendar-like timing. You can inspect and manage your jobs with cron(action='list') and cron(action='remove', job_id=...).

When to Use It

• You need a fixed reminder at regular intervals, e.g., every 20 minutes (every_seconds).
• You want the agent to perform a recurring task and report results.
• You need to view all active cron jobs.
• You want to cancel a scheduled job by its ID.
• You want specific times, such as daily at 8am or weekdays at 5pm, using cron_expr.

Quick Start

1. Step 1: Add a fixed reminder with cron(action='add', message='Time to take a break!', every_seconds=1200)
2. Step 2: Add a recurring task that reports every 600 seconds: cron(action='add', message='Check zebbern/icron GitHub stars and report', every_seconds=600)
3. Step 3: List existing jobs: cron(action='list')

Best Practices

• Define clear, concise messages for reminders to avoid noise.
• Choose an appropriate every_seconds to balance usefulness and disruption.
• Prefer cron_expr when scheduling time-of-day or weekday patterns.
• Keep a reference of job IDs to simplify management.
• Test with short intervals to validate behavior before long-running schedules.

Example Use Cases

• Fixed reminder: cron(action='add', message='Time to take a break!', every_seconds=1200)
• Dynamic task: cron(action='add', message='Check zebbern/icron GitHub stars and report', every_seconds=600)
• List jobs: cron(action='list')
• Remove a job: cron(action='remove', job_id='abc123')
• Daily schedule: cron(action='add', message='Daily sales report', cron_expr='0 8 * * *')

Frequently Asked Questions