Setting up a Shopware cronjob: /backend/cron and Shopware 6

Setup

Step by step

1. Check your Shopware version

   The following steps apply to Shopware 5. For Shopware 6, upload our free plugin (Shopware 6.5 to 6.7) under Extensions → My extensions → Upload extension, install and activate it, and open the connection link from the plugin configuration. The cronjob is then already filled in.

2. Activate the cron plugin

   Search for the “Cron” plugin in the Plugin Manager and activate it. You find the individual tasks with interval, last and next execution under Configuration → Basic Settings → System → Cronjobs.

3. Set a key

   In the cron plugin configuration enter a long random secret under Allowed key. Leave “Allowed IPs” and “Secure using account” empty. According to the documentation, one matching field is enough to let a call through.

4. Assemble the address

   The address is your shop base address plus /backend/cron, followed by the key. If you send newsletters through Shopware, create a second cronjob for /backend/Newsletter/cron.

   https://your-shop.com/backend/cron?key=A-LONG-SECRET
   https://your-shop.com/backend/Newsletter/cron

5. Create an account at Cronjob.de

   Registration takes a minute and is free, no payment details needed. For the first 14 days you have all features, after that the account simply continues on the free plan.

   Start for free 14 days of Unlimited included, no payment details

6. Create a cronjob with that address

   Enter the address and choose the interval. The Shopware 5 documentation recommends every 10 to 15 minutes. Which task actually runs depends on the intervals under Configuration → Basic Settings → System → Cronjobs.

   */15 * * * *

   You can enter this expression at Cronjob.de exactly as it is – the schedule field understands crontab notation. But you do not have to know it: simply click the schedule together instead.

7. Switch on error notifications

   Enter an email address under Notifications. That way you learn about an outage even when the shop itself is unreachable. Failure notifications by email are included from the Plus plan, and free during the first 14 days.

What the five fields of an expression like */5 * * * * mean is explained in the crontab reference – with examples and the most common pitfalls. You can build the expression in the crontab generator. Whether you need an outside service at all is shown in the comparison of the three ways.

Verification

Is it actually running?

Run the cronjob once by hand. According to the documentation Shopware 5 returns the result as text; from Plus you see that response in the Cronjob.de call log, along with time, runtime and status code. Under Configuration → Basic Settings → System → Cronjobs the last execution of the due tasks should change. If the call is rejected, check the key and whether an IP list is still entered.

FAQ

Common questions about Shopware

How do I set up a Shopware 6 cronjob without SSH?

With our free plugin for Shopware 6 (6.5 to 6.7, MIT licence). Each call of its secret address queues the due tasks and works through the message queue, for 25 seconds at most. While the calls arrive, the plugin switches off the admin worker. If they stop for 15 minutes, it switches itself back on.

What is the admin worker in Shopware 6?

According to the developer documentation, Shopware 6 processes tasks via the browser by default, as long as you are logged in to the administration. If nobody is logged in, at night for example, they pile up. For production Shopware recommends processing the queue with CLI workers instead of the browser.

How often should /backend/cron run on Shopware 5?

The Shopware 5 documentation recommends running the cronjobs every 10 to 15 minutes. When each task actually runs is set in the shop through the task interval (in seconds). The free Cronjob.de plan is enough for that.

Why does Shopware 5 not send newsletters by cronjob?

Because according to the documentation /backend/cron runs all cronjobs except the newsletter. The newsletter has its own address, /backend/Newsletter/cron. Create a second cronjob for it.

Should I use the key and the IP filter together?

No. According to the Shopware 5 documentation the filters cannot be combined: the request passes if one of the fields matches. Two filled fields mean two ways in, not double security. Use the key.

Why no IP filter?

Because we call from several servers and that list can change. An IP filter would then block silently. We do publish the addresses currently in use, but we advise against a fixed allow list.

A Shopware 5 task is suddenly no longer active.

The cronjob overview has the option “Disable on error”, active by default according to the documentation. If an error occurs during execution, Shopware switches the task off. Fix the cause and set the task back to active.

Is Shopware 5 still being developed?

No. According to Shopware, development ended at the end of July 2024, and there are no more security fixes from Shopware after that. The Shopware 5 documentation is now continued by SafeFive. The cronjob route through /backend/cron works as described regardless.