Top 11 Open Source Job Schedulers of 2024

This research aims to provide you in-depth report on open-source job scheduler solutions with a detailed comparison:

People and organizations continuously seek to simplify their processes to maintain sustainable revenue. Yet, they are on the verge of falling out of date.

With so much competition in the market and ever-evolving technology & processes, you are always playing catchup. As your business grows, it becomes more complex in terms of the number of systems, software applications, and volume of data which makes it too complicated to manage.

Bringing in automation through a job scheduler across the entire IT infrastructure is the only way to stay ahead of the game and accelerate your digital transformation. Thus, nowadays, job scheduling is not a nice-to-have but a must-have for businesses.

Getting your business off the ground and capturing the attention of prospective clients will be impossible without the right open-source scheduling software.

This article aims to introduce the concept of open source job scheduler software with its features, pricing, and comparison.

What are Job Schedulers

In terms of software computing, a job is a unit of work or execution. It can also be called a task or step. A job scheduler is a tool for managing unwatched background program execution of jobs.

It is software that businesses use to automate, execute, and monitor workloads across multiple platforms. Regarding automating ETL processes, FTP, and P&L processes, these tools are used for IT, HR, and accounting.

Job scheduling is often also called batch processing, WLA (Workload Automation), and DRMS (Distributed Resource Management System).

Typically, a job scheduler involves a GUI and a centrally controlled definition and monitoring of background processes in a distributed network of machines.

What are Open Source Job Schedulers?

The open source job scheduler gives the users access to the source code of the tool which lets them modify the code and do customization as per their business requirements, avoiding vendor lock-in.

How Does a Job Scheduler Work?

Working on any job scheduler generally revolves around 4 major concepts: Jobs, Dependencies, Job Streams, and Users.

At a high level, any job scheduler would follow any of the two architectures:

#1) Master/Agent Architecture: In this architecture, the scheduling tool is installed on a single computer called master, and a small module called agent is installed on production computers. The agent waits for commands from the master to run the commands and returns the exit code to the master.

#2) Cooperative Architecture: This is decentralized architecture in which each computer is efficient to help with scheduling and can pass on the locally scheduled jobs to other computers. This method allows dynamic workload balancing, makes the most of hardware resource utilization and offers high availability to ensure service delivery.

The pictorial representation above gives you a very simple, high-level view of a job scheduler for you to build a basic understanding of it. Users can hit HTTP/API server to add jobs. All job-related info will be stored in the database. The task run will recurringly query the DB to see if there are any due jobs and execute them concurrently in the background.

Benefits of Job Schedulers and Workload Automation Tools

• High availability/reduced downtime due to job failures.
• Critical workflows can be automated to ensure business continuity.
• Enforce enterprise security and compliance.
• Increased productivity by reducing the time spent on routine IT tasks.
• Prevents cost overruns.
• Better resource utilization.
• Gives your business a competitive advantage.

Guidelines for Choosing a Job Scheduler

The following factors need to be considered when selecting the best open-source job scheduler provider:

#1) Consider the size and collaboration of the forum

A vital attribute of the open-source community is how its members’ code contributes to the tool. A community of many members can provide more assistance in the event of a bug.

#2) Check out the job scheduler’s features

Several open-source job schedulers allow the initiation of jobs at a specific time via scheduled execution. To automate sensitive tasks using confidential data with a job scheduler, you will need a tool that can provide alerts and audit trails.

Closed-source solutions may also be worth considering. The closed-source solution may provide better functionality or other advantages over the open-source solution.

Open-Source Vs Closed-Source Job Schedulers

Open-source tools definitely provide benefits such as lower costs, quick & continuous bug fixes, and improved versions of code. However, if the tool is open-source then the code would exist in the public domain, which would let anyone access and edit the source code of the software.

It also means that this code is open for hackers to play with. So, depending on open-source tools may lead your enterprise to face compliance issues in several use cases. And compliance is one such aspect these days that cannot be neglected at any cost.

Open-source initiatives also usually lack a full-time dedicated team, so updates to the tool can be irregular and the feature sets could be lighter as compared to closed-source solutions.

Additionally, in the case of open-source tools, the support is generally limited to online forums as to a dedicated team of professionals in the case of closed-source tools.

Suggested Reading =>> RunMyJobs by Redwood Alternatives

Hence, it is an intelligent choice to consider closed-source job scheduling tools to combat the limitations like the slow rollout of advanced features, minimal product support, compliance issues, etc. with open-source tools.

Closed-source job schedulers would give you benefits like powerful and advanced features, a dedicated team of professionals providing extensive product support, and better compliance & security.

