Where Are crontab Jobs Stored?
User cron jobs live in spool files edited via crontab, with system schedules in /etc/crontab and cron.d.
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User cron jobs live in spool files managed through the crontab command, one file per user. System schedules live in /etc/crontab, /etc/cron.d, and the hourly/daily directories. Each line pairs a schedule with a command.
That split decides editing rights. Users touch only their own spool file; system files need root and add a user field. Output mails to the owner unless redirected, which is how silent failures surface.
Where crontab stores this, by platform
/var/spool/cron/crontabs (via crontab -e)
Per-user spool files edited only through crontab -e. System schedules in /etc/crontab and cron.d need root. Output mails to the job owner.
Frequently asked questions
How do I see my cron jobs?
Run crontab -l to list and crontab -e to edit your own file. System files under /etc need root and an extra user field. Logs or mail output show what actually ran.
Does disabling a job keep its history?
No. Deleting the line removes the schedule permanently. Comment it out instead when testing. The spool file holds no history of past runs.
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