cron-scheduler

Schedules cron jobs with staggered slots, quiet hours gating, and idempotency checks.

Updated Aug 17, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/AMC-JTC/gbrain-1 --skill cron-scheduler-amc-jtc
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: cron-scheduler
Source: https://github.com/AMC-JTC/gbrain-1/tree/main/plugin/skills/cron-scheduler
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/AMC-JTC/gbrain-1 --skill cron-scheduler-amc-jtc

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Managing recurring automated jobs often leads to schedule collisions, notifications firing in the middle of the night, and duplicate side effects when jobs re-run. This Skill validates cron schedules, enforces staggering rules, and gates delivery during quiet hours so autonomous jobs run predictably. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Collision-Free Scheduling: Enforces a maximum of one job per 5-minute slot and suggests the next available slot when a conflict is detected. - Quiet Hours Gating: Holds job output in a queue during 11 PM - 8 AM local time, with a user-awake override, and releases the backlog on morning contact. - Idempotency Enforcement: Requires checkpoint state files and existing-output checks so jobs can run twice without duplicate pages or timeline entries. - Use Case: You want a nightly job that syncs a multi-source brain. The Skill validates the cron expression, picks a non-colliding slot, writes a thin one-line prompt referencing the target skill file, and consolidates per-source sync entries into a single gbrain sync --all --parallel line. ## Quick Start Schedule a cron job that runs the weekly review skill every Monday at 9:05 AM and holds any output generated during quiet hours.

Frequently Asked Questions about cron-scheduler

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I schedule a cron job without time slot collisions?

Assign each job to a distinct 5-minute slot (:05, :10, :15, etc.) with a maximum of one job per slot. When a collision is detected, the scheduler suggests the next available slot instead of overlapping runs.

How to prevent cron jobs from sending notifications at night?

Enable quiet hours gating, which defaults to 11 PM - 8 AM local time. During quiet hours, job output is saved to a held queue and released on morning contact, with a user-awake flag available as an override.

Should I use one cron entry or separate entries for multiple sync sources?

Use one consolidated entry: `gbrain sync --all --parallel 4 --workers 4 --skip-failed`. It replaces per-source entries, auto-picks-up future sources, and avoids lock races between staggered per-source jobs.

Why must cron jobs be idempotent?

Idempotent jobs can run twice without producing duplicate pages or timeline entries. This is achieved through checkpoint state files that track progress and by checking for existing output before creating new output.

What is the thin prompt pattern for cron jobs?

A thin prompt is a single line such as "Read skills/{name}/SKILL.md and run it" instead of an inline multi-thousand-word prompt. This keeps job definitions maintainable and lets the referenced skill file carry the operational logic.