In JavaScript, there are several ways to retrieve the current timestamp. One of the simplest and most efficient ways to do this is by using the built-in Date.now() method. This method returns the number of milliseconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC.
In this article, we will explore how to use Date.now() to get the current timestamp in JavaScript.
Getting the Current Timestamp
To use the Date.now() method, you simply need to call it without any arguments. For example, the following code retrieves the current timestamp and stores it in a variable called currentTime:
1 | const currentTime = Date.now(); //Output: 1676879652110 |
The value of the currentTime variable will be a number representing the current timestamp in milliseconds. This number can be used in a variety of ways, such as calculating the difference between two timestamps or setting a timeout for a function.
Converting the Timestamp to a Date Object
While the number returned by Date.now() can be useful, it is not very human-readable. To convert the timestamp to a more familiar date format, you can create a new Date object using the timestamp as an argument. For example:
1 2 | const currentTime = Date.now(); const dateObject = new Date(currentTime); |
The dateObject variable now contains a Date object representing the current date and time. You can use the built-in methods of the Date object to retrieve specific information about the date and time. For example, the following code retrieves the current year, month, and day:
1 2 3 4 5 6 | const currentTime = Date.now(); const dateObject = new Date(currentTime); const currentYear = dateObject.getFullYear(); //Output: 2023 const currentMonth = dateObject.getMonth() + 1; //Output: 2 const currentDay = dateObject.getDate(); //Output: 20 |
Here:
getFullYear(): method retrieves the current year.getMonth()returns the month as a number between 0 and 11. Since JavaScript counts months starting from 0, you need to add 1 to get the actual month number.getDate()method retrieves the current day of the month.
Formatting the Date and Time
To format the date and time in a more readable way, you can use the various formatting options provided by the Date object.
For example, the toLocaleString() method can be used to format the date and time according to the user’s local settings. The following code retrieves the current date and time in the user’s local format:
1 2 3 4 | const currentTime = Date.now(); const dateObject = new Date(currentTime); const currentDateTime = dateObject.toLocaleString(); //Output: 2/20/2023, 7:41:42 AM |
The currentDateTime variable now contains a string representing the current date and time in a format that is familiar to the user.
Conclusion
Retrieving the current timestamp in JavaScript is a common task that can be accomplished using the built-in Date.now() method. This method returns the number of milliseconds that have elapsed since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC, and can be used to perform various calculations and set timeouts. To convert the timestamp to a more human-readable format, you can create a new Date object and use the built-in methods of the Date object to retrieve specific information about the date and time. You can also use the various formatting options provided by the Date object to format the date and time in a way that is familiar to the user.