How to run a cron job automatically after a server reboot

This article demonstrates how to run a cron job automatically after a server reboot. For example, you may want to run a particular script file or application after a server restarts.

To do this, use the @reboot crontab directive in the cron job instead of a particular day or time. For example, the following cron job runs the start_application.sh script file in the user's home directory one time only after the system restarts:

@reboot ${HOME}/start_application.sh
Remember to specify the full path to the file you want to run in the cron job. Alternatively, you can use Bash environment variables such as ${HOME} and ${USER} to help specify the path.

More Information

For more information about the @reboot directive and other directives you can use in cron jobs, type the following command at the command prompt:

man 5 crontab
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Article Details

  • Level: Intermediate

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