# Example 08: Cron and Scheduled Automation

**Capability:** Claude Code supports scheduled and automated execution through
three complementary mechanisms, covering in-session polling through to
system-level cron jobs.

**OpenClaw equivalent:** HEARTBEAT.md, cron scheduler, webhooks, auto-reply.

> **Building on Examples 01-07.** You have a complete pipeline: research (01-03), memory (05), agent review (06), and delivery (07). This example makes it run without you pressing enter. Automation is what separates a demo from a daily driver.

---

## Three Approaches

### Approach 1: /loop (In-session polling, v2.1.71)

For tasks that should repeat while Claude Code is running:

```
/loop interval=60

Every 60 seconds, check if a file called 'trigger.txt' exists in this
directory. If it does, read its contents, execute the task described inside,
delete the file, and write the result to 'loop-output.md'. Then wait for
the next trigger.
```

Use this for development and testing. The loop runs as long as the session
is active.

---

### Approach 2: CronCreate (System-level scheduling, v2.1.71)

For tasks that should run on a schedule even when Claude Code is not open:

```
Create a cron job that runs the 'daily-briefing' skill every morning at 07:00.
Use the automation/daily-briefing.sh wrapper script. Show me the cron entry
before creating it so I can verify it.
```

Claude Code calls `CronCreate` to register the job with the system cron daemon.
Use `CronList` to see all registered jobs and `CronDelete` to remove them.
The `automation/daily-briefing.sh` script in this repo is a ready-made wrapper.

---

### Approach 3: /schedule (Remote trigger, web only)

For triggering runs from anywhere, including from a phone:

```
/schedule "Run the web-research skill on 'latest Anthropic news' and
email me a summary" at 2025-04-01T08:00:00
```

`/schedule` is available in the Claude web interface. It queues a headless
Claude Code run for the specified time. Combines with the Telegram permission
relay (v2.1.81) for approval-gated automation.

---

## Why This Matters

OpenClaw uses HEARTBEAT.md as a persistent loop marker. Claude Code achieves
the same outcome with more granularity: /loop for in-process polling, CronCreate
for system scheduling, /schedule for remote triggering. The `automation/` directory
in this repo provides macOS launchd examples as an alternative to cron.

---

## Carry Forward

With scheduling configured, your pipeline runs itself:

- **Example 09** adds safety guardrails to protect automated runs
- **Example 10** is the pipeline that your cron job triggers
- **Example 12** lets you monitor and control scheduled runs from your phone

Automation is the multiplier. Everything you built in examples 01-07 runs once when you trigger it. With scheduling, it runs every day, every week, or every time a condition is met.

---

## The Cumulative Path

> If you ran Examples 01-07, you have a complete pipeline with delivery.
> This prompt schedules it to run automatically.

```
Create a cron job that runs every Monday at 07:00 to execute:
1. Web research on a topic from memory/research-state.md
2. Multi-agent review via the researcher/writer/reviewer agents
3. Save output to pipeline-output/
4. Send a Telegram notification with the summary

Use automation/daily-briefing.sh as a template for the wrapper script.
Show me the cron entry before creating it so I can verify.
```

After running this, your Monday mornings start with a fresh research report waiting on your phone.

---

## Now Try It Yourself

Think about what you would automate if it cost zero effort:

**Option 1: /loop (for testing)**
```
/loop interval=300

Every 5 minutes, check if [your trigger condition]. If true,
[execute your pipeline]. Write results to [your output location].
```

**Option 2: CronCreate (for production)**
```
Create a cron job that runs [your task] every [schedule].
Use [wrapper script] and show me the cron entry first.
```

**Option 3: /schedule (for remote)**
```
/schedule "[your task description]" at [ISO datetime]
```

**The pattern you just learned:** trigger condition + pipeline steps + output destination. The three approaches cover different needs: /loop for development, CronCreate for system-level, /schedule for remote.

Ideas worth trying:
- Weekly competitor monitoring report every Monday
- Daily inbox summary from your email MCP at 08:00
- Hourly check for new entries in a data source you monitor