0 */2 * * * — what this cron expression means
The cron expression 0 */2 * * * runs every 2 hours, on the hour. Here is the field-by-field breakdown and what it means in plain English.
What 0 */2 * * * means
It runs every 2 hours, on the hour.
Field by field
minute=0, hour=*/2 (step → 0,2,4,…,22), rest *.
Runs at the top of every even hour: 00:00, 02:00, 04:00 … 22:00 — twelve times a day.
When it runs next
Next runs: the next even hour at :00.
FAQ
What does 0 */2 * * * mean?
It runs every 2 hours on the hour: 00:00, 02:00, 04:00 and so on through 22:00.
How do I run every 2 hours starting at an odd hour?
Use an explicit list: 0 1-23/2 * * * gives 01:00, 03:00, …, 23:00.