Unix Timestamp Converter
Convert between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates
Milliseconds: 1770769978000
Timestamp to Date
Supports both seconds (10 digits) and milliseconds (13 digits)
Date to Timestamp
Quick Reference Timestamps
What is a Unix Timestamp?
A Unix timestamp (also known as Epoch time, POSIX time, or Unix Epoch) is a system for tracking time as a running total of seconds. It represents the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, at 00:00:00 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), not counting leap seconds.
Why Use Unix Timestamps?
Unix timestamps are widely used in computing and programming because they offer several advantages:
- Universality: Unix timestamps are timezone-independent, making them ideal for storing and comparing dates across different systems and locations.
- Simplicity: A single integer is easier to store, sort, and compare than complex date formats.
- Precision: Timestamps can represent time down to the second (or millisecond for extended precision).
- Database efficiency: Integer comparisons are faster than string-based date comparisons in databases.
Seconds vs. Milliseconds
Traditional Unix timestamps are measured in seconds and contain 10 digits (until the year 2286). However, many modern systems use millisecond precision, which adds three more digits for a total of 13 digits. This tool automatically detects which format you are using based on the input length.
Common Uses for Unix Timestamps
- Logging events in applications and servers
- Database record creation and modification times
- API request/response timestamps
- File modification dates
- Session expiration and token validation
- Scheduling and cron jobs
- Data synchronization between systems