cronolog

A simple light-weight cron-based task runner.

Features

• Schedule numerous named tasks using the cron syntax.
• Specify dependencies between tasks.
• Humanizes cron specifications so that we can understand them!

Install

npm install -g cronolog

Use

Create a task specification file (see next section).

Run cronolog from the same directory as the task specification file:

cronolog

Scheduled tasks will be run at their specified times.

Task specification

This is a json file called cronolog.json that specifies which tasks to run and when.

{
    "my-task": {
        "when": "<cron-specification>",
        "cmd": {
            "exe": "<the path to a executable to run>",
            "args" [
                "list of arguments to pass to the command",
                "arg 2",
                "arg 3, etc"
            ],
            "cwd": "<the-working-directory-for-the-command>"
        },
        "dependsOn": "my-other-task"
    },

    "my-other-task": {
        ... another task defined here ...
    },
}

Logging

Logging generated by tasks is stored in the output sub-directory next to the task specification file.

Future

• Tasks can be coded in JavaScript.
• Use as an API.
• Built-in web page for viewing logs.
• Configuration of tasks via the webpage.
• Emails when tasks complete or fail.
• Email digests.
• Easily deployable to Azure and AWS.
• Triggerable by web hook.
• Tasks specification can be defined in both JSON and JavaScript.
• Tracking the duration of the tasks to let you know how long they take and if they are getting shorter/longer.
• Plugins so that logging can be redirected offsite.
• Watch and restart when the task spec is updated.
• Automatically resolve and break circular dependencies.