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Optimal Lab

AI automation · interactive

Run it on a schedule

A daily-digest workflow runs on cron “0 * * * *”: the top of every hour. The clock keeps firing when the runner is down. Choose what happens to the runs it missed.

Scheduler

0 * * * *

Runner

up

Workflow

summarize inbox

Slack

1 digests

Today

  1. 08
  2. 09
  3. 10
  4. 11
  5. 12
  6. 13
  7. 14
  8. 15
  9. 16
  10. 17
  11. 18
  12. 19

● on time● late (catch-up)… waiting for the runner↷ covered by the catch-up run✗ missed for good

08:00: the clock fires and the digest runs on time.

Missed runs

Airflow catchup=False · CronJob startingDeadlineSeconds

08:00
  1. 1

    “0 * * * *” means minute 0 of every hour. The scheduler fires whether or not anything can run.

    08:00 · slot 1 of 12

  2. 2

  3. 3

  4. 4

  5. 5

In production

Tools and technologies

Every scheduler has to decide what a missed run means; the names differ, the choice doesn't.

Not tied to one language — use these names when you search docs or design a system.