This topic describes the syntax, features, parameters, and return values of time functions. This topic also provides examples of these functions.

today

The following table describes the details about this function.
Item Description
Syntax today()
Description Queries the current date (local time) in the format of yyyy-mm-dd.
Parameters None
Return value Returns the current date in the format of yyyy-mm-dd.
Examples 
say(concat('today:', today()))
Output:
today:2019-05-23

time

The following table describes the details about this function.
Item Description
Syntax time()
Description Queries the current UNIX timestamp, excluding the fractional part of milliseconds. Unit: seconds.
Note The UNIX timestamp is irrelevant to time zones, and indicates the number of seconds that have elapsed since 00:00:00 (UTC or GMT) on January 1, 1970.
Parameters None.
Return value Returns the current UNIX timestamp.
Examples 
say(concat('time:', time()))
Output:
time:1559109666

now

The following table describes the details about this function.
Item Description
Syntax now()
Description Queries the current UNIX timestamp, excluding the fractional part of milliseconds. Unit: seconds.
Note The UNIX timestamp is irrelevant to time zones, and indicates the number of seconds that have elapsed since 00:00:00 (UTC or GMT) on January 1, 1970.
Parameters None.
Return value Returns the current UNIX timestamp, excluding the fractional part of milliseconds. Unit: seconds.
Examples 
say(concat('now:', now()))
The following result is returned:
now:1559109666.644

localtime

The following table describes the details about this function.
Item Description
Syntax localtime()
Description Queries the current date and time (local time) in the format of yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss.
Parameters None.
Return value Returns the current date and time in the format of yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss.
Examples 
say(concat('localtime:', localtime()))
Output:
localtime:2019-05-29 14:02:41

utctime

The following table describes the details about this function.
Item Description
Syntax utctime()
Description Queries the current UTC time in the format of yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss.
Parameters None.
Return value Queries the current date and time in the format of yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss.
Examples 
say(concat('utctime:', utctime()))
Output:
utctime:2019-05-29 06:02:41

cookie_time

The following table describes the details about this function.
Item Description
Syntax cookie_time(sec)
Description Generates a GMT time string in the cookie format.
Parameters sec: a UNIX timestamp. To query the UNIX timestamp, you can call the time() function.
Return value Returns a time string that can be used in cookies based on the UNIX timestamp specified by the sec parameter.
Examples 
say(concat('cookie_time:', cookie_time(time())))
Output:
cookie_time:Wed, 29-May-19 06:02:41 GMT

http_time

The following table describes the details about this function.
Item Description
Syntax http_time(sec)
Description Generates a time string that can be used in HTTP headers based on a UNIX timestamp. For example, you can call this function to generate a time string that can be used in the Last-Modified header.
Notice Time strings generated by this function are in GMT.
Parameters sec: a UNIX timestamp. To query the UNIX timestamp, you can call the time() function.
Return value Returns a time string that can be used in HTTP headers based on the UNIX timestamp specified by the sec parameter.
Examples 
say(concat('http_time:', http_time(time())))
Output:
http_time:Wed, 29 May 2019 06:02:41 GMT

parse_http_time

The following table describes the details about this function.
Item Description
Syntax parse_http_time(str)
Description Parses a time string that is used in HTTP headers and returns the corresponding UNIX timestamp.
Notice This function does not recognize time zones. You must convert the local time to GMT before you pass the time to this function.
Parameters str: the time string that you want to parse. Format: Wed, 29 May 2019 06:02:41 GMT. To query the time string, you can call the http_time() function.
Return value If the function succeeds, a UNIX timestamp is returned. Otherwise, false is returned.
Examples 
say(concat('parse_http_time:', parse_http_time(http_time(time()))))
Output:
parse_http_time:1559109761

unixtime

The following table describes the details about this function.
Item Description
Syntax Syntax: unixtime(year, month, day, hour, min, sec).
Description Generates and returns a UNIX timestamp based on the provided values of the year, month, day, hour, min, and sec parameters.
Note The UNIX timestamp is irrelevant to time zones, and indicates the number of seconds that have elapsed since 00:00:00 (UTC or GMT) on January 1, 1970.
Parameters
  • year: specifies the year.
  • month: specifies the month.
  • day: specifies the day.
  • hour: specifies the hour.
  • min: specifies the minute.
  • sec: specifies the second.
Return value Returns a UNIX timestamp.
Examples
  • Example 1:
    t = unixtime(1970, 1, 1, 8, 0, 0)
say(concat('unixtime()=', t))

    Output:

    unixtime()=0
  • Example 2:
    t = unixtime(2021,12,23,0,0,0)
say(concat('unixtime()=', t))

    Output:

    unixtime()=1640188800