Best Open Source Job Schedulers

List of the top open-source job scheduling software:

1. ActiveBatch
2. RunMyJobs by Redwood
3. Zehntech
4. Dkron
5. JS7 JobScheduler
6. Quartz Enterprise Job Scheduler
7. Schedulix
8. Apache Taverna
9. Apache Oozie
10. Azkaban
11. Agenda

Comparison of top solutions

Detailed reviews:

#1) ActiveBatch

Best for companies and enterprises of all sizes.

ActiveBatch automates all the processes you need in your enterprise with its robust enterprise automation tool. It gives you complete transparency and visibility. Users can create, report, and access real-time platforms and workflows because they use standard batch code since they use a low amount of batch code.

It’s more reliable and faster because it uses less batch code. The most common use is automating processes, like job scheduling. In the context of automation, three types are involved: data automation, business process automation, and managed file automation.

Also Read => Top Alternatives for JDE Scheduler

Features:

• Positioned furthest in Completeness of Vision in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™for Service Orchestration and Automation Platforms (SOAPs) report, we believe Redwood Software empowers IT teams to speed up automation design and deployment for mission-critical business processes.
• ActiveBatch lets you schedule tasks at granular levels, resulting in more efficient workflows.
• Manage multi-cloud or hybrid IT infrastructure more effortlessly and automated with intelligent features.
• It has an integrated jobs library that lets you connect to hundreds of pre-built connectors. Drop-in connectors enable seamless file transfers, business intelligence tools, ETL tools, ERP systems, and more.

Pros:

• You will be able to schedule multiple tasks with an active batch.
• As part of the login option, you will receive notifications and alerts for every action.
• You can monitor everything from one place.
• When running an ActiveBatch, you can see how your workflow is progressing.

Cons:

• If you offer users a system to manage changes, they may not trust it.

Verdict: A scheduler called ActiveBatch automates work and schedules IT jobs for enterprises. You can automate data processing across your enterprise with any technology. Customer reviews say it’s easy to use and has a bunch of cool features.

Price: Pricing is based on scalability and licensing. You can pick what kind of service you want to use with this job scheduler. There’s a 30-day trial period on the scheduler.

#2) RunMyJobs by Redwood

Best for enterprises with way too complex business environments.

RunMyJobs by Redwood is a workload automation software that businesses use to schedule their work appropriately. It is easy to use and includes drag-and-drop functionality, so the process can be created quickly and easily.

Moreover, the software allows you to receive immediate results in real time without even setting up complicated scheduling procedures. Also, the software will alert you when there is a movement and keep a record of it, and it will also allow you to review it at any time you want.

Features:

• Redwood Software was recognized as a Leader positioned furthest for Completeness of Vision in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for SOAP report.
• Keeps a clean core by avoiding customization and integrating with S//HANA and other SAP platforms without special software or infrastructure.
• You can add conditional logic to RunMyJobs by Redwood, so you don’t have to perform a manual intervention.
• The software automates processes in on-premises, cloud, or hybrid environments.
• This software allows you to orchestrate ERP automation from one place for SAP, Oracle, etc.
• The application has SLA monitoring features.
• It lets you publish automated processes as either interactive services or microservices.

Pros:

• You can increase productivity with this software by reducing manual labor.
• RunMyJobs by Redwood automates the process on-premises, where your hosting will be set up.
• RunMyJobs by Redwood connects to multiple servers, applications, and services.
• You can choose from three tiers. This makes it easy to link development, testing, and production.
• The prebuilt process is ready to go with the software.

Cons:

• It’s hard to use this software on the phone.
• Since it’s so small, the layout isn’t responsive, and accessing other features is difficult.

Verdict: The RunMyJobs platform allows users to automate any application using connectors without purchasing additional licenses. A fully hosted infrastructure offers a simple pricing structure and many features.

Price: Well, RunMyJobs by Redwood has several plans for you to choose from. It depends on what kind of plan you get. Besides that, it also depends on the number of jobs you have.

Here’s the pricing:

• Consumption-based pricing: You get maximum efficiency and ROI.
• There is a free trial available.

#3) Zehntech

Best for companies with complex problems.

Zehntech’s team of IT professionals simplifies complex problems that arise from operations in many industries with a collection of IT solutions for both individuals and organizations. In all sectors, Zehntech provides development, design, and implementation services.

Zehntech specializes in front-end development using cutting-edge technology and providing a secure back-end through its modular and flexible services. Moreover, Zehntech’s application is compatible with both Android and iOS platforms.

Upon studying large industrial workflows, Zehntech developed a unique workflow automation application called Job Scheduler that automates all IT-related tasks on a single platform.

