javan/whenever
Whenever
Whenever is a Ruby-based cron job manager and background task scheduler that translates a high-level domain-specific language into standard cron-formatted schedule entries. It provides a configuration layer for defining and deploying recurring scripts and binaries into the system crontab using human-readable syntax.
The project distinguishes itself by automating the deployment of schedules through environment-based namespacing and role-based task distribution. This allows specific scheduled jobs to be assigned to different server groups based on their roles during the deployment process, with built-in integration for Capistrano.
The toolset covers natural language time parsing to convert descriptive strings into cron patterns and manages the routing of job output through email notification configuration. It also includes capabilities for creating reusable command templates and injecting environment variables into the generated cron output.
Features
- Cron Scheduling - Provides a Ruby DSL to define task execution based on cron expressions.
- Ruby DSLs - Provides a Ruby-based DSL to define and deploy recurring background tasks into the system crontab using human-readable syntax.
- Background Task Schedulers - Provides a configuration layer for managing the timing and execution of recurring Ruby scripts via cron.
- Natural Language Cron Schedulers - Converts descriptive time intervals and natural language strings into standard cron-formatted entries.
- Role-Based Targeting - Filters scheduled tasks based on assigned server roles to ensure jobs only run on designated infrastructure.
- Ruby Cron Management - Defines and deploys recurring background tasks using Ruby syntax instead of raw crontab files.
- Crontab Generators - Generates complete crontab files including comments and environment variables for system deployment.
- Crontab Managers - Writes generated schedules directly to the system crontab for a specific user or environment.
- Command Templates - Uses reusable command wrappers with placeholders to standardize script and binary execution.
- Capistrano Integrations - Automatically updates crontabs during the Capistrano deployment process.
- Deployment Environment Management - Updates system crontabs automatically during deployment to ensure tasks are namespaced by environment.
- Deployment Automation - Automatically updates user and system crontabs during deployment based on server roles.
- Command Templates - Implements reusable command templates with placeholders to standardize the execution of various scripts and binaries.
- Environment Variable Injection - Injects global and block-level environment variables into the generated cron output.
- Background Jobs - Cron job syntax for Ruby.
- Scheduling - Clear syntax for writing and deploying cron jobs.
