Cron tab: crontabs, cron.d, user crontabs, run-parts dirs and systemd timers in one list; next/last run, run now, enable/disable, in-place editing, cron log and output file

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
Mitchell-Johnson
2026-09-17 16:21:35 -07:00
co-authored by Claude Fable 5.1
parent bc891b1042
commit 41c2f05535
12 changed files with 1415 additions and 9 deletions
+761
View File
@@ -0,0 +1,761 @@
// Package cron reads every scheduled job on the host into one list: /etc/crontab,
// /etc/cron.d/*, per-user crontabs, the run-parts directories they drive, and systemd
// timers. It computes next runs from the cron expressions, pulls last runs from the
// journal (cron logs "(user) CMD (command)" via syslog), and can toggle, edit and run
// jobs. Reads/writes that need root go through passwordless sudo when available.
package cron
import (
"bufio"
"bytes"
"context"
"crypto/sha1"
"encoding/hex"
"encoding/json"
"errors"
"fmt"
"os"
"os/exec"
"os/user"
"path/filepath"
"regexp"
"sort"
"strconv"
"strings"
"sync"
"time"
)
type Job struct {
ID string `json:"id"`
Source string `json:"source"` // "/etc/crontab", "/etc/cron.d/x", "crontab:user", "/etc/cron.daily"
Line int `json:"line"` // 1-based line in Source (0 for run-parts scripts)
User string `json:"user"`
Schedule string `json:"schedule"`
Command string `json:"command"`
Enabled bool `json:"enabled"`
Next int64 `json:"next,omitempty"` // unix ms
Last int64 `json:"last,omitempty"`
OutFile string `json:"out_file,omitempty"` // parsed from a ">> file" redirect
Note string `json:"note,omitempty"`
Editable bool `json:"editable"`
raw string
}
type Timer struct {
Unit string `json:"unit"`
Activates string `json:"activates"`
Description string `json:"description"`
Active string `json:"active"`
Sub string `json:"sub"`
Enabled string `json:"enabled"`
Next int64 `json:"next,omitempty"`
Last int64 `json:"last,omitempty"`
}
type Overview struct {
Jobs []Job `json:"jobs"`
Timers []Timer `json:"timers"`
Logging bool `json:"logging"` // cron lines seen in the journal
Anacron bool `json:"anacron"`
Sudo bool `json:"sudo"`
}
type Run struct {
ID string `json:"id"`
JobID string `json:"job_id"`
Command string `json:"command"`
User string `json:"user"`
Started time.Time `json:"started"`
Finished time.Time `json:"finished,omitempty"`
Running bool `json:"running"`
ExitCode int `json:"exit_code"`
Output string `json:"output"`
mu sync.Mutex
buf bytes.Buffer
}
type Manager struct {
sudo bool
journalSudo bool
self string
mu sync.Mutex
lastRuns map[string]int64 // user\x00command -> unix ms
lastAt time.Time
logging bool
runs map[string]*Run
}
func New(sudo, journalSudo bool) *Manager {
m := &Manager{sudo: sudo, journalSudo: journalSudo, runs: map[string]*Run{}}
if u, err := user.Current(); err == nil {
m.self = u.Username
}
return m
}
// ---- helpers ----
func run(ctx context.Context, stdin string, args ...string) (string, error) {
ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 20*time.Second)
defer cancel()
cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, args[0], args[1:]...)
if stdin != "" {
cmd.Stdin = strings.NewReader(stdin)
}
var out, errb bytes.Buffer
cmd.Stdout, cmd.Stderr = &out, &errb
if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
msg := strings.TrimSpace(errb.String())
if msg == "" {
msg = err.Error()
}
return out.String(), errors.New(msg)
}
return out.String(), nil
}
func (m *Manager) sudoArgs(args ...string) []string {
if m.sudo {
return append([]string{"sudo", "-n"}, args...)
