# Scheduled Reminders

Schedules reminders and recurring tasks for the agent.

- Repository: https://github.com/HKUDS/nanobot (49730 stars)
- Category: AI and agents
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-10-31
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add HKUDS/nanobot --skill cron -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add HKUDS/nanobot --skill cron -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add HKUDS/nanobot --skill cron -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add HKUDS/nanobot --skill cron -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Schedule reminders and recurring tasks.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Cron

Use the `cron` tool to schedule reminders or recurring tasks. New tasks run in the current chat. nanobot sends the agent's final reply to that chat. The user can change the task's chat in WebUI.

Write what to do in `message`. For a normal reminder or report, do not copy the current channel, chat ID, or instructions to call the `message` tool into the task. For example, use "Remind me to drink water", not "Call message to send to this chat".

If the user asks to send to other chats, preserve those recipients in the task instructions. Use the `message` tool for those sends and for file attachments. Existing tasks that explicitly request a `message` call still use it; changing the task's chat does not change explicit recipients in its instructions.

Choose by timing and notification behavior, not repetition. A specified time or interval uses `cron`, even when it repeats: "every day at 8am, remind me to drink water" is a cron task. Use `HEARTBEAT.md` for background checks with flexible timing that should notify only on actionable changes. Heartbeat does not guarantee a requested time or interval; do not substitute it for an explicit schedule.

## Task Types

1. **Reminder** - the agent replies with the reminder when the task runs
2. **Task** - the agent follows the instructions and replies with the result
3. **One-time** - runs once at a specific time, then auto-deletes

## Examples

Fixed reminder:
```
cron(action="add", message="Time to take a break!", every_seconds=1200)
```

Dynamic task (agent executes each time):
```
cron(action="add", message="Check HKUDS/nanobot GitHub stars and report", every_seconds=600)
```

One-time scheduled task (compute ISO datetime from current time):
```
cron(action="add", message="Remind me about the meeting", at="<ISO datetime>")
```

Timezone-aware cron:
```
cron(action="add", message="Morning standup", cron_expr="0 9 * * 1-5", tz="America/Vancouver")
```

The rest: https://github.com/HKUDS/nanobot/blob/HEAD/nanobot/skills/cron/SKILL.md