Features:

• A responsive modern web interface that is flexible and easy to use.
• Configuration of a cluster that offers high availability.
• A role-based approach to fine access for a large audience.
• Platforms are supported on Linux and Windows.

Pros:

• It is pretty challenging and time-consuming to keep track of all your tasks. But no more. Using this software for job scheduling, you can manage all tasks quickly and efficiently.
• The process of monitoring performance, assigning tasks, and analyzing feedback requires a lot of time and money. This can be reduced with Zehntech. It does everything for you; you only have to purchase the software.
• Zehntech allows you to complete your task with one click. With this job scheduling software, you can easily create or assign tasks, and it also ensures that you avoid unnecessary delays.

Cons:

• Zehntech might be challenging to use. Firstly, you must pay attention to the materials and products the production crew is working on.
• This method can be a bit expensive because you need to pay attention to implementation charges.

Verdict: JobScheduler automates all your work. You can do solo jobs or combine them into workflows in JobScheduler. You can run scripts, executables, and database procedures with it.

Price: To get the pricing information, you can request a quote.

Website: Zehntech

#4) Dkron

Best for businesses and organizations to run scheduled tasks.

Workload automation software such as Dkron makes it easy for enterprises to run scheduled jobs. You must install Docker before you can use this scheduling software.

Using Dkron, you can schedule the tasks for a specific time of day, week, or month. It is easy for your company to schedule tasks and system maintenance. It provides real-time data storage and management capabilities. The solution can be used on-premises in a hybrid environment.

Dkron’s functionality includes writing events, being office communicators, tweeting, and sending emails.

Features:

• Secured with the use of SSL encryption.
• There is a multi-regional support service available.
• Docker executor is included in the package.
• A powerful email processor that offers advanced features and functionality.
• There is already an authorization system in place for WebUI and the API.

Pros:

• Installing Dkron is pretty easy. Just pick up the OS package and you’re good to go.
• You can use Dkron 24/7. The follower will replace the cluster node if it fails without human intervention.
• Using a tag-based target, you can run jobs on an arbitrary number of nodes in various groups.

Cons:

• Dkron’s smallest resolution is 1 minute. Dkron cannot handle tasks that need to be run every 30 seconds.
• Dkron doesn’t provide you with a log, and only a few people with Dkron jobs have log output.

Verdict: It runs scheduled jobs across multiple machines, like Unix Cron, but it’s open-source. This job scheduler is the only one on the market that doesn’t have SPOF. It’s free and open source.

Price: You can choose from two plans with Dkron.

• There is a free plan that allows you to access some features.
• The Pro plan starts at $750/year and gives you full access to all features.

Let’s talk more about these plans.

Basic plan: The basic plan is free of charge and includes execution plugins. The plugins include processors, a web interface, rest APIs, metrics, job chaining, concurrency control, and job retrying.

Pro plan: Currently, this plan costs $750 a year. A web interface, REST API, job chains, concurrency control, metrics, and an embossed storage engine are included. You also get an AWS ECS executor, elastic search processor, advanced email processor, Slack processor, encryption, web UI authentication, API authentication, and access control.

Website: Dkron

Further Reading => Most Popular ETL Job Scheduling Software of the Year

#5) JS7 JobScheduler

Best for automating business processes.

If you’re looking for a fast and complete automation solution, JS7 is the way to go. It automates and streamlines all business workflows. Moreover, this job scheduler has remote capabilities and seamless integration with a complex company environment.

Various IT platforms can be integrated and utilized quickly and effectively with JS7 Job Scheduler. You can count on JS7 to calculate your risks, manage your database, finance you, protect your legal documents, and ensure they are up to date. This job scheduler helps the health care department manage health documents, serial letters, prints, and formats.

Features:

• JS7 JobScheduler automates enterprise workloads.
• JS7 JobScheduler stores job chains, orders, job protocols, and job history.
• With JS7 JobScheduler Controllers, configuration files can be distributed more efficiently to JS7 JobScheduler Agents.
• It’s fault-tolerant and has a high availability with JS7 JobScheduler.
• External applications can access JS7 JobScheduler via REST Web Services.

Pros:

• Businesses that can’t afford IT automation can use its high-availability cluster.
• The operations center will monitor and control everything in real-time.
• With JS7, you can integrate different solutions and adapt them to your needs.
• The job scheduler is built on a mainstream cloud platform and uses high-end technology.

Cons:

• Labor costs are unclear with JS7, and software like this is responsible for erratic scheduling practices.

