Current Unix Timestamp — Epoch Time Now
Unix Timestamp Now
Get it in your code
JavaScript
Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000)
Python
import time; int(time.time())
Go
time.Now().Unix()
Rust
SystemTime::now() .duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH) .unwrap().as_secs()
Java
Instant.now().getEpochSecond()
Bash / Terminal
date +%s
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What is the current Unix timestamp?
The live number above is the current Unix timestamp in seconds — the number of seconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970 at 00:00:00 UTC (the Unix epoch). It increments by 1 every second, everywhere in the world simultaneously, regardless of timezone. The millisecond version increments 1,000 times per second and is the format used by JavaScript's Date.now() and Java's System.currentTimeMillis().
Seconds vs. milliseconds — which do I need?
A 10-digit number (like 1708560000) is seconds. This is the standard format for Unix systems, databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL), JWT tokens, and most REST APIs. A 13-digit number (like 1708560000000) is milliseconds — used by JavaScript, Java, Android, and many browser APIs. When in doubt: 10 digits = seconds, 13 digits = milliseconds.
Why use Unix time instead of a formatted date?
Formatted dates like "2024-02-22 14:00:00" are ambiguous — is that local time? UTC? Which timezone offset? A Unix timestamp is always UTC and always unambiguous. You can sort, compare, and do arithmetic on timestamps with simple integer operations. That's why APIs, log systems, databases, and operating systems all use Unix time internally.
Convert a timestamp to a date
Have a timestamp you want to read as a human date? Use the full converter — paste the number and instantly see the date, time, timezone, day of week, ISO 8601 format, and relative time ("3 hours ago", "in 2 days").
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current Unix timestamp?
The current Unix timestamp is the number of seconds elapsed since January 1, 1970 at 00:00:00 UTC (the Unix epoch). It's a single integer that increments by 1 every second, everywhere in the world simultaneously.
What is the difference between seconds and milliseconds timestamps?
A 10-digit number (e.g., 1708560000) is seconds — used by Unix, databases, and most REST APIs. A 13-digit number (e.g., 1708560000000) is milliseconds — used by JavaScript's Date.now() and Java's System.currentTimeMillis().
Why is Unix time always UTC?
Unix time counts seconds from a fixed UTC point in history. There's no timezone embedded — it's just a number. Timezones only apply when you format the timestamp into a human-readable date string.
What is the Y2K38 problem?
32-bit systems overflow on January 19, 2038. Modern 64-bit systems are unaffected — a 64-bit timestamp can represent dates up to the year 292 billion. All major languages and databases now default to 64-bit timestamps.
Current timestamp reference for common workflows
If you searched for "current timestamp", you usually need a value you can paste directly into logs, API requests, database tests, or cache-expiration checks. Use the 10-digit Unix seconds value for most backend APIs and SQL functions. Use the 13-digit milliseconds value when testing browser events, JavaScript runtimes, and high-frequency telemetry pipelines.
This page updates live in UTC so the number is always current when you copy it. That helps avoid one of the most common debugging issues: stale timestamp values copied from static examples. Keep timestamps as raw integers in storage and only format into local time when rendering for users.
Related tools for deeper conversions: current timestamp in milliseconds, milliseconds to date converter, and JavaScript timestamp examples.