}
return args
}
func jobID(source, raw string) string {
h := sha1.Sum([]byte(source + "\n" + raw))
return hex.EncodeToString(h[:6])
}
var userRe = regexp.MustCompile(`^[a-z_][a-z0-9_-]{0,31}$`)
var cronDName = regexp.MustCompile(`^[A-Za-z0-9_-]+$`) // cron ignores other names in /etc/cron.d
// ---- parsing ----
// parseLine splits one crontab line. withUser is true for system crontabs (6th field is
// the user). Returns ok=false for comments, blanks, env assignments and garbage.
func parseLine(line string, withUser bool) (schedule, usr, command string, ok bool) {
t := strings.TrimSpace(line)
if t == "" || strings.HasPrefix(t, "#") {
return
}
if i := strings.Index(t, "="); i > 0 && !strings.ContainsAny(t[:i], " \t*") { // NAME=value
return
}
var fields []string
if strings.HasPrefix(t, "@") {
f := strings.Fields(t)
if len(f) < 2 {
return
}
fields = []string{f[0]}
t = strings.TrimSpace(t[len(f[0]):])
} else {
f := strings.Fields(t)
if len(f) < 6 {
return
}
fields = f[:5]
for _, x := range fields {
t = strings.TrimSpace(t[len(x):])
}
}
schedule = strings.Join(fields, " ")
if _, err := parseSchedule(schedule); err != nil {
return
}
if withUser {
f := strings.Fields(t)
if len(f) < 2 || !userRe.MatchString(f[0]) {
return
}
usr = f[0]
t = strings.TrimSpace(t[len(f[0]):])
}
if t == "" {
return
}
return schedule, usr, t, true
}
var redirectRe = regexp.MustCompile(`(?:^|\s)(?:>>|>|2>&1\s*>>|&>>|&>)\s*("?)([^\s"&|;]+)`)
func outFile(cmd string) string {
for _, m := range redirectRe.FindAllStringSubmatch(cmd, -1) {
if p := m[2]; strings.HasPrefix(p, "/") && p != "/dev/null" {
return p
}
}
return ""
}
// parseSource turns crontab text into jobs. Commented-out lines that still parse as a
// job are reported disabled, so a "# 0 5 * * * ..." example shows up as such.
func (m *Manager) parseSource(source, text string, withUser, editable bool, defaultUser string, now time.Time, anacron bool) []Job {
var jobs []Job
lines := strings.Split(text, "\n")
isComment := func(i int) bool {
return i >= 0 && i < len(lines) && strings.HasPrefix(strings.TrimSpace(lines[i]), "#")
}
for i, line := range lines {
enabled := true
probe := line
if t := strings.TrimSpace(line); strings.HasPrefix(t, "#") {
// A commented-out job sits on its own; a job-shaped line inside a block of
// comments is documentation (Debian's stock header has two such examples).
if isComment(i-1) && isComment(i+1) {
continue
}
enabled = false
probe = strings.TrimLeft(t, "# ")
}
schedule, usr, command, ok := parseLine(probe, withUser)
if !ok {
continue
}
if usr == "" {
usr = defaultUser
}
if !enabled {
if _, err := user.Lookup(usr); err != nil {
continue // "user-name" placeholder and the like
}
}
j := Job{ID: jobID(source, line), Source: source, Line: i + 1, User: usr, Schedule: schedule, Command: command,
Enabled: enabled, OutFile: outFile(command), Editable: editable, raw: line}
if enabled {
if next, ok := nextRun(schedule, now); ok {
j.Next = next.UnixMilli()
}
}
if strings.Contains(command, "run-parts") {
if dir := runPartsDir(command); dir != "" {
if anacron && strings.Contains(command, "anacron") {
j.Note = "skipped: anacron is installed and runs " + dir + " instead"
}
jobs = append(jobs, j)
jobs = append(jobs, m.runPartsJobs(dir, j)...)
continue
}
}
jobs = append(jobs, j)
}
return jobs
}
var runPartsRe = regexp.MustCompile(`run-parts\s+(?:--\S+\s+)*(/\S+)`)
func runPartsDir(cmd string) string {
if m := runPartsRe.FindStringSubmatch(cmd); m != nil {
return m[1]
}
return ""
}
// runPartsJobs lists the executable scripts a run-parts line will run, as read-only jobs.
