Unix Timestamp Converter

Current Unix Timestamp
1

Timestamp → Date

Waiting to convert...
2

Date → Timestamp

(seconds)
(ms)
Waiting to convert...

How it Works

The Unix timestamp is a way to track time as a running total of seconds. This count starts at the Unix Epoch on January 1st, 1970 at UTC. It is independent of time zones, making it a universal standard for computers.

Seconds
10 Digits
PHP, Python, Golang Default
Milliseconds
13 Digits
JavaScript, Java Default

Common Scenarios

💾

Database Storage

Storing `created_at` times as integers in databases (like MySQL) is often more efficient for indexing and querying than using formatted datetime strings.

🔒

Security Tokens

Timestamps are essential in authentication tokens (like JWTs) or API signatures to prevent replay attacks by defining a short validity window.

📊

Log Synchronization

When collecting logs from servers across the globe, typically UTC timestamps are used to ensure events are ordered correctly regardless of server time zones.

⏱️

Time Calculations

Calculating durations (subtracting start from end) is trivial with integers, whereas doing date math with calendar objects is complex and error-prone.

FAQ

Why does it start from 1970?
This date, known as the "Unix Epoch", was chosen arbitrarily by Unix engineers as a uniform zero-point for time usage on early computer systems.
What is the "Year 2038 Problem"?
On 32-bit systems, the maximum value for a signed integer is 2,147,483,647, which corresponds to January 19, 2038. After this point, the timestamp will overflow and may cause system errors. 64-bit systems have solved this.
How to get current timestamp in JS?
Use Date.now() for milliseconds (13 digits), or Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) for seconds (10 digits).
How do other languages handle it?
  • Python: time.time() (Seconds)
  • PHP: time() (Seconds)
  • Java: System.currentTimeMillis() (Milliseconds)
  • Go: time.Now().Unix() (Seconds)
Does it include Timezone?
No. Unix timestamps are based on UTC. They are the same everywhere in the world at the same moment. Timezone conversion happens when formatting the timestamp into a human-readable string.
How to distinguish seconds vs ms?
The easiest way is by length. Currently, 10 digits usually mean seconds, while 13 digits mean milliseconds.
How to convert in Excel?
Use formula: (A1 / 86400) + 25569, then format the cell as Date. Adjust for your local timezone manually if needed (e.g., + 8/24 for UTC+8).
Is it leap second aware?
Generally no. Unix time ignores leap seconds. A day in Unix time is always exactly 86400 seconds, so leap seconds are usually handled by "smearing" or repeating a second by the OS NTP service.

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