Files
The content root is one folder of self-contained cron directories, mirrored to your
server. Every top-level entry is either a cron (a directory holding the handler and the
settings), ignored (a _-prefixed or dotted name), or a plain directory that
rides along unscheduled. This page is the map from path to role.
A content root
<cronhoster-config-contentRoot>/
digest/ a cron
cronhoster-cron-handler.js the entry point the runner runs
cronhoster-cron-settings.json the schedule and concurrency ceiling
format.js a module it imports, never run alone
node_modules/ vendored deps, resolved inside this cron
backup/ another cron
cronhoster-cron-handler.js
cronhoster-cron-settings.json
_staged/ ignored, a staged next version
cronhoster-cron-handler.js
cronhoster-cron-settings.json
.gitignore ignored, a dotfilePath patterns
| Path pattern | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
<name>/ (top level) | Cron | Any top-level directory holding both files below. The directory name is the cron name. See Settings. |
<cron>/cronhoster-cron-handler.js | Entry point | The one file the runner runs for that cron. |
<cron>/cronhoster-cron-settings.json | Settings | The cron's schedule and concurrency ceiling. |
<cron>/** (anything else inside) | Bundled module | Uploaded with the cron and imported by its handler. Never run on its own. |
<cron>/node_modules/** | Bundled module | Resolved by require and import inside that cron like any dependency. |
_* (any name starting with _) | Ignored | Never synced, never run. Staged next versions and any other local-only file. |
.* (dotfiles and dotfolders) | Ignored | Editor and VCS files stay local. |
What makes a cron
A cron is any top-level directory that contains both a
cronhoster-cron-handler.js and a cronhoster-cron-settings.json. The directory
name is the cron name, and it carries no timing: the schedule lives entirely in the settings file. A
top-level directory missing either file is left alone, and nested directories are never crons.
If the settings file fails to parse, the cron is left unscheduled and the runner notes it once. Use
ordinary, portable filename characters for a cron name: letters, digits, and - or
_ mid-name are fine. Avoid spaces and path separators.
Ignore rules
Two kinds of name take an entry out of play entirely, at every level. They are never synced and never run:
| Prefix | Applies to | Use |
|---|---|---|
_ | Any file or folder name | Stage the next version of a cron before it goes live, or keep any local-only file out of the sync. |
. | Dotfiles and dotfolders | Editor state, .git, and
.DS_Store stay on your machine. |
The rule is by name, so a whole _staged/ directory is ignored while you build it,
and a _scratch/ folder is a handy local-only area inside the content root.
Sync-once immutability
A cron directory uploads whole the first time it appears on the server and is then
never re-synced. The local scripts compares top-level directory names only, so a cron
the server already has is left untouched even if you change files inside it locally. A cron the server
has but you no longer keep is removed. To change a live cron you publish a new directory under a
new name, staged as _name while you work and renamed to go live. There are no
shared files to reconcile, which is what makes versioning simple.