fcron is a scheduler designed to execute commands periodically on Linux and other Unix-like systems. It combines the capabilities of traditional cron with scheduling features particularly useful on machines that are not running continuously.
Conventional cron daemons are primarily concerned with executing commands at specified times. If a machine is switched off when a job should run, that execution is ordinarily missed. fcron can recognise missed executions and run eligible jobs when the system becomes available again.
The software supports familiar crontab scheduling expressions alongside additional configuration options. Administrators can control when commands execute according to system load, arrange for jobs to run serially, and receive notifications when scheduled work cannot proceed.
This makes fcron useful for laptops, desktop computers, intermittently powered servers, and systems where resource-intensive maintenance tasks need additional control.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Schedule commands using conventional cron expressions and additional timing options.
- Execute eligible missed jobs after a machine starts running again.
- Support both time-and-date scheduling and intervals based on elapsed time.
- Run jobs serially to avoid excessive simultaneous execution.
- Delay job execution until system load falls below a configured threshold.
- Assign nice values to influence the scheduling priority of commands.
- Specify whether jobs missed during system downtime should run at startup.
- Send notifications when jobs have not executed and explain the reason.
- Control the mailing of command output to users.
- Apply scheduling options to individual entries or groups of subsequent entries.
- Manage scheduled jobs through the fcrontab utility.
- Provide controls for running, inspecting, and managing queued jobs.
Website: anacron.sourceforge.net
Support:
Developer: Thibault Godouet
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
anacron is written in C. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Alternatives to cron | |
|---|---|
| cronie | Modern day version of cron and associated tools |
| fcron | Designed for systems which are not continuously running or regularly |
| Cronicle | Multi-server task scheduler and runner |
| systemd | Suite of basic building blocks for a Linux system |
| Supercronic | Crontab-compatible job runner designed for container environments |
| Ofelia | Low-footprint job scheduler for Docker environments |
| Dkron | Distributed job scheduling system for cloud native environments |
| mcron | 100% compatible replacement for Vixie cron |
| Dagu | Lightweight workflow orchestration engine |
| anacron | Designed for systems which are not continuously running |
| Jobber | Run commands to a schedule |
| bcron | Designed with secure operations in mind |
| Chadburn | Modern job scheduler for Docker environments |
| runcron | Minimal cron alternative for automated and container-friendly environments |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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