rqscheduler

rqscheduler is an extension for the Python library RQ that adds the ability to schedule jobs for future execution on Redis-backed queues. It stores scheduled jobs in Redis and runs as a separate scheduler process that periodically checks for due jobs and enqueues them into their target queues when their scheduled time arrives.

The system is designed to work alongside existing Redis and RQ setups. It supports scheduling one-off jobs at a specific time or for a future moment, as well as recurring jobs driven by a cron-like schedule or interval. When a job becomes due, the scheduler enqueues the job into the designated queue, after which standard RQ workers execute it.

Installation is typically done via pip install rq-scheduler and requires a Redis server. Common usage involves creating a Redis connection, constructing a Scheduler instance, and calling enqueue_at or enqueue_in for one-off jobs. For recurring schedules, the scheduler provides mechanisms to define regular intervals or cron-based timings. In deployments, the scheduler is often run as a separate background process alongside the RQ workers to manage timing and enqueueing.

Limitations include reliance on Redis availability and the fact that timing precision is governed by the scheduler’s polling interval, making it unsuitable for hard real-time tasks. Compatibility with specific versions of RQ and Redis should be verified when integrating rq-scheduler into an existing pipeline. Overall, rq-scheduler provides a straightforward way to plan future work without embedding delay logic in application code. See also: RQ, Redis, Python.