# Cron jobs for Discord bots There are two ways to run something on a schedule: inside your bot with a task loop, or outside it with a platform schedule that restarts or pokes the process. Use the task loop for anything your bot already knows how to do, and a platform schedule for the things it cannot do while it is stuck. ## Inside the bot: task loops Both major libraries ship one, and it works on every plan. ```python from discord.ext import tasks @tasks.loop(hours=24) async def daily_digest(): ... ``` ```js setInterval(() => postDigest().catch(console.error), 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000); ``` A task loop dies with the process. If a nightly job matters, make it idempotent and check on boot whether it already ran today. ## Outside the bot: platform schedules Scheduled restarts and cron entries are a paid-plan feature (Mini, Lite, Pro or Max; see [pricing](/pricing)). They are the right tool for: - a nightly restart that clears a slow memory leak you have not found yet - a weekly maintenance command run through your entry file with a flag - anything that must happen even when the bot is wedged Schedules are stored in UTC and shown in your account timezone, so a "03:00" restart means 03:00 where you set it, not where the node is. ## Related - [Host a Python bot](/host/python) - [Keep a Discord bot online](/guides/keep-a-discord-bot-online) ## FAQ ### Do scheduled restarts drop my bot's data? No. Only the process restarts, and the `/app` volume stays untouched. ### Can I run a schedule on the free plan? Platform schedules are a Lite and Pro feature. A task loop inside your bot works on Free. ### What timezone does the scheduler use? It stores UTC and renders in the timezone on your account page, which is also what every other timestamp on the site uses. ### Will a restart interrupt a command mid-flight? The process gets a termination signal first and a few seconds to finish. Handle the signal if you have work worth finishing.