func (m *Manager) runPartsJobs(dir string, parent Job) []Job {
ents, err := os.ReadDir(dir)
if err != nil {
return nil
}
var out []Job
for _, e := range ents {
if e.IsDir() || !cronDName.MatchString(e.Name()) {
continue
}
info, err := e.Info()
if err != nil || info.Mode()&0o111 == 0 {
continue
}
p := filepath.Join(dir, e.Name())
out = append(out, Job{ID: jobID(dir, e.Name()), Source: dir, User: parent.User, Schedule: parent.Schedule, Command: p,
Enabled: parent.Enabled, Next: parent.Next, Note: "run by " + parent.Source + " via run-parts", raw: e.Name()})
}
return out
}
// ---- sources ----
type source struct {
name string // job Source
withUser bool
user string // default user for user crontabs
editable bool
}
func (m *Manager) readSource(ctx context.Context, s source) (string, error) {
if strings.HasPrefix(s.name, "crontab:") {
u := s.user
if u == m.self {
out, err := run(ctx, "", "crontab", "-l")
if err != nil && strings.Contains(err.Error(), "no crontab") {
return "", nil
}
return out, err
}
if !m.sudo {
return "", errors.New("needs sudo")
}
out, err := run(ctx, "", "sudo", "-n", "crontab", "-u", u, "-l")
if err != nil && strings.Contains(err.Error(), "no crontab") {
return "", nil
}
return out, err
}
b, err := os.ReadFile(s.name)
if err != nil && m.sudo {
out, err2 := run(ctx, "", "sudo", "-n", "cat", s.name)
return out, err2
}
return string(b), err
}
func (m *Manager) sources(ctx context.Context) []source {
var out []source
if _, err := os.Stat("/etc/crontab"); err == nil {
out = append(out, source{name: "/etc/crontab", withUser: true, editable: m.sudo})
}
if ents, err := os.ReadDir("/etc/cron.d"); err == nil {
for _, e := range ents {
if !e.IsDir() && cronDName.MatchString(e.Name()) {
out = append(out, source{name: "/etc/cron.d/" + e.Name(), withUser: true, editable: m.sudo})
}
}
}
// per-user crontabs: Debian keeps them in /var/spool/cron/crontabs, cronie in /var/spool/cron
users := map[string]bool{}
if m.sudo {
for _, dir := range []string{"/var/spool/cron/crontabs", "/var/spool/cron"} {
if out, err := run(ctx, "", "sudo", "-n", "ls", "-1", dir); err == nil {
for _, n := range strings.Split(out, "\n") {
if n = strings.TrimSpace(n); userRe.MatchString(n) {
users[n] = true
}
}
break
}
}
}
if m.self != "" {
users[m.self] = true
}
names := make([]string, 0, len(users))
for u := range users {
names = append(names, u)
}
sort.Strings(names)
for _, u := range names {
out = append(out, source{name: "crontab:" + u, user: u, editable: u == m.self || m.sudo})
}
return out
}
func (m *Manager) findSource(ctx context.Context, name string) (source, bool) {
for _, s := range m.sources(ctx) {
if s.name == name {
return s, true
}
}
return source{}, false
}
// ---- overview ----
func (m *Manager) Overview(ctx context.Context) Overview {
now := time.Now()
_, anacronErr := os.Stat("/usr/sbin/anacron")
anacron := anacronErr == nil
ov := Overview{Jobs: []Job{}, Timers: []Timer{}, Anacron: anacron, Sudo: m.sudo}
for _, s := range m.sources(ctx) {
text, err := m.readSource(ctx, s)
if err != nil {
continue
}
ov.Jobs = append(ov.Jobs, m.parseSource(s.name, text, s.withUser, s.editable, s.user, now, anacron)...)
}
last := m.lastRunsFromJournal(ctx)
ov.Logging = m.logging
for i := range ov.Jobs {
j := &ov.Jobs[i]
if t, ok := last[j.User+"\x00"+j.Command]; ok {
j.Last = t
}
}
ov.Timers = m.timers(ctx)
return ov
}
var cronLogRe = regexp.MustCompile(`^\((\S+)\) CMD \((.*)\)$`)
// lastRunsFromJournal maps user+command to the most recent "(user) CMD (command)" line.
func (m *Manager) lastRunsFromJournal(ctx context.Context) map[string]int64 {
m.mu.Lock()
if time.Since(m.lastAt) < 60*time.Second && m.lastRuns != nil {
r := m.lastRuns
m.mu.Unlock()
return r
}
m.mu.Unlock()
args := []string{"journalctl", "-t", "CRON", "-t", "cron", "-t", "crond", "-o", "json", "--no-pager", "-q", "--since", "-30d", "-n", "20000"}
if m.journalSudo {
args = append([]string{"sudo", "-n"}, args...)
