Cron output & logging

A basic solution:

  • use $() for executing date command and return output

  • format datetime to UTC, escape the % character with \

  • add 2>&1 at the end for streaming both stdout and stderr into that log file

Example:

* * * * * echo "Test crontab log" > /tmp/crontab.log.$(date --utc +\%Y\%m\%d_\%H\%M\%SZ) 2>&1

Output:

ls -lh /tmp | grep log

-rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu  ubuntu    17 May  4 05:06 crontab.log.20190504_050601Z
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu  ubuntu    17 May  4 05:07 crontab.log.20190504_050701Z

Reference

  1. https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/29578/how-can-i-execute-date-inside-of-a-cron-tab-job/517052#517052

  2. https://crontab.guru/

  3. https://yasoob.me/posts/6-tips-before-you-write-your-next-bash-cronjob/

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