mcp-crontab-server

# MCP Crontab Server An MCP server for exploring, explaining, and managing crontab entries. Works with Claude Desktop, Claude Code, and any MCP client. **Standout features:** Explain cron expressions in plain English and calculate upcoming execution times — no more guessing what `*/15 9-17 * * 1-5` means. ## Quick Start ### Claude Desktop Add to your Claude Desktop config (`claude_desktop_config.json`): ```json { "mcpServers": { "crontab": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["mcp-crontab-server"] } } } ``` ### Claude Code ```bash claude mcp add crontab -- uvx mcp-crontab-server ``` ### Install from source ```bash git clone https://github.com/jalloway/mcp-crontab-server.git cd mcp-crontab-server pip install -e . mcp-crontab-server ``` ## Tools | Tool | Description | |---|---| | `list_crontab` | List all crontab entries for the current user | | `search_crontab` | Search entries by keyword (case-insensitive) | | `get_cron_logs` | Recent cron execution logs (journalctl / syslog) | | `explain_cron_expression` | Explain a cron expression in plain English | | `next_runs` | Calculate the next N execution times | | `validate_cron_expression` | Check if an expression is syntactically valid | | `add_cron_entry` | Add a new entry to the user's crontab | | `remove_cron_entry` | Remove entries matching a pattern | ## Example Conversations **"What does this cron expression mean?"** > `explain_cron_expression("*/15 9-17 * * 1-5")` > > Every 15 minutes, from 9:00 AM through 5:59 PM, Monday through Friday **"When will this job run next?"** > `next_runs("0 2 * * 0", count=3)` > > Next 3 runs for '0 2 * * 0': > 1. 2026-03-01 02:00:00 Sunday > 2. 2026-03-08 02:00:00 Sunday > 3. 2026-03-15 02:00:00 Sunday **"Is this valid?"** > `validate_cron_expression("60 * * * *")` > > Invalid: Value 60 out of range (0-59) in minute field ## Development ```bash pip install -e . # Run with MCP inspector fastmcp dev src/mcp_crontab_server/server.py # Run directly (stdio transport, default) mcp-crontab-server # Run with SSE transport mcp-crontab-server --transport sse ``` ## Requirements - Python 3.10+ - Linux/macOS (uses `crontab` command) - `fastmcp>=2.0.0`, `croniter>=1.0.0`