Unix Timestamp Converter & Epoch to Date
Easily convert 10-digit Unix epoch seconds and 13-digit milliseconds into human-readable ISO 8601, UTC, and local date formats, or convert custom dates back to epoch time. 100% private and in-browser.
Tue, 20 Oct 2026 19:55:23 GMT (UTC)
Unix Epoch → Human Date
10 or 13 digitsHuman Date → Unix Epoch
Local Date & TimeDeveloper Cheatsheet: Getting Current Unix Epoch in Code
Copy-paste ready snippets to generate Unix epoch seconds across major programming languages.
Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000)import time
int(time.time())time(); // seconds
microtime(true); // msimport "time"
time.Now().Unix()date +%sSELECT UNIX_TIMESTAMP();
-- Postgres: EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM NOW());Understanding Unix Epoch Time: The Universal Clock of Computing
In computer science and modern software systems, time synchronization is inherently complicated by timezones, daylight saving time (DST) shifts, and regional calendars. To establish an unambiguous, universally sortable standard, Unix engineers created the Unix Epoch, defined as 00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970.
Every second since that moment increments the epoch counter by 1. Because epoch timestamps are simple scalar integers, they can be stored efficiently in database columns, indexed with binary trees, sorted effortlessly, and compared across distributed microservices with zero timezone ambiguity.
Common Unix Epoch Formats Compared
| Format Name | Digit Length | Precision | Common Frameworks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seconds | 10 digits | 1 second | Python, PHP, Linux Kernel, C/C++, Redis |
| Milliseconds | 13 digits | 0.001 second | JavaScript Date.now(), Java System.currentTimeMillis() |
| Microseconds | 16 digits | 0.000001 second | PostgreSQL, High-frequency trading, Performance profilers |
| Nanoseconds | 19 digits | 10⁻⁹ second | Go (time.Now().UnixNano()), Rust, InfluxDB |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a Unix epoch timestamp?
A Unix timestamp (or POSIX time / Epoch time) is the total number of seconds that have elapsed since the Unix Epoch: January 1, 1970 at 00:00:00 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), minus leap seconds. It provides a standardized, timezone-agnostic representation of time used by operating systems, databases, and APIs worldwide.
What is the difference between a 10-digit and a 13-digit timestamp?
A 10-digit timestamp represents time in seconds (standard Unix epoch used in languages like Python, PHP, and C). A 13-digit timestamp measures time in milliseconds (used in JavaScript `Date.now()`, Java, and modern web APIs). Our tool automatically detects whether your input has 10 or 13 digits and normalizes the date accordingly.
What is the Year 2038 problem (Y2038)?
On January 19, 2038 at 03:14:07 UTC, 32-bit signed integers will overflow because the maximum 32-bit signed integer value (2,147,483,647 seconds) will be reached. Systems still using 32-bit timestamp storage will wrap around to a negative number, interpreting the year as 1901. Modern 64-bit systems represent timestamps up to approximately 292 billion years into the future.
How do I convert epoch timestamps to dates in JavaScript, Python, or PHP?
In JavaScript, multiply seconds by 1000 and pass to `new Date(timestamp * 1000)`. In Python, use `datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp, tz=datetime.timezone.utc)`. In PHP, use `date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $timestamp)`.
Are my timestamps or converted dates sent to any server?
No. The entire conversion logic executes directly in your web browser using JavaScript's native Date object and mathematical operations. No timestamps, IP addresses, or dates are logged or transmitted to any server.