Complete guide to Unix timestamps for developers. Learn what epoch time is, how to convert timestamps to dates and vice versa, and why databases use Unix time.
Unix timestamp (also called epoch time) is the number of seconds since January 1, 1970 at 00:00:00 UTC. It's how most computer systems store dates internally. You'll see it in server logs, database columns, API responses, and configuration files.
Our Unix Timestamp to Date and Date to Unix Timestamp converters handle the translation instantly.
Why Developers Love Unix Time
- Timezone neutral - It's always UTC. No worrying about timezone conversions.
- Easy to compare - Higher number = later time. Simple integer comparison.
- Compact storage - Stored as a 4-byte integer (until 2038, see below)
- Simple arithmetic - Add 86400 to add one day. No date libraries needed for basic operations.
The Year 2038 Problem
The original Unix timestamp used a 32-bit signed integer, which maxes out at 2,147,483,647 seconds - that's January 19, 2038. After that, 32-bit systems will wrap around to negative numbers (the "Year 2038 Problem"). Most systems today use 64-bit integers, which solves this for billions of years.