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Argo Cron Workflow Schedule Quick Fix - Cron Syntax Errors

DodaTech Updated 2026-06-26 1 min read

Argo CronWorkflow runs workflows on a recurring schedule using cron expressions. Incorrect cron syntax causes workflows to run at wrong times or not at all. This guide covers the fix.

Quick Fix

Wrong

apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1
kind: CronWorkflow
metadata:
  name: nightly-backup
spec:
  schedule: "* 0 * * *"

The issue: the cron expression * 0 * * * means "every minute when hour is 0" — running 60 times at midnight. Also missing timezone and startingDeadlineSeconds settings.

spec:
  schedule: "0 2 * * *"
  timezone: "America/New_York"
  startingDeadlineSeconds: 300
  concurrencyPolicy: "Forbid"
  successfulJobsHistoryLimit: 3
  failedJobsHistoryLimit: 1

# Expected output after applying the fix
# CronWorkflow runs daily at 2:00 AM Eastern Time
# Previous run must complete before next starts (Forbid)
# Failed jobs kept: 1, Successful jobs kept: 3
# Status: Running on schedule

Prevention

  • Validate cron expressions with crontab.guru
  • Always set timezone for timezone-aware scheduling
  • Set startingDeadlineSeconds to prevent stale job starts
  • Use concurrencyPolicy: Forbid for exclusive jobs
  • Limit job history with successfulJobsHistoryLimit and failedJobsHistoryLimit

DodaTech Tools

Doda Browser's cron expression tester validates schedules before deployment. DodaZIP archives cron schedule changes for audit trails. Durga Antivirus Pro monitors cron workflow execution patterns.

FAQ

What is the correct cron syntax for Argo CronWorkflows?

Argo uses standard 5-field cron syntax: minute hour day month weekday. For example, 0 */2 * * * runs every 2 hours at the start of the hour. ||| What happens if a CronWorkflow misses its schedule? The workflow is skipped unless startingDeadlineSeconds is set. If set, Argo attempts to start the workflow within the deadline window after the scheduled time. ||| Can I use @every syntax in cron schedules? Yes, use @every 30m or @every 1h for simple intervals. For complex schedules, use standard cron expressions with 5 fields.

← Previous Argo Cron Workflow Concurrency Quick Fix - Concurrency Policy Next → Argo Cron Workflow Timezone Quick Fix - Timezone Handling

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