---
title: About the crontab Resource
---

# crontab

Use the `crontab` InSpec audit resource to test the crontab entries for a particular user on the system. It recognizes special time strings (@yearly, @weekly, etc).

## Syntax

A `crontab` resource block declares a user (which defaults to the current user, if not specified), and then the details to be tested, such as the schedule elements for each crontab entry or the commands itself:

    describe crontab do
      its('commands') { should include '/some/scheduled/task.sh' }
    end

## Matchers

This InSpec audit resource has the following matchers:

### be

<%= partial "/shared/matcher_be" %>

### cmp

<%= partial "/shared/matcher_cmp" %>

### eq

<%= partial "/shared/matcher_eq" %>

### include

<%= partial "/shared/matcher_include" %>

### match

<%= partial "/shared/matcher_match" %>

## Examples

The following examples show how to use this InSpec audit resource.

### Test that root's crontab has a particular command

    describe crontab('root') do
      its('commands') { should include '/path/to/some/script' }
    end

### Test that myuser's crontab entry for command '/home/myuser/build.sh' runs every minute

    describe crontab('myuser').commands('/home/myuser/build.sh') do
      its('hours') { should cmp '*' }
      its('minutes') { should cmp '*' }
    end

### Test that the logged-in user's crontab has no tasks set to run on every hour and every minute

    describe crontab.where({'hour' => '*', 'minute' => '*'}) do
      its('entries.length') { should cmp '0' }
    end

### Test that the logged-in user's crontab contains a single command that matches a mattern

    describe crontab.where { command =~ /a partial command string/ } do
      its('entries.length') { should cmp 1 }
    end

### Test a special time string (i.e., @yearly /root/anual_report.sh)

    describe crontab.commands('/root/anual_report.sh') do
      its('hours') { should cmp '0' }
      its('minutes') { should cmp '0' }
      its('days') { should cmp '1' }
      its('months') { should cmp '1' }
    end

### Test @reboot case

    describe crontab.commands('/root/reboot.sh') do
      its('hours') { should cmp '-1' }
      its('minutes') { should cmp '-1' }
    end