What is WP-Cron

WP-Cron is how WordPress handles scheduling time-based tasks in WordPress. Several WordPress core features, such as checking for updates and publishing scheduled post, utilize WP-Cron. The “Cron” part of the name comes from the cron time-based task scheduling system that is available on UNIX systems.

WP-Cron works by checking, on every page load, a list of scheduled tasks to see what needs to be run. Any tasks due to run will be called during that page load.

Scheduling errors could occur if you schedule a task for 2:00PM and no page loads occur until 5:00PM.

Why use WP-Cron

• WordPress core and many plugins need a scheduling system to perform time-based tasks. However, many hosting services are shared and do not provide access to the system scheduler.
• Using the WordPress API is a simpler method for setting scheduled tasks than going outside of WordPress to the system scheduler.
• With the system scheduler, if the time passes and the task did not run, it will not be re-attempted. With WP-Cron, all scheduled tasks are put into a queue and will run at the next opportunity (meaning the next page load). So while you can’t be 100% sure when your task will run, you can be 100% sure that it will run eventually.