What */4 * * * * does
The */4 in the minute field is a step value. It means 'starting at minute 0, then every 4 minutes'. The four remaining asterisks mean every hour, every day of the month, every month and every day of the week — so the job runs continuously, all year.
Within any given hour it fires at :00, :04, :08, :12, :16, :20 ..., giving 15 runs per hour and 360 per day.
The mistake people make
Dropping the */ changes the meaning completely. 4 * * * * runs once an hour, at minute 4 — not every 4 minutes. The slash is what turns a value into an interval.
Every 4 minutes divides evenly into 60 and gives you 15 runs per hour.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cron expression for every 4 minutes?
*/4 * * * *. The */4 step in the minute field fires the job every 4 minutes, starting at minute 0 of each hour.
How many times does */4 * * * * run per day?
360 times — 15 per hour, 24 hours a day.
Related cron expressions
Browse the full cron expression reference, or build your own expression from scratch.