# render-cron-jobs

Sets up and debugs scheduled tasks on Render. It handles UTC expressions, render.yaml definitions, and limits like the 12-hour maximum runtime.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 439 installs · ★ 88
- Author: Render
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/render-oss/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/render-cron-jobs/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-08
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/render-cron-jobs

## What it does

This skill helps the agent configure Render Cron Job services and diagnose scheduling problems. It clarifies the execution model: tasks start on a schedule, run a shell command, and must exit upon completion. Schedules use standard five-field syntax evaluated in UTC.

Render imposes specific operational limits on scheduled tasks. Cron jobs cannot mount persistent disks, requiring databases or object storage for state. One run executes at a time; overlapping ticks will not trigger parallel runs. An invocation caps at 12 hours.

Docker-backed cron jobs pull container images fresh on each run without local layer caching. In private networks, jobs can send outbound traffic to other services, but they cannot receive inbound connections.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add render-oss/skills --skill render-cron-jobs -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/render-cron-jobs/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/render-cron-jobs/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add render-oss/skills --skill render-cron-jobs -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/render-cron-jobs/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add render-oss/skills --skill render-cron-jobs -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/render-cron-jobs/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install render-oss/skills render-cron-jobs
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/render-cron-jobs/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add render-oss/skills --skill render-cron-jobs -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/render-oss/skills --path skills/render-cron-jobs
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/render-cron-jobs/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add render-oss/skills --skill render-cron-jobs -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/render-oss/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/render-cron-jobs/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- write valid `type: cron` blueprints in `render.yaml`
- convert local schedules into UTC cron expressions
- migrate periodic jobs from Heroku Scheduler to Render
- choose between a cron job, a background worker, and a workflow

## Example prompts
- Set up a nightly database pruning script in `render.yaml` using UTC
- Help me migrate our Heroku Scheduler jobs to Render cron services
- Check why my Docker cron job runs fail when reaching private services

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 479dd89bcd5b906f.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 479dd89bcd5b906f
```text
---
name: render-cron-jobs
description: >-
  Configures and troubleshoots scheduled tasks on Render using cron job
  services. Use when the user needs to run something on a schedule, write a
  cron expression, set up a periodic job, migrate from Heroku Scheduler,
  choose between cron jobs and background workers, or fix a cron that isn't
  firing.
  Trigger terms: cron job, scheduled task, periodic job, cron expression,
  schedule, run every, timer, Heroku Scheduler migration.
license: MIT
compatibility: Render cron job services
metadata:
  author: Render
  version: "1.0.0"
  category: compute
---

# Render Cron Jobs

This skill covers **Cron Job** services on Render: how schedules run, what the platform guarantees, and how they differ from workers and workflows. Pair it with Blueprint and deploy skills when authoring `render.yaml` or Dashboard settings.

## When to Use

- **Scheduled** work that **starts on a cron**, runs a command, and **exits** when finished
- Choosing between **cron**, **background worker**, or **workflow** for periodic or long-running jobs
- **Blueprint** fields for `type: cron`, `schedule`, and commands
- **Constraints**: no disk, single concurrent run, 12-hour max duration, private-network **outbound** only
- **UTC** scheduling pitfalls (expressions are **not** local time)

Expression cheat sheets, framework `startCommand` examples, and Heroku Scheduler migration mapping live under `references/`.

Before configuring or troubleshooting a cron job's outbound private-network connection, read `references/private-networking.md`.
When choosing between a cron job, worker, and Workflow, read `references/service-types.md`.

## Configuration

- **Schedule**: a **cron expression evaluated in UTC**, not the team’s local timezone. All times in the Dashboard and Blueprints are UTC.
- **Command**: any valid **Linux shell command** or **bash script** path. The process must **exit** when work is done because longer runs consume more billable compute. Confirm current details at [Render pricing](https://render.com/pricing).
- **Source**:
  - **Git repository** — Render **builds on push** (same deploy model as other repo-backed services); the built artifact runs on each scheduled invocation.
  - **Prebuilt Docker image** — the image is **pulled before each run** and is **not retained between runs** (no warm cache of the image layer set across invocations in the same way as a long-lived service).

## Constraints

- **No persistent disk** — cron job services **cannot** provision or attach Render persistent disks; plan for object storage or databases instead.
- **Single-run guarantee** — at most **one active run** per cron service at a time. A new scheduled tick does not start a second overlapping instance.
- **Maximum run length**: **12 hours** per invocation.
- **Pricing**: Running cron jobs incurs an additional cost. Confirm current details at [Render pricing](https://render.com/pricing).
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 479dd89bcd5b906f

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