Epoch Timestamp Converter
Convert between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates. Shows the current timestamp in real time.
Formula
Also called epoch time or POSIX time. Most blockchain timestamps use this format.
JavaScript's Date.now() returns milliseconds. Divide by 1000 for standard Unix time.
Examples
- Timestamp: 1231006505
- Date: January 3, 2009 18:15:05 UTC
- Timestamp: 1663224162
- Date: September 15, 2022 06:42:42 UTC
- Max 32-bit signed integer: 2,147,483,647
- Date: January 19, 2038 03:14:07 UTC
- After this, 32-bit systems overflow
Key Concepts
Why Unix Timestamps?
Unix timestamps are timezone-independent, sort naturally as numbers, are compact to store, and are universally supported across programming languages and databases.
Blockchain Timestamps
Block timestamps on most blockchains are Unix timestamps in seconds. They're set by the miner/validator and are approximate — they can be slightly off from real-world time.
Seconds vs Milliseconds
Unix time is in seconds. JavaScript uses milliseconds. If a timestamp is 13 digits, it's milliseconds; if 10 digits, it's seconds. Divide millisecond timestamps by 1000.
The Year 2038 Problem
32-bit signed integers can only store timestamps up to January 19, 2038. After that, they overflow to negative numbers. Most modern systems use 64-bit integers, solving this.
UTC vs Local Time
Unix timestamps are always UTC. When you see a timestamp, it represents the same instant in time regardless of timezone. Local time display depends on your system's timezone setting.
Block.timestamp in Solidity
In Solidity, block.timestamp returns the current block's timestamp as a uint256 in seconds. It's commonly used for time-locked contracts, vesting schedules, and deadline enforcement.
Understanding Epoch Timestamps
The Unix epoch (January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC) is the reference point for most computer time systems. A timestamp is simply the number of seconds that have elapsed since this moment.
In blockchain development, timestamps are everywhere: block headers, transaction timestamps, smart contract time locks, and event logs all use Unix time. Being able to quickly convert between timestamps and dates is essential for debugging and analysis.
This converter handles both seconds and milliseconds. If your timestamp is 10 digits, it's in seconds. If it's 13 digits, it's in milliseconds (common in JavaScript and API responses).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get the current Unix timestamp?
In JavaScript: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000). In Python: import time; int(time.time()). In Bash: date +%s. Or just look at the live counter on this page.
Why is my timestamp off by hours?
You're likely comparing UTC time with your local time. Unix timestamps are always UTC. If you're in UTC-5, a timestamp will appear 5 hours 'ahead' when displayed in local time.
Can timestamps be negative?
Yes — negative timestamps represent dates before January 1, 1970. For example, -86400 is December 31, 1969. Most blockchain timestamps are positive (post-1970).