Timestamp Converter

Convert between Unix timestamps, ISO 8601 dates, and human-readable formats. Support for multiple timezones with real-time conversion and time adjustment controls.

Timestamp Converter

Current Time: 8/9/2025, 12:09:49 AM
Unix: 1754698189 • ISO: 2025-08-09T00:09:49.509Z

Understanding Timestamps

What is a Unix Timestamp?

  • • Definition: Number of seconds since January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC
  • • Also known as: Epoch time, POSIX time, Unix time
  • • Format: Integer (seconds) or decimal (milliseconds)
  • • Range: Can represent dates from 1970 to 2038 (32-bit) or beyond (64-bit)
  • • Universal: Same value worldwide, independent of timezone

Common Timestamp Formats

  • • Unix Seconds: 1704067200 (10 digits)
  • • Unix Milliseconds: 1704067200000 (13 digits)
  • • ISO 8601: 2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z
  • • RFC 2822: Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT
  • • Human Readable: January 1, 2024 12:00 AM

Timestamp Use Cases

💾 Database Storage

  • • Record creation timestamps
  • • Last modified dates
  • • Event logging
  • • Session expiration
  • • Cache invalidation
  • • Audit trails

🌐 Web Development

  • • API response timestamps
  • • JWT token expiration
  • • Cookie expiration dates
  • • File modification times
  • • User activity tracking
  • • Rate limiting windows

📊 Data Analysis

  • • Time series analysis
  • • Event correlation
  • • Performance monitoring
  • • Log file analysis
  • • Business intelligence
  • • Reporting systems

Timezone Handling

🌍 Understanding Timezones

UTC (Coordinated Universal Time):
  • • Primary time standard worldwide
  • • No daylight saving time
  • • Used as reference for other zones
  • • Same as GMT for practical purposes
Local Time Zones:
  • • Based on geographical location
  • • May observe daylight saving
  • • Can have historical changes
  • • Automatically detected by browser

⏰ Common Timezone Formats

Offset Formats:
  • • UTC+00:00 (UTC)
  • • UTC-05:00 (EST)
  • • UTC+01:00 (CET)
  • • UTC+09:00 (JST)
Named Zones:
  • • America/New_York
  • • Europe/London
  • • Asia/Tokyo
  • • Australia/Sydney

🔄 Daylight Saving Time

  • • Spring Forward: Clocks move ahead 1 hour (2 AM becomes 3 AM)
  • • Fall Back: Clocks move back 1 hour (2 AM happens twice)
  • • Automatic Handling: Our converter accounts for DST transitions
  • • Historical Data: DST rules can change over time

Programming Examples

📝 JavaScript/TypeScript

// Get current timestamp
const
now = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);

// Convert timestamp to Date
const
date = new Date(timestamp * 1000);

// Format to ISO string
const
iso = date.toISOString();

🐍 Python

import
time, datetime

# Get current timestamp
now = int(time.time())

# Convert to datetime
dt = datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp)

☕ Java

// Get current timestamp
long
now = System.currentTimeMillis() / 1000;

// Convert to LocalDateTime
LocalDateTime dt = LocalDateTime.ofEpochSecond(timestamp, 0, ZoneOffset.UTC);

🐘 PHP

// Get current timestamp
$now = time();

// Format timestamp
$date = date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $timestamp);

Advanced Features

⚡ Time Adjustment

  • • Quick Adjustments: Add/subtract seconds, minutes, hours, days
  • • Precision Control: Fine-tune timestamps for testing
  • • Batch Operations: Apply same adjustment multiple times
  • • Real-time Updates: See changes immediately
  • • Relative Calculations: "2 hours ago" or "in 3 days"
  • • Business Logic: Skip weekends, handle holidays

📅 Quick Presets

Start of Day: 00:00:00 for current date
End of Day: 23:59:59 for current date
Start of Week: Monday 00:00:00
Start of Month: 1st day at 00:00:00
Start of Year: January 1st at 00:00:00

Common Issues & Solutions

⚠️ Timestamp Precision

  • • Seconds vs Milliseconds: Unix timestamps can be in seconds (10 digits) or milliseconds (13 digits)
  • • Auto-detection: Our converter automatically detects the format
  • • JavaScript Note: Date.now() returns milliseconds, but Unix time is usually seconds
  • • Database Storage: Choose consistent precision across your application

🌍 Timezone Confusion

  • • Unix timestamps are UTC: They don't have timezone information
  • • Display vs Storage: Store in UTC, display in user's timezone
  • • DST Transitions: Be aware of daylight saving time changes
  • • Historical Data: Timezone rules change over time

📅 Year 2038 Problem

  • • 32-bit Limit: Signed 32-bit integers overflow on January 19, 2038
  • • 64-bit Solution: Use 64-bit integers for dates beyond 2038
  • • Modern Systems: Most current systems use 64-bit timestamps
  • • Legacy Code: Check older applications for 32-bit timestamp usage

Privacy & Performance

🔒 Privacy Protection

  • • Client-Side Processing: All conversions happen in your browser
  • • No Data Transmission: Timestamps never sent to our servers
  • • Local Storage: History stored only in browser memory
  • • Secure Context: Uses browser's native date/time functions
  • • No Tracking: No analytics on your timestamp data
  • • Offline Capable: Works without internet connection

⚡ Performance Features

  • • Real-time Conversion: Instant results as you type
  • • Efficient Calculations: Optimized for speed and accuracy
  • • Memory Management: Automatic cleanup of old results
  • • Responsive Design: Works on all device sizes
  • • Keyboard Shortcuts: Quick access to common functions
  • • Copy/Export: Easy data extraction for use elsewhere