Verdict: With the WEB interface, you can perform IT tasks and file transfers, like FTP, SFTP, etc., making JS7 JobScheduler easy to use. Your business processes won’t get hacked with JS7.

Price: There is a free trial available for 30 days. Request a quote for an accurate price estimate.

Website: JS7 JobScheduler

#6) Quartz Enterprise Job Scheduler

Best for large and small enterprises.

Using Quartz, you can integrate job scheduling with Java applications if that is what you need. Quartz allows you to design simple or complex job schedules for your employees. This way, you can run millions of tasks simultaneously and seamlessly.

This is, without a doubt, the most popular Java scheduling framework. Quartz now lets you make sure that jobs are triggered every minute. As part of the software, you can take advantage of the memory scheduler, which is pretty easy to use.

Features:

• An environment for running the application is provided
• Managing the scheduling of jobs
• The job is executed when it has been scheduled
• The persistence of a job
• Assembling clusters

Pros:

• Quartz can help you perform your tasks efficiently and track job allocation. You’ll also notify the team responsible for the operation once you schedule it.
• You can schedule tasks and monitor them efficiently to make sure they run smoothly. If there’s an error, the task supervisor can help.
• It saves you a lot of time, so you can use it for other things. Manual work can cause human errors, though. Quartz keeps you efficient.

Cons:

• Quartz is challenging to use, and it creates XML configuration files, job interfaces, and job details.
• Quartz can’t monitor, receive alerts, have insufficient mechanisms, or recover from failures.

Verdict: Quartz lets you create everything from simple stand-alone apps to complex e-commerce systems. With Quartz, you can schedule as many jobs as you want; every task is a Java component.

Price: Quartz enterprise job schedulers vary in cost according to a company’s needs.

• You can try it out for free.
• Starting at $300 a month, the plan has everything you need.

#7) Schedulix

Best for businesses with large and more complex IT environments.

Using an open-source job scheduler that integrates powerful technology along with powerful automation to streamline IT processes is all you’ll need. Schedulix allows you to create schedules, monitor logs, and look at relevant processes by integrating hundreds of different applications.

You can rely on it to make sure that all of your IT operations will be of high quality, cost-effective, and sustainable. You can use it in extensive IT environments and have an independent IT department. Although it can be pretty expensive for commercial jobs, it is an optimal solution in a large and complex environment.

Features:

• Models workflow hierarchically.
• Organize tasks according to priority.
• Provides the ability to set up dynamic and static parameters for jobs and batches.
• A monitoring module can display the resulting variables assigned to jobs through APIs.
• Notifies you automatically when tasks or workflows change.

Pros:

• This job scheduler notifies you of your upcoming appointments or tasks.
• You can also calculate overtime in Schedulix.
• Schedulix provides real-time scheduling functionality.
• The application is highly secure and encrypted.
• You can manage members using the application.

Cons:

• Schedulix doesn’t use a preemptive scheduling algorithm.
• The process will run until it is completed without stopping in between executions.

Verdict: This scheduler not only makes sure what’s going on, monitors it, and logs it, but also lets you start a program whenever you want. Your IT operations will also be better, more reliable, and more efficient with it.

Price: The job scheduler is free and can be used by anyone.

#8) Apache Taverna

Best for agencies and small and medium enterprises.

Apache Taverna is a Java-based suite with a tavern engine that runs on top of Java. Through the use of this system, the company can enhance its workflow. Through this system, the company can access many different kinds of software.

This system allows you to easily design, execute, and create different tasks. Numerous domains use the system to anticipate remote workflow with ease. Over 350 academic and commercial organizations have used the system. It is an independent tool that can be used across multiple domains.

Features:

• Workflows can be designed, edited, and executed with this set of tools.
• An extensible set of services and architectures.
• Assuring the security of the platform.
• Providing versatile capabilities on the workbench.

Pros:

• This tool allows you to edit and execute your company’s workflow.
• There are several services and architectures you can use.
• This provides you with a versatile workbench.
• Create and optimize your workflow with this tool.

Cons:

• The main concern with using Apache Taverna is the lack of security.
• You are also not provided with any permission while using the software.
• This means that you cannot monitor your actions.

Verdict: Apache Taverna Workflow Management Software is great for agencies and small businesses. It’s easy to build Web Apps with Apache Taverna. It has a Graphical Workflow Editor and Workflow Configuration in one place.

Price:

• There is no price for the trial version, but you have to pay for the subscription version. The price fluctuates for the number of users.
• This is a small plan for companies with fewer than 50 employees and a medium plan for companies with fewer than 1,000 employees.

#9) Apache Oozie

Best for enterprises with hybrid and complex business environments.

