Timestamp Converter Usage Example

Usage Steps:

1. Select Timezone - Choose your target timezone from the dropdown (auto-detected local timezone included)
2. Select Format - Choose a preset output format or enter a custom dayjs format string
3. Timestamp to Date - Enter a 10-digit (seconds) or 13-digit (milliseconds) timestamp
4. Click Convert - Instantly view the corresponding human-readable date and time
5. Date to Timestamp - Input a date/time string; the tool strictly parses it by the selected/custom format (with common fallbacks) and converts it to a Unix timestamp
6. Copy Result - One-click copy the conversion result to your clipboard
7. Live Display - View both the real-time Unix timestamp and the formatted current time under your selected timezone & format

Features:

• Bidirectional Conversion - Supports both timestamp-to-date and date-to-timestamp conversion
• Multi-timezone Support - Supports UTC, Beijing, New York, London, Tokyo, Sydney, and local timezones
• Format Presets & Custom Format - Quickly switch between common presets or use any dayjs format string
• Strict Parsing - Uses dayjs customParseFormat in strict mode to parse date strings reliably (with sensible fallbacks)
• Format Recognition - Automatically recognizes 10-digit (second) and 13-digit (millisecond) timestamps
• Live Clock - Shows the real-time Unix timestamp and a formatted current time reflecting the selected timezone & format
• Auto-detect Timezone - Detects the browser timezone on first load and adds it to the dropdown if missing
• Quick Access - Quickly get the current timestamp with a single click
• Precise Conversion - Supports accurate time conversion down to the second level

Use Cases:

• API Development - Handle and debug timestamp fields in API responses and requests
• Log Analysis - Convert timestamps in log files to understand event timing
• Database Operations - Correctly handle time-related fields in databases
• System Debugging - Verify the correspondence between system time and timestamps
• Data Migration - Convert between different time formats during data transfers
• Timezone Conversion - Easily handle cross-timezone time data and calculations
• Scheduled Tasks - Calculate execution times for scheduled tasks and cron jobs

Common Questions (Q&A):

1. Q: What is a Unix timestamp (Epoch time)?
   A: A Unix timestamp is the number of seconds that have elapsed since 00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970, not counting leap seconds. It's commonly used in computing for time storage and comparison.
2. Q: Seconds vs milliseconds: which should I use?
   A: Backends often use seconds (10 digits), while browsers like JavaScript Date.now() use milliseconds (13 digits). Our tool auto-detects both: 10-digit values are treated as seconds, 13-digit as milliseconds.
3. Q: How do I convert timestamps across timezones?
   A: Select the target timezone in the dropdown first. When you convert a timestamp to a date, the result is formatted in that timezone. This avoids manual timezone math and daylight-saving pitfalls.
4. Q: Does daylight saving time (DST) affect results?
   A: Yes. When a timezone observes DST, local clock shifts are applied automatically by our formatter, ensuring the displayed local date/time matches the real-world rule for that date.
5. Q: Can I choose a custom output format?
   A: Yes. Select a preset like 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss' or switch to 'Custom' and enter any dayjs format string. The current time display and conversion results will follow the selected/custom format.
6. Q: How does the tool parse date strings for Date → Timestamp?
   A: It uses dayjs customParseFormat in strict mode. The tool first tries your selected/custom format, then falls back to common patterns (e.g., ISO 8601 variants). Parsing respects the selected timezone.
7. Q: Why does the current time line show formatted text now?
   A: Besides the live Unix timestamp, the tool also shows the current time formatted by your selected timezone & format. This helps you preview formatting instantly.
8. Q: Is my local timezone auto-detected?
   A: Yes. On first load the browser timezone is detected and used as the initial selection (unless you've already chosen something else). If it's not in the list, it's added automatically.
9. Q: Can I convert negative timestamps (dates before 1970)?
   A: Yes. Negative Unix timestamps represent dates before the epoch and are supported by modern browsers and this tool.
10. Q: What about the Year 2038 problem?
    A: The 2038 problem impacts 32-bit systems using signed 32-bit integers to store seconds. Modern environments and this web tool use 64-bit or higher precision and are not affected.
11. Q: How to get the current Unix timestamp?
    A: Click the 'Now' button in the tool. In code, examples: JavaScript: Math.floor(Date.now()/1000); Python: int(time.time()); Node.js: Math.floor(Date.now()/1000).
12. Q: How do I convert in popular languages (quick cheatsheet)?
    A: JavaScript: new Date(SECONDS*1000).toISOString(); Python: datetime.utcfromtimestamp(SECONDS).isoformat(); PHP: date('c', SECONDS); Go: time.Unix(SECONDS,0).UTC().Format(time.RFC3339).
13. Q: Why does the page show a live timestamp at the top?
    A: For convenience. It displays the real-time Unix timestamp so you can copy the current value instantly and verify conversions.