}
out, _ := run(ctx, "", args...)
res := map[string]int64{}
seen := false
sc := bufio.NewScanner(strings.NewReader(out))
sc.Buffer(make([]byte, 0, 64<<10), 4<<20)
for sc.Scan() {
var raw struct {
Msg any `json:"MESSAGE"`
TS string `json:"__REALTIME_TIMESTAMP"`
}
if json.Unmarshal(sc.Bytes(), &raw) != nil {
continue
}
seen = true
msg, _ := raw.Msg.(string)
mm := cronLogRe.FindStringSubmatch(msg)
if mm == nil {
continue
}
us, _ := strconv.ParseInt(raw.TS, 10, 64)
k := mm[1] + "\x00" + mm[2]
if us/1000 > res[k] {
res[k] = us / 1000
}
}
m.mu.Lock()
m.lastRuns, m.lastAt, m.logging = res, time.Now(), seen
m.mu.Unlock()
return res
}
// JobLogs returns the journal lines for one job's command (most recent last).
func (m *Manager) JobLogs(ctx context.Context, j Job, n int) ([]map[string]any, error) {
args := []string{"journalctl", "-t", "CRON", "-t", "cron", "-t", "crond", "-o", "json", "--no-pager", "-q", "-n", "20000"}
if m.journalSudo {
args = append([]string{"sudo", "-n"}, args...)
}
out, err := run(ctx, "", args...)
if err != nil {
return nil, err
}
var res []map[string]any
sc := bufio.NewScanner(strings.NewReader(out))
sc.Buffer(make([]byte, 0, 64<<10), 4<<20)
for sc.Scan() {
var raw struct {
Msg any `json:"MESSAGE"`
TS string `json:"__REALTIME_TIMESTAMP"`
PID string `json:"_PID"`
}
if json.Unmarshal(sc.Bytes(), &raw) != nil {
continue
}
msg, _ := raw.Msg.(string)
if !strings.Contains(msg, "("+j.User+") CMD ("+j.Command+")") {
continue
}
us, _ := strconv.ParseInt(raw.TS, 10, 64)
res = append(res, map[string]any{"t": us / 1000, "p": 6, "ident": "CRON", "pid": raw.PID, "msg": msg})
}
if len(res) > n {
res = res[len(res)-n:]
}
if res == nil {
res = []map[string]any{}
}
return res, nil
}
// OutputTail returns the last n lines of the job's redirect target.
func (m *Manager) OutputTail(ctx context.Context, j Job, n int) (string, error) {
if j.OutFile == "" {
return "", errors.New("job has no output file")
}
out, err := run(ctx, "", m.sudoArgs("tail", "-n", strconv.Itoa(n), j.OutFile)...)