Apache Oozie is a cron-based scheduling system that enables you to utilize both hybrid and complex environments, allowing you to manage jobs easily. With this job scheduler, you can schedule multiple complex tasks that can be performed sequentially.

You can also run one or two jobs concurrently. The Java web application that runs the program is distributed under Apache License 2.0. The workflow is triggered with the program’s help, and the tasks are executed. These types of jobs tend to be the most common in the application.

There are three typical workflow jobs: coordinator jobs, bundles, and workflow jobs.

Features:

• Execute Hadoop workflows and monitor them.
• Schedule your workflow regularly.
• Activate the data availability trigger.
• You get an HTTP server, a command line interface, and a web console.

Pros:

• It allows you to configure workflows and task management.
• The Apache server does not have any codes.
• It enables you to automate business processes.
• It also offers a graphical workflow editor.

Cons:

• It does not provide you with any form of transparency.
• If you choose Apache to handle your information, you may find that your information is not secure.

Verdict: Oozie schedules Apache Hadoop jobs. Hadoop integration includes Java MapReduce, Streaming MapReduce, Pig, Hive, and Sqoop. It’s scalable, reliable, and extensible.

Price: Apache Oozie doesn’t provide any free version or trial. The prices are determined based on the services you need. Thus, you will need to contact Apache for more information on price plans.

#10) Azkaban

Best for large and medium business enterprises to eliminate dependency on jobs.

The Azkaban project is a streamlined workflow scheduling application that a LinkedIn employee built as an application. This user-friendly, web-based tool allows you to solve dependencies between jobs quickly and provides an easy-to-use interface to order jobs.

It allows you to easily track the workflows of the jobs you need to schedule. Data can be authenticated and authorized easily using the system. It is an entirely safe and secure tool you can use to accomplish your goals. It is software that automates many of your work processes so that you can stay on top of everything.

Further Reading => List of the Best Cron Scheduler Alternatives

Features:

• Web interface that’s easy to use.
• Use HTTP and the web to upload workflows.
• Each project’s workspace.
• Getting workflows organized.
• Getting notified about failures and successes.

Pros:

• There is no requirement for a specific version of Hadoop to use it.
• Uploading data takes place via a simple workflow.
• It has a logical and intuitive user interface.
• You can schedule your workflow in advance.

Cons:

• It’s a valuable source of flexibility for some people.
• There is a lack of ease of use with this application.

Verdict: Azkaban is LinkedIn’s batch job scheduler for Hadoop jobs. Azkaban lets you manage and track your workflow using a web UI.

Price: To know the price, you need to contact the authorities or check the website since the price varies depending on the requirement. You can thus try it for 30 days at no price.

#11) Agenda

Best for – Enterprise and SMEs.

MongoDB is used for persistence by this job scheduler. Using the agenda, you can schedule multiple tasks simultaneously without compromising.

As a bonus, the application provides you with persistent scheduled tasks, which means that even when the server is down, the job will still run during the specified time interval.

Features:

• With MongoDB as the persistence layer.
• An API that’s promise-based.
• You can schedule by priority, concurrency, repetition, and persistence.
• Scheduling that’s automated or readable.
• The queue of jobs is backed by events.

Pros:

• Using this tool, your business will avoid penalties and stay on top of the number of overtime hours.
• The automated system analyzes the workflow and helps you with alert notifications or any movement in the workflow.

Cons:

• It comes with tight deadlines, which puts stress on the employees.
• There might be unforeseen problems when streaming job scheduling software.

Verdict: In comparison to most of the Open Source Job Scheduler Software, Agenda uses MongoDB for persistence, so it’s easier to set up. It’s lightweight and robust at the same time.

Price: If you are satisfied with the service after the 14-day trial period, you can subscribe monthly, weekly, or daily. Your specific needs determine this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Increasing efficiency and productivity in the workplace is something that every organization strives to achieve. Business organizations can save thousands of dollars each year by saving time when it comes to scheduling and tracking tasks.

Moreover, the system is a warning system. Using proper job scheduling software, tasks can be scheduled with greater efficiency, ensuring error-free operations run smoothly without delay.

Our highly recommended Open Source Job Scheduler from the list is ActiveBatch. The thing that makes it worth choosing is its plethora of features and high efficiency. Besides that, you can even go with other options from the list that include Schedulix, JS7 Job scheduler, RunMyJobs by Redwood, and Apache Taverna.

Research Process:

• A total of 32 hours were spent researching and writing this article.
• Total tools researched: 30
• Total Open Source Job Scheduler tool shortlisted for review: 11