A tutorial on using the Cron Jobs feature in Plesk

How to Use the Cron Jobs Feature in Plesk

Cron jobs are scheduled tasks that your server runs automatically at set intervals—perfect for automating repetitive tasks like backups, script execution, or email reports.

1. Log in to Your Plesk Panel

• Open your browser and enter your Plesk login URL (e.g., https://yourdomain.com:8443).
• Enter your username and password.

2. Access Scheduled Tasks (Cron Jobs)

• In the left sidebar, click on Websites & Domains.
• Find and click your domain name (if you have more than one).
• Look for the Scheduled Tasks or Cron Jobs icon (the name may differ depending on your Plesk version) and click it.

3. Add a New Cron Job

1. Click Add Task
   • You’ll see a button like Add Task or Add Cron Job.
2. Choose Task Type
   • Run a command: Executes a shell command/script.
   • Fetch a URL: Uses wget or curl to access a web address.
   • Run PHP script: Executes a PHP script using the PHP interpreter.
3. Enter the Command or Script
   • For example, to run a PHP script, you might enter:
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     php /var/www/vhosts/yourdomain.com/httpdocs/script.php
     

   • Or to fetch a URL:
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     wget -q -O - https://yourdomain.com/cron-script.php
     

4. Set the Schedule
   • Use the interface to set how often your task runs (every minute, hour, day, etc.).
   • You can use the dropdowns or enter cron syntax (like 0 2 * * * for 2 AM daily).
5. (Optional) Set Notification Email
   • Enter your email address if you want to receive notifications or output from your cron job.
6. Save the Task
   • Click OK or Apply to save.

4. Managing Your Cron Jobs

• All your scheduled tasks are listed on the Scheduled Tasks page.
• You can edit, disable, enable, or delete any task as needed.
• Check the logs or your notification email to confirm tasks are running as expected.

Tips:

• Always test scripts manually before scheduling them as cron jobs.
• If you’re unsure about schedule syntax, use the Plesk interface’s helpful dropdowns or look up a cron expression generator.
• Keep your scripts secure and only automate trusted tasks.