return out, err
}
// ---- timers ----
func (m *Manager) timers(ctx context.Context) []Timer {
out, err := run(ctx, "", "systemctl", "list-timers", "--all", "--output=json", "--no-pager")
if err != nil {
return []Timer{}
}
var lt []struct {
Next int64 `json:"next"`
Last int64 `json:"last"`
Unit string `json:"unit"`
Activates string `json:"activates"`
}
_ = json.Unmarshal([]byte(out), &lt)
units, _ := run(ctx, "", "systemctl", "list-units", "--type=timer", "--all", "--output=json", "--no-pager", "--plain")
var lu []struct{ Unit, Active, Sub, Description string }
_ = json.Unmarshal([]byte(units), &lu)
meta := map[string]struct{ Active, Sub, Description string }{}
for _, u := range lu {
meta[u.Unit] = struct{ Active, Sub, Description string }{u.Active, u.Sub, u.Description}
}
files, _ := run(ctx, "", "systemctl", "list-unit-files", "--type=timer", "--output=json", "--no-pager")
var uf []struct {
UnitFile string `json:"unit_file"`
State string `json:"state"`
}
_ = json.Unmarshal([]byte(files), &uf)
enabled := map[string]string{}
for _, f := range uf {
enabled[f.UnitFile] = f.State
}
res := make([]Timer, 0, len(lt))
for _, t := range lt {
x := Timer{Unit: t.Unit, Activates: t.Activates, Enabled: enabled[t.Unit]}
if mt, ok := meta[t.Unit]; ok {
x.Active, x.Sub, x.Description = mt.Active, mt.Sub, mt.Description
}
if t.Next > 0 {
x.Next = t.Next / 1000
}
if t.Last > 0 {
x.Last = t.Last / 1000
}
res = append(res, x)
}
sort.Slice(res, func(i, j int) bool { return res[i].Unit < res[j].Unit })
return res
}
var timerRe = regexp.MustCompile(`^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9@._:\\-]{0,255}\.timer$`)
func (m *Manager) TimerAction(ctx context.Context, unit, action string) error {
if !timerRe.MatchString(unit) {
return errors.New("invalid timer name")
}
switch action {
case "start", "stop", "enable", "disable":
_, err := run(ctx, "", m.sudoArgs("systemctl", action, unit)...)
return err
case "run": // fire the service the timer activates, right now
out, err := run(ctx, "", "systemctl", "show", unit, "-p", "Triggers", "--value")
if err != nil {
return err
}
svc := strings.TrimSpace(strings.Split(out, " ")[0])
if svc == "" {
return errors.New("timer triggers nothing")
}
_, err = run(ctx, "", m.sudoArgs("systemctl", "start", svc)...)
return err
}
return errors.New("unknown action")
}
// ---- job lookup and editing ----
func (m *Manager) FindJob(ctx context.Context, id string) (Job, bool) {
for _, j := range m.Overview(ctx).Jobs {
if j.ID == id {
return j, true
}
}
return Job{}, false
}
// Source returns a crontab's raw text for the editor.
func (m *Manager) Source(ctx context.Context, name string) (text string, editable bool, err error) {
s, ok := m.findSource(ctx, name)
if !ok {
return "", false, errors.New("unknown source")
}
text, err = m.readSource(ctx, s)
return text, s.editable, err
}
// validate rejects any line that is neither blank, comment, env assignment, nor a job.
func validate(text string, withUser bool) error {
for i, line := range strings.Split(text, "\n") {
t := strings.TrimSpace(line)
if t == "" || strings.HasPrefix(t, "#") {
continue
}
if k, _, ok := strings.Cut(t, "="); ok && !strings.ContainsAny(strings.TrimSpace(k), " \t*") {
continue
}
if _, _, _, ok := parseLine(t, withUser); !ok {
return fmt.Errorf("line %d: not a valid cron entry", i+1)
}
}
return nil
}
// WriteSource replaces a crontab. User crontabs go through crontab(1) so cron reloads
// them; system files are written in place with their permissions preserved.
func (m *Manager) WriteSource(ctx context.Context, name, text string) error {
s, ok := m.findSource(ctx, name)
if !ok {
return errors.New("unknown source")
}
if !s.editable {
return errors.New("source is read-only here (no sudo)")
}
if !strings.HasSuffix(text, "\n") {
text += "\n"
}
if err := validate(text, s.withUser); err != nil {
return err
}
if strings.HasPrefix(name, "crontab:") {
if s.user == m.self {
_, err := run(ctx, text, "crontab", "-")
return err
}
_, err := run(ctx, text, "sudo", "-n", "crontab", "-u", s.user, "-")
return err
}
if name != "/etc/crontab" && !strings.HasPrefix(name, "/etc/cron.d/") {
return errors.New("refusing to write outside /etc/crontab and /etc/cron.d")
}
_, err := run(ctx, text, "sudo", "-n", "tee", name)
m.mu.Lock()
m.lastAt = time.Time{}
m.mu.Unlock()
return err
}
// Toggle comments or uncomments a job's line. The line must still read as the job did
// when it was listed, so a concurrent edit can't be clobbered.
