How to Configure WordPress Cron on Linux Server

WP-Cron runs on page load which is unreliable on low-traffic sites and adds overhead on high-traffic sites. A real Linux cron job solves both problems.

Step 1 — Disable WP-Cron

define('DISABLE_WP_CRON', true);

Step 2 — Set Up Linux Cron

sudo crontab -u www-data -e

*/5 * * * * /usr/local/bin/wp --path=/var/www/html cron event run --due-now --quiet

Step 3 — Verify

wp cron event list
wp cron event run wp_scheduled_delete

Conclusion

Real Linux cron is significantly more reliable than WP-Cron. Our team configures proper WordPress server configuration including cron management.