Create a Gemini CLI cron job for a service endpoint

You used Gemini CLI to build and deploy POST /internal/search/reindex. Now the service needs a routine refresh every six hours, with enough evidence to tell whether the scheduler or the endpoint failed. This walkthrough connects Gemini CLI to Crontap, authorizes it in the browser, and creates the HTTP schedule. You need a Crontap account, a current Gemini CLI installation, and a deployed HTTPS endpoint. Crontap schedules the request; it does not rerun a Gemini prompt.

Before you start

• Run the endpoint manually and make it idempotent before scheduling it.
• Decide whether Crontap belongs in project scope or user scope. Gemini CLI defaults gemini mcp add to project scope.
• Leave the server untrusted so Gemini CLI shows confirmation for MCP tool calls.
• Verified against the Gemini CLI MCP documentation and command reference on 2026-09-15.

Connect Gemini CLI to Crontap

gemini mcp add --transport http crontap https://mcp.crontap.com/mcp

The command adds an HTTP transport entry for https://mcp.crontap.com/mcp. Add --scope user before crontap if you want it in ~/.gemini/settings.json; otherwise it is written to .gemini/settings.json for the current project.

Copyable Gemini CLI prompts

Use Crontap MCP. Preview a schedule that runs every six hours in UTC. Show the three upcoming runs. Do not create or update anything.

Create a schedule named "search index refresh" that POSTs to https://search.example.com/internal/search/reindex on the cadence we previewed. Before the create call, show the final fields and ask for confirmation. Do not include authentication headers.

Retrieve the schedule by the exact ID from the create result, then inspect its latest history. Report the URL, method, active status, next run, latest HTTP status, and duration. Do not modify the schedule.

Verify the endpoint schedule

Use /mcp list inside Gemini CLI to confirm the server is connected. If tools changed after a reconnect, /mcp reload re-discovers them. The create call should produce one schedule ID. The read-back call should use that ID rather than guessing from a similar name.

In Crontap, open the same schedule. Confirm POST, the deployed production hostname, UTC, and the six-hour cadence. Add the endpoint secret in the schedule UI and perform a test. The resulting history entry records the HTTP status and duration received by Crontap.

Finally, inspect your service logs. Find the request and verify that the index generation or source timestamp advanced. An HTTP 200 can still hide application work that did nothing, so the service-level result is the final check.

Gemini CLI or Crontap as the clock?

Gemini CLI is an interactive MCP client in this guide. It can create and inspect the resource, but closing the terminal does not cancel a saved schedule. Crontap continues sending the recurring HTTP request.

If you need a command to run in a deployment environment, use that platform's native scheduled job. If you need to call an existing API route, Crontap is the direct fit. If another process already runs and you only need to know when it stops, use a heartbeat.

Troubleshooting

gemini mcp list shows a connection issue

Confirm the transport is http, not stdio or sse, and that the URL is https://mcp.crontap.com/mcp. Gemini CLI keeps startup errors quiet by default; /mcp list surfaces detailed diagnostics.

/mcp auth crontap does not open authorization

Make sure the server was added as remote HTTP and retry the command in an interactive session. Corporate browsers and security tools must allow the OAuth redirect to a random localhost port.

Tools are missing after authorization

Run /mcp reload, followed by /mcp schema. If enterprise controls define required or allowed servers, a local project entry can be filtered or overridden by policy.

Gemini executes without asking

Remove trust: true from the server entry or re-add the server without --trust. Trust bypasses confirmations for all tools from that server, which is too broad for resource writes.

The endpoint returns 401 or 403

The connection to Crontap worked, but your service rejected the scheduled request. Compare the header configured in the Crontap UI with the deployment secret. Never paste the secret into the CLI conversation.

Next steps

• Return to the Crontap MCP hub for account and security details.
• Compare the workflow in Devin Local and Codex CLI.
• Use Cron troubleshooting when scheduler and endpoint evidence disagree.

Ready to schedule the service endpoint? Free forever tier. No credit card. Create your Crontap account →

Verified against current official Gemini CLI MCP documentation on 2026-09-15. Sources: Gemini CLI MCP servers and Gemini CLI commands.