func (m *Manager) Toggle(ctx context.Context, j Job, enable bool) error {
if j.Line == 0 || !j.Editable {
return errors.New("this job can't be toggled here")
}
s, ok := m.findSource(ctx, j.Source)
if !ok {
return errors.New("unknown source")
}
text, err := m.readSource(ctx, s)
if err != nil {
return err
}
lines := strings.Split(text, "\n")
if j.Line > len(lines) || lines[j.Line-1] != j.raw {
return errors.New("crontab changed underneath; reload and try again")
}
if enable {
lines[j.Line-1] = strings.TrimLeft(strings.TrimSpace(j.raw), "# ")
} else {
lines[j.Line-1] = "#" + j.raw
}
return m.WriteSource(ctx, j.Source, strings.Join(lines, "\n"))
}
// ---- run now ----
// StartRun executes the job's command as its user, the way cron would (sh -c, cwd = home,
// '%' turned into newlines/stdin), in the background. Output is kept in memory.
func (m *Manager) StartRun(ctx context.Context, j Job) (*Run, error) {
if j.User != m.self && !m.sudo {
return nil, errors.New("needs sudo to run as " + j.User)
}
cmdline, stdin := cronPercent(j.Command)
args := []string{"sh", "-c", cmdline}
if j.User != m.self {
args = append([]string{"sudo", "-n", "-u", j.User, "-H"}, args...)
}
r := &Run{ID: jobID("run", strconv.FormatInt(time.Now().UnixNano(), 10)), JobID: j.ID, Command: j.Command, User: j.User, Started: time.Now(), Running: true}
runCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 30*time.Minute)
cmd := exec.CommandContext(runCtx, args[0], args[1:]...)
if stdin != "" {
cmd.Stdin = strings.NewReader(stdin)
}
w := &capWriter{r: r}
cmd.Stdout, cmd.Stderr = w, w
if err := cmd.Start(); err != nil {
cancel()
return nil, err
}
m.mu.Lock()
m.runs[r.ID] = r
for id, old := range m.runs { // keep the map small
if !old.Running && time.Since(old.Finished) > time.Hour {
delete(m.runs, id)
}
}
m.mu.Unlock()
go func() {
defer cancel()
err := cmd.Wait()
r.mu.Lock()
r.Running, r.Finished = false, time.Now()
if err != nil {
if ee, ok := err.(*exec.ExitError); ok {
r.ExitCode = ee.ExitCode()
} else {
r.ExitCode = -1
}
}
r.mu.Unlock()
m.mu.Lock()
m.lastAt = time.Time{}
m.mu.Unlock()
}()
return r, nil
}
func (m *Manager) GetRun(id string) (*Run, bool) {
m.mu.Lock()
r, ok := m.runs[id]
m.mu.Unlock()
return r, ok
}
// Snapshot returns a copy safe to encode.
func (r *Run) Snapshot() Run {
r.mu.Lock()
defer r.mu.Unlock()
return Run{ID: r.ID, JobID: r.JobID, Command: r.Command, User: r.User, Started: r.Started, Finished: r.Finished,
Running: r.Running, ExitCode: r.ExitCode, Output: r.buf.String()}
}
type capWriter struct{ r *Run }
func (w *capWriter) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
w.r.mu.Lock()
defer w.r.mu.Unlock()
w.r.buf.Write(p)
if w.r.buf.Len() > 256<<10 { // keep the tail
b := w.r.buf.Bytes()
w.r.buf = *bytes.NewBuffer(append([]byte("…\n"), b[len(b)-200<<10:]...))
}
return len(p), nil
}
// cronPercent applies crontab(5) rules: an unescaped % ends the command; later ones are
// newlines fed to stdin. "\%" is a literal percent.
func cronPercent(cmd string) (string, string) {
var out, in strings.Builder
cur := &out
esc := false
for _, c := range cmd {
switch {
case esc:
if c != '%' {
cur.WriteRune('\\')
}
cur.WriteRune(c)
esc = false
case c == '\\':
esc = true
case c == '%':
if cur == &out {
cur = &in
} else {
in.WriteRune('\n')
}
default:
cur.WriteRune(c)
}
}
return out.String(), in.String()
}