launchd as cron crash course

insert

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
        <key>Label</key>
        <string>com.whatever.five_after</string>
        <key>ProgramArguments</key>
        <array>
                <string>echo just ran > /tmp/whatever_five_after</string>
        </array>
        <key>StartCalendarInterval</key>
        <dict>
                <key>Minute</key><integer>5</integer>
        </dict>
</dict>
</plist>

into $HOME/Library/LaunchAgents/com.whatever.five_after.plist

If you call a script in the ProgramArguments section, remember to make it executable and define the script properly.

Run

launchctl load $HOME/Library/LaunchAgents/com.whatever.five_after.plist
launchctl start com.whatever.five_after

Can also run every N seconds with

<key>StartInterval</key><integer>N</integer>

Can also check the status with

launchctl list | grep com.whatever

and check for status (the second column) = 0.