Unix Timestamp Converter
Convert between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates. Support for seconds, milliseconds, microseconds, and nanoseconds.
What is a Unix Timestamp?
A Unix timestamp (also known as Epoch time) is the number of time units that have elapsed since January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC. It's a universal time representation used in computing systems worldwide.
Common Units
- Seconds: Standard Unix timestamp (10 digits)
- Milliseconds: JavaScript/Java standard (13 digits)
- Microseconds: Python/PHP precision (16 digits)
- Nanoseconds: Maximum precision (19 digits)
Master Unix Timestamps: The Developer's Complete Guide
Unix timestamps are the backbone of time representation in modern computing. Whether you're building APIs, analyzing logs, or synchronizing distributed systems, understanding Unix timestamps is essential. Our converter supports all common formats - from seconds to nanoseconds - and handles timezone conversions seamlessly.
Real-World Applications
How to Convert Timestamps
Choose Your Direction
Convert from Unix timestamp to human-readable date or from date to timestamp. Both conversions support multiple units and timezones.
Select Unit & Timezone
Choose between seconds, milliseconds, microseconds, or nanoseconds. Select your timezone from major cities worldwide or use UTC for universal time.
Get Instant Results
View your converted timestamp or date instantly. Copy results with one click for use in your code, database queries, or documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Unix timestamp (also known as Epoch time, POSIX time, or Unix time) is the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, at 00:00:00 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). This date is known as the Unix Epoch. It's a universal time representation used across different programming languages, databases, and systems worldwide, making it ideal for storing and comparing dates across different time zones.
Unix Timestamps in Popular Languages
🟨 JavaScript / TypeScript
// Get current timestamp (milliseconds)
const timestamp = Date.now();
const timestamp2 = new Date().getTime();
// Convert to seconds
const seconds = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
// Parse timestamp
const date = new Date(1234567890000);
🐍 Python
import time
from datetime import datetime
# Get current timestamp (seconds)
timestamp = time.time()
# Convert to milliseconds
ms = int(time.time() * 1000)
# Parse timestamp
date = datetime.fromtimestamp(1234567890)
☕ Java
// Get current timestamp (milliseconds)
long timestamp = System.currentTimeMillis();
// Convert to seconds
long seconds = timestamp / 1000;
// Parse timestamp
Date date = new Date(1234567890000L);
Instant instant = Instant.ofEpochMilli(timestamp);
🐘 PHP
// Get current timestamp (seconds)
$timestamp = time();
// Get microseconds
$microtime = microtime(true);
// Parse timestamp
$date = date('Y-m-d H:i:s', 1234567890);
$dt = new DateTime('@1234567890');
Common Timestamp Conversions
Notable Timestamps
- 0 - Unix Epoch: January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC
- 1000000000 - September 9, 2001, 01:46:40 UTC (Unix billennium)
- 2147483647 - January 19, 2038, 03:14:07 UTC (32-bit limit)
- 2000000000 - May 18, 2033, 03:33:20 UTC
- -1 - December 31, 1969, 23:59:59 UTC
Quick Reference
Time Unit Conversions
- 1 second = 1,000 milliseconds
- 1 second = 1,000,000 microseconds
- 1 second = 1,000,000,000 nanoseconds
- 1 day = 86,400 seconds
- 1 week = 604,800 seconds
- 1 year ≈ 31,536,000 seconds
Format Recognition
- 10 digits → Seconds (until year 2286)
- 13 digits → Milliseconds (until year 2286)
- 16 digits → Microseconds
- 19 digits → Nanoseconds
- Negative → Before 1970
Best Practices for Working with Timestamps
Storage & Databases
Store timestamps as BIGINT in databases to avoid the 2038 problem. Always store in UTC and convert to local time only for display. Index timestamp columns for efficient range queries. Consider using database-native timestamp types when available.
API Design
Use ISO 8601 format for human-readable dates in JSON responses. Include both timestamp and formatted date when possible. Document the unit (seconds vs milliseconds) clearly. Accept multiple formats in requests but standardize the response format.
Timezone Handling
Never rely on server timezone - always specify explicitly. Store user preferences for timezone display. Use timezone-aware libraries (moment-timezone, pytz). Test with different timezones, especially around DST transitions.
Testing & Validation
Test edge cases like leap years, DST transitions, and timezone boundaries. Validate timestamp ranges to prevent invalid dates. Consider time synchronization in distributed systems. Mock time in tests rather than using system time.
Industry Applications
- • High-frequency trading timestamps
- • Transaction ordering
- • Audit trail timestamps
- • Market data synchronization
- • Settlement date calculations
- • Log aggregation and correlation
- • Metrics and time-series data
- • Incident timeline reconstruction
- • Performance benchmarking
- • Uptime calculations
- • Player session tracking
- • Event scheduling
- • Leaderboard timestamps
- • Content release timing
- • Achievement unlocks
- • Order timestamps
- • Flash sale timing
- • Shopping cart expiration
- • Delivery tracking
- • Customer analytics
- • Patient record timestamps
- • Medication schedules
- • Appointment booking
- • Lab result timing
- • Vital sign monitoring
- • Sensor data timestamps
- • Device synchronization
- • Event sequencing
- • Data aggregation windows
- • Predictive maintenance
Technical Specifications
Precision & Range
- 32-bit signed: ±68 years from epoch (1901-2038)
- 32-bit unsigned: 136 years from epoch (1970-2106)
- 64-bit signed: ±292 billion years from epoch
- Double precision float: Millisecond precision for ±285 years
Standards & Specifications
Unix time is defined by POSIX.1-2017 and ISO/IEC 9945. It counts seconds since the Unix Epoch, excluding leap seconds. TAI (International Atomic Time) provides an alternative that includes leap seconds for scientific applications.
Performance Considerations
Integer timestamps are faster to compare and sort than string dates. They require less storage space (8 bytes vs 19+ for ISO strings). Timestamp arithmetic is simple integer math. No parsing overhead when reading from databases.
Start Converting Timestamps Now
Whether you're debugging code, analyzing logs, or building APIs, our Unix Timestamp Converter provides instant, accurate conversions with timezone support. Free to use, no registration required.