WordPress cron not running — the scheduler that only works when somebody visits

WordPress users are often unaware that WP-Cron relies on site visits to trigger scheduled tasks, unlike traditional cron jobs that operate independently of user activity. This means that on low-traffic sites, scheduled tasks may not execute, causing delays or failures in automated processes like updates or content publishing. Understanding this can help site administrators better manage expectations and possibly integrate real cron jobs for more reliable scheduling, ensuring that critical tasks are completed even when